Kurt Spellmeyer

black and white photo of buddha sculptures in a temple

Awakened by Beauty

A Zen priest and scholar considers the role of aesthetics in a renunciant tradition.

By Kurt Spellmeyer, Photographs by Michael Kenna

Fall 2019

Silhouette of a person looking down at their cell phone

Trike Daily Personal Reflections

Why You’re Addicted to Your Phone

The nonstop novelty of cell phones distracts us from the true root of our suffering, says Zen priest Kurt Spellmeyer.

By Kurt Spellmeyer

Dec 27, 2018

The Human Deity

Seeing the Buddha as both human and divine opens us to our own limitless nature.

By Kurt Spellmeyer

Winter 2018

Waking Up by Breaking Down Barriers

Meditation can be painful. Especially if it’s practiced for long hours in a Zen retreat. But that’s not why Rinzai Zen teacher Genki Roshi once described meditation to his student Kurt Spellmeyer as “dying on the cushion.” In this series, Spellmeyer, now a Zen priest, takes a closer look at what exactly “dies” on the cushion—our sense of self, the death of which allows us to exist in perpetual harmony with the surrounding world. When meditative insight rids the self of barriers, what remains is an open gate of awareness and communication.

By Kurt Spellmeyer

Sep 2018

Magazine History & Philosophy

The Wisdom of Uncertainty

The dharma’s true home is neither here nor there.

By Kurt Spellmeyer, Artwork by Bernadette Jiyong Frank

Fall 2018

vintage postage stamps for an article on globalism

Magazine History & Philosophy

Globalism 3.0

The secret to world harmony isn’t oneness. It’s multiplicity.

By Kurt Spellmeyer

Winter 2017

Muslim activist and a Buddhist priest sit together at a table, buddhism and islam

Magazine Society & Environment

Dialogue Across Difference

In a time of discordance and distrust, especially among religious communities, a Muslim activist and a Buddhist priest come together to discuss and resist the nativism that has surfaced all over the globe.

With Kurt Spellmeyer and Sofia Ali-Khan, Photography by Eric McNatt

Summer 2017

Magazine History & Philosophy

Is the Dharma Democratic?

The Buddha’s radical inclusivity suggests it is.

By Kurt Spellmeyer

Spring 2017

Trike Daily

Now What Do We Do?

Buddhist history to consider on Inauguration Day

By Kurt Spellmeyer

Jan 20, 2017

Get Daily Dharma in your email

Start your day with a fresh perspective

Trike Daily

Daily wisdom, teachings & critique

Buddha Buzz Weekly: Low-Caste Buddhist Converts Denied Affirmative Action in India

Indian state denies benefits to Dalit Buddhists trying to escape caste discrimination, a bipartisan bill seeks to protect the Dalai Lama’s reincarnation, and an alleged thief ring targeted US temples. Tricycle looks back at the events of this week in the Buddhist world.

By Karen Jensen

Sep 21, 2019

Magazine

The Buddhist Review

Buddhist Temple at Philadelphia Museum of Art

Society & Environment

The Buddhist Traveler in Philadelphia

The City of Brotherly Love is best known for its cheesesteak and the Liberty Bell, but the town’s hidden pockets of tranquility will surprise you.

By Samuel Newhouse

Fall 2019

Dharma Talks

Video teachings and discussions with contemporary Buddhist teachers

Meditation & Practice

How to be Selfless in a Selfish World

Sensei José Shinzan Palma breaks down the false dichotomy between practice in the meditation hall and life “in the real world,” and shows how this realization of practice’s immediacy can transform our lives into a compassionate expression of service.

Sensei José Shinzan Palma

Sep 2019

Subscribe Today

Tricycle is more than a magazine

Subscribe for access to video teachings, monthly films, e-books, and our 27-year archive.

Weekly Newsletter

The latest from Tricycle to your inbox and more

Donate Now

Tricycle is a nonprofit that depends on reader support. Help us share Buddhist teachings and practices by donating now.

Donate Donate

Trike Daily
Magazine
Dharma Talks
Film Club
E-Books
Online Courses
Podcast
Buddhism for Beginners
Events
Topics
Login
- Need help with email or password?
- Link Your Subscription
- Log Out
- Subscribe for access to video teachings, monthly films, e-books, and our 27-year archive.
  Subscribe
Tricycle is a nonprofit that depends on reader support. Help us share Buddhist teachings and practices by donating now.
Donate
Tricycle is a nonprofit that depends on reader support. Help us share Buddhist teachings and practices by donating now.
Donate

New to Buddhism?

Start your journey here!