I love my Buddhist practice to bits, and yet, I feel conflicted about one of its core pillars, which is “shakabuku”. Shakabukuing is the process of introducing others to the Buddhist practice, which we consider as a noble deed, for it is a way to empower those we care about with tools to transform their lives. I love to shakabuku people, i.e introduce them to the practice. Ever since moving to the US, it is rare for me to go to a Buddhist meeting alone. I almost always bring along folks with me. However, at times, I don’t like the way that shakabukuing is pushed by leadership and texts in faith as the way to change our own karma. It becomes an aggressive sales task at times, with targets for how many people we aim to introduce during a campaign or period of time. I like shakabukuing when it’s organic & comes from a place of genuine compassion, rather than with the energy of pushy sales tactics and conversions.