Many westerners are drawn to eastern spirituality, from yoga to Buddhism to Taoism to Hinduism to even feng shui. Whether you ring a bell to 'clear your space' or take a yoga class or meditate on nothing (za zen), you are drawing from eastern traditions and philosopies.

This section will feature articles on eastern thought from a purely western (American) perspective - I can't begin to claim any special expertise in eastern thought and philosophy.

Feng shui - Chi - NEW
One of the main goals of Feng Shui is to balance and smooth the flow of 'chi' through your spaces to optimize balance in our life. So what's this 'Chi' stuff that everyone's worried about? Chi, variously spelled 'qi' and 'ki' in English, and pronounced both 'key' and 'chee', is a concept in eastern thought for the energy or life force that can be found in all things. It differs from conventional western thought in that inanimate objects - rocks, streams, roadways - also have their own chi; it's not a property of 'living' objects only. (more)

Quan Yin - Goddess of Compassion

Revered by both Taoists and Buddhists, Quan Yin is variously considered a goddess, an immortal, an ascended master, and a boddhisatva, or one who has attained enlightenment but defers nirvana to assist others in their own ascensions. Deferring the state of nirvana is the ultimate sacrifice one can make, and Quan Yin (also Kwan Yin, Kuan Yen, and so on) is renowned for her compassion for the suffering of mortals. (more)