Hi all,

September means back to school for my kids, as it probably does for many of you also. As you fine tune your new morning routine, it's a great time to start a meditation practice, or to re-commit to an existing (or waning) one. My first article this month is suggestions for how to do exactly that:

Tips for Developing a Daily Meditation Practice
Daily meditation benefits your mind, body, and spirit, regardless of whether you are doing it as part of a Buddhist practice. Here are some tips for developing a daily meditation routine.
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art173005.asp

And in case you missed it, in August I updated an old favorite of mine, an article on the first woman to head a Zen monastery:

Mugai Nyodai, First Woman to Head a Zen Order
The life of Mugai Nyodai, medieval Zen Buddhist nun credited with becoming the first woman to head a Zen order, and author of a famous Zen awakening poem.
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art46823.asp

Now that summer is over, I will be posting more regularly again. I'd love to hear your suggestions for article or product reviews by email or in the forums:

http://forums.bellaonline.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=postlist&Board=351

As most of you know, I like to close out each newsletter with an excerpt from a sutra or Buddhist book. This week, instead I have some quotes from the Buddha that I hope will motivate you in your own meditation practice:

"Meditation brings wisdom; lack of mediation leaves ignorance. Know well what leads you forward and what hold you back, and choose the path that leads to wisdom."

"Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without."

"All that we are is the result of what we have thought. The mind is everything. What we think we become."

"No one saves us but ourselves. No one can and no one may. We ourselves must walk the path."

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

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