Hi all,

I have two fun articles for you this cycle:

Dakinis in Tibetan Buddhism
Dakinis, or 'sky-dancers', are female representations of enlightenment and enlightened energy, and play a big role in Tibetan Buddhist writings and teachings. Learn more about them in this article, as well as viewing images of several.
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art68635.asp

Zen Ghosts - Children's Book Review
Buddhism and Halloween? Sure! In this third children's book featuring Stillwater, a beloved giant koan-speaking panda, the theme of 'what is real?' is explored through Halloween costumes and imagery. A ghost story-within-the-story, based on an ancient Zen koan, further explores this theme.
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art68922.asp

I've also started a new thread in the Buddhism forum entitled 'Do we overprotect our kids?' based on some other reviews I have read of Zen Ghosts. You can participate in that thread here:
http://forums.bellaonline.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=postlist&Board=351

In closing, here's a lovely Zen haiku for Autumn, from Basho:

Chilling autumn rains
Curtain Mount Fuji, then make it
More beautiful to see

In Peace,
Lisa Erickson
Buddhism Editor
http://buddhism.bellaonline.com