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The donkey and the cricket
What happens when we stop trying to trade our nature for someone else’s and instead deepen into our own.
 • The Urban Monk
The limping dog that didn't ask for pity
A three-legged dog in Bali teaches what the Buddha knew; the first arrow is pain, the second is the story we tell about it. And wild things only ever…
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The gift of the near-miss
A near-miss with a falling coconut becomes a reminder that gratitude flourishes not despite our negativity bias, but in conscious opposition to it.
 • The Urban Monk
Peace, if we give it a chance
Even in a chaotic world, the work of peace begins within.
 • The Urban Monk
Has mindfulness made me an ass?
When calmness turns into quiet superiority, even mindfulness can become another mask for the ego. This is a story about seeing that and learning to…
 • The Urban Monk
A walk towards impermanence
A reflective walk through a changing forest leads to a deeper understanding of impermanence and the freedom in letting go.
 • The Urban Monk
Love in a world that won’t hold still
To love fully in a changing world is not to escape impermanence, but to recognize that love itself is made of it.
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The precious loan of life
When life is seen not as a gift to possess but a loan to honor, every moment becomes sacred.
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The treasure buried in your own yard
Learning to live from the inside out means facing ourselves honestly and discovering a freedom deeper than anything we can chase outside.
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The party that scared me into zen practice
Sometimes the best practice ground isn’t a meditation cushion, it’s a party you don’t want to attend.
 • The Urban Monk
Why the smallest acts of kindness can shift everything
Even the simplest human connection can reset the mind, release tension and restore calm.
 • The Urban Monk
The main idea about the main idea
Most civilizations don’t fall from outside threats, they crumble from within when they forget the simple foundations that sustain life.
 • The Urban Monk
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