Eastern Spirituality

Located on Mount Fanjing in China, the Temple of the Buddha and Maitreya Temple sit impossibly atop a spindly rock formation, more than 7,600 feet (2,336 meters) above sea level.

By Carrie Whitney, Ph.D.

A koan is a riddle or puzzle that Zen Buddhists use during meditation to help them unravel greater truths. We look at some examples to see how these enigmatic sayings work.

By Dave Roos

You've probably seen Tibetan prayer flags fluttering in the breeze, but what do they symbolize and who should hang them?

By Tara Yarlagadda

Buddhist nuns and female scholars are gaining new leadership roles, in a tradition that began with the ordination of Buddha's foster mother.

By Jue Liang

The roots of the Taliban's religious beliefs - Deobandi Islam - can be traced to 19th century colonial India.

By Sohel Rana & Sumit Ganguly

Sharia, which is Islamic law, can strike some people in the West as draconian and harsh. Is this an accurate portrayal?

By Dave Roos

‌It's one of the largest religions on Earth but little-known in the West, where its practitioners are often mistaken for Muslims or Hindus. What else should we know about the Sikh faith?

By Dave Roos

Lao-tzu was the legendary Taoist philosopher whose words sound profoundly modern. They help us maintain a sense of harmony in an often-chaotic world. Here are five of his sayings to ponder.

By Dave Roos

Nonviolence is central to the core of Jainism, as everything has a soul - animals, flowers and even bacteria, as well as people. How do Jainists practice this in daily life?

By Dave Roos

By the time Richard Alpert died in 2019, he was better known as Baba Ram Dass and had become a spiritual teacher, psychedelic research pioneer, best-selling author and New Age guru to millions of followers.

By Michelle Konstantinovsky

Born in 1207 as Jalāl ad-Dīn Muhammad Rūmī, the Sufi mystic and Persian poet wrote a staggering amount of verse, and is still beloved and widely influential to this day.

By Michelle Konstantinovsky

Are Hindus polytheistic? Do they worship cows? And how does yoga fit into this religion? We answer some of the most-asked questions around Hinduism.

By Dave Roos

The practice of shamanism has mystical and spiritual connotations, but it's not tied to any specific religion or creed. So, what exactly is shamanism?

By Michelle Konstantinovsky

The intricate, circular design of the mandala is used in many religions and cultures to symbolically represent the cosmos and the organizational structure of life itself.

By Michelle Konstantinovsky

What's the point of meditation? Are all Buddhists vegetarians and pacifists? What do we misunderstand about Karma? Find out more about Buddhism in our article.

By Dave Roos

That plump statue of a 'Laughing Buddha,' often seen in Chinese restaurants, has little to do with the ascetic founder of Buddhism. So how did the two get conflated?

By Dave Roos

Although Muslim-majority countries are often in the news, many people don't know that much about Islam. Here, we answer some often-asked questions about the world's second-largest religion.

By Dave Roos

Imaginary friends have nothing on tulpas. These are "entities" people believe will to life in their minds - complete with feelings, thoughts and experiences.

By Diana Brown

Yoga is big business in the U.S., and its bends and twists go by names like downward-facing dog, pigeon or camel while attracting practitioners from all walks of life. But what are the breathing exercises, meditation and poses of yoga all about?

By Molly Edmonds

Religious worship can serious and somber, but it can also be joyous and celebratory -- in the correct context, of course. Here are 10 deities, like that infamous Dionysus, who command their followers to party.

By Josh Clark

In the 1960s, the Beatles joined Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in his Himalayan ashram. Their interest in meditation undoubtedly influenced their music. But are they responsible for introducing yoga to the West?

By Janel Chatraw

The Dalai Lama is known for his compassion, wisdom and patience. But how does the 14th Dalai Lama govern his people in exile?

By Sarah Dowdey

Reincarnation is the concept that the soul, or some aspect of the soul, is reborn into new lives. Has Western science proven that it really occurs?

By Sarah Dowdey

The principle behind karma is that people's actions affect their present and future lives. Is karma an idea or an actual substance that sticks to the soul?

By Sarah Dowdey

Tai chi chuan, usually referred to as tai chi, is the almost meditative exercise derived from the philosophic principles of Tai Chi. Learn about this living philosophy expressed in a series of graceful, complementary and deeply contemplated movements.

By the Editors of Publications International, Ltd.