In 2012, Chinese New Year begins on January 23rd and Tibetan New Year (Losar) on February 22nd. Both are celebrated as major Buddhist holidays, and in both calendar systems, 2012 is the Year of the Water Dragon. Learn what this means, along with what the dragon represents spiritually.

The Mind's Own Physician: A Scientific Dialogue with the Dalai Lama on the Healing Power of Meditation provides a fascinating overview of the current scientific findings on the benefits of meditation and mindfulness practice, including how they impact the brain and facilitate healing.

The Heart Sutra is one of the most well-known Buddhist teachings. Brief and direct, the Heart Sutra outlines the path to prajna-paramita, or perfect wisdom, which might be understood as a direct knowledge of reality without mental modifications.

Whether your interest in Buddhism is personal or academic, this ebook is the perfect way to begin exploring it. It includes the most popular BellaOnline Buddhism articles, as well as 'Personal Exploration' exercises you can use to explore practices, including different meditation forms, yourself.

Test your knowledge (and learn more about) Buddhist Art, Symbols and Writings with the latest Buddhism quiz. If you haven't already tried the Buddhist History and Buddhist Teachings quizzes, be sure to do so - quizzes are a fun learning tool.

View some of my favorite Buddhist-based books, including those for children and teens. Many of these are suitable for both Buddhists and non-Buddhists, focusing on how developing mindfulness and compassion can help us with the challenges we face in our everyday lives.