The Mindful Quaker: A Brief Introduction to Buddhist Wisdom for Friends (Pendle Hill Pamphlets Book 386)

In recent decades, many Quakers have been drawn to the study of Buddhist teachings and to the practices of meditation and mindfulness as taught in Buddhism. Valerie Brown, who is both a Quaker and a Buddhist, explores the gifts that Buddhism has to offer Friends in our search for unity with the Divine Ground, for clarity in our worship, and for equanimity in our lives. Writing as a dedicated seeker in both traditions, she identifies the points of commonality as well as the valuable insights and techniques that Friends can derive from a discipline that has developed through more than 2,500 years of practice.This essay focuses on Quakerism and Buddhism. As a member of the Religious Society of Friends and as an ordained layperson in the Tiep Hien Order (Order of lnterbeing) founded by the Buddhist Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh, the author understands the harmony and tension between these faith traditions.