The Buddhist in Me

I hear the ancient Bristlecone Pines whisper: “All Things Must Pass”

Mar 17, 2025

∙ Paid

The Sentinels in the Schulman Grove atop the White Mountains of California spindle skyward, appearing to intertwine with the Milky Way. These bristlecone pines were saplings together some 3,500 years ago. The tree on the right died about 500 years ago; the one on the left is still living. (Photo: ©Craig K. Collins)

I am alone at 10,000 feet in the White Mountains of California, sitting on a flat rock, eyes closed, meditating, and trying — so far unsuccessfully — to empty my mind of all thought, internal chatter and worry.

The setting sun, warm upon my face, is casting an amber glow on the weathered, honeyed trunks of a pair of ancient bristlecone pines known as the…

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