Danny Fisher tells us new poems by Tibetan writer and activist Woeser are available. Almost unbelievably, Woeser bravely lives and writes in Beijing, beneath the unsleeping eyes of the government.

You’ve seen Obamabuddha (probably) — now how about Yogobama?

And Dogo Barry Graham warns us against practicing Zen without a teacher, in the context of a certain very popular book. His post begins:

Dogen says there is no point in trying to practice Zen without a teacher. Dilettantes and hobbyists do not like to hear this,  but it is true. Reading a few books and sitting on a zafu does not constitute a Zen practice. You can have a solo meditation practice, and that is not a bad thing, but do not mistake it for Zen. Do not mistake it for the Buddha Dharma.

Practicing meditation by yourself, you may well achieve some taste of awakening – but without  the support of a teacher and a sangha, that experience is useless, and may even be harmful.

Read the rest here. (The last part of the title of this post is stolen borrowed from a commentor on Dogo’s post.)

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