Buddhist Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

11/22/2025

Wishing a full recovery for all. Let’s drive carefully and politely out there.

The monks walking to DC… they’ve been hit. One of them was hurt badly and had to be airlifted. Another was taken by ambulance with less severe injuries. Their es**rt car was moving slowly with hazard lights on, and a truck tried to pass, didn’t calculate the speed difference, slammed into the es**rt car, and pushed it into the monks. This was on US-90 near Dayton, Texas. The driver is cooperating, but the cause right now looks like simple inattention — the kind that ends lives every day.

They were walking for peace. Literally. These are monks from the Huong Dao Vipassana Bhavana Center in Fort Worth. They set out to walk 2,300 miles to Washington DC. Ten states. Months on the road. This is engaged Buddhism: walking through the world as it is, among beings, among danger, not hiding in a monastery, not withdrawing into silence, but meeting samsara exactly where it burns.

And when you walk like that — with your whole body, your whole vow — samsara pushes back. Sometimes gently. Sometimes violently. This is part of the path. The Buddha taught us that the moment you step out for the sake of beings, you also step into risk. The world is not arranged to protect bodhisattvas. Bodhisattvas enter the world to protect beings.

The monk who went into surgery earlier today made it through and is in recovery now. The others had minor injuries and — in the way only people with vows can do — they’ve already said they will continue the walk. Still walking for peace. Still dedicating their bodies to the path.

Their whole team released a statement thanking people for prayers and support. They’re asking people to keep the monks in their thoughts as they heal and continue their journey. They’re not stopping.

This is the kind of thing I point to over and over: people think “Buddhist practice” means something soft, detached, pacified into numbness. But look. These monks were literally walking across the country to open hearts and bring awareness to peace. They put themselves straight into the unpredictable flow of traffic, weather, strangers, everything. That’s not passivity. That’s vow in motion.

And when something like this happens, it hits hard because they’re doing what bodhisattvas do — showing up in a world that doesn’t always see them, or care, or slow down. But they keep going anyway. That’s the heart of this path.

I’m holding them in my practice. Anyone who walks for the sake of beings knows the risk. And still they walk.

11/21/2025

These two books should cover everything.

11/19/2025

“Experts in ancient Greek culture say that people back then didn't see their thoughts as belonging to them. When ancient Greeks had a thought, it occurred to them as a god or goddess giving an order. Apollo was telling them to be brave. Athena was telling them to fall in love.

Now people hear a commercial for sour cream potato chips and rush out to buy, but now they call this free will. At least the ancient Greeks were being honest.”

—Chuck Palahniuk

11/18/2025

11/12/2025

Maybe not like this though.

11/11/2025

It would be better if teachers didn’t have to pay for notebooks out of pocket.

Good people everywhere ❤️

11/04/2025

In Norway, scientists found that painting a single wind turbine blade black can cut bird collisions by up to 70%.

The breakthrough came from research at the Smøla wind farm, where identical white blades created a motion blur that made them nearly invisible to birds. Adding one black blade increased visibility, allowing birds to recognize and avoid the turbines while flying.

This simple, inexpensive solution could save thousands of birds, including vulnerable species like white-tailed eagles and migratory seabirds—without affecting energy output. It’s a striking example of how small design changes, guided by ecological understanding, can help balance human progress with nature’s protection.

As renewable energy grows across the globe, this research shows how innovation and environmental care can work together—building a cleaner, safer future for both people and wildlife.

11/03/2025

South Korea is introducing late-night laundromats that quietly serve a dual purpose — open to all, but with a special focus on dignity for the unhoused. These 24-hour facilities operate in key urban zones and offer free laundry tokens after 10pm, allowing those without permanent shelter to wash clothes privately, safely, and without stigma.

The model is simple. Between late-night hours and early dawn, the laundromats remain open but less crowded. Token dispensers discreetly release washes for those in need — no ID, no questioning, just clean clothes and a sense of normalcy. Some locations even provide vending machines with hygiene kits or dryers with built-in disinfect cycles.

The goal isn’t just cleanliness. It's restoration of self-worth. Wearing fresh clothes helps with public perception, job interviews, and general mental wellbeing. Volunteers often restock detergent or fold spare clothing to leave on “give shelves.”

Unlike daytime shelters, these laundromats don’t feel institutional. They're community-neutral spaces — bright, modern, and equipped like any other local amenity. That sense of equality matters deeply.

South Korea’s approach is subtle but strong. By embedding support into everyday public services, it creates access without spotlighting poverty. These after-dark laundromats offer more than a clean shirt — they offer quiet human care, when and where it’s most needed.