Imagine nine people standing in a circle, facing inward. In the middle of that circle stands an elephant. If we were to travel around the circle asking each of those nine people about their experience, it wouldn’t be a surprise that each account would differ. The answer given by each of the nine wouldn’t simply …
A few weeks ago I had a powerful experience that left me feeling compelled to engage more actively with a feminist view and life. I was attending an online meeting with someone I had not met before; and while it was an interesting meeting in which the dialogue highlighted similarities and common ground, over time, …
“Tashi delek”! We have just entered the new year according to the Tibetan calendar, this year is the Year of the Water Tiger. A good week to talk to you about meditation therefore. Last weekend was also the 10 year anniversary of starting out on my journey to become a meditation teacher. Not just a …
Over the last few weeks, I have been sharing (some) of my (many) musings on mind, consciousness, and being. This theme has been a constant companion during the time I have been writing my book – one that considers an integration of psychotherapy and Buddhism; of Western knowledge and Eastern wisdom. A dance between the …
A few weeks ago I was enjoying a Sunday morning breakfast in bed. Cup of tea in hand, a great book, cat curled up on my lap, and beautiful blue sky that beckoned me for a morning walk with my wife. Idyllic… So, it was puzzling for me to be experiencing an upswell of anxiety; …
I’ve just finished a session of meditation practice. Each Friday I meet with my fellow practitioners of Vajrayana Buddhism on Zoom: In the stage of Ngondro I am currently practicing, much of the two hour session is spent in visualisation of a deity – one that is said to reflect the true nature of mind. …
I have a lifetime love of science. As a child I would spend hours outside on cold winter nights, my telescope pointed to the moon or Orion’s belt. An archetypal ‘little professor’! This love affair continued through my first career, but I underwent some kind of rebellion. As my career shifted and I explored other …
I spent last week luxuriating in writing time. I finished a first draft of my book in the autumn months, and following a period of incubation, I returned to the manuscript with the intention to “know and grow” it more fully. I enjoyed reconnecting with the text. Equally, there was also a sense of relief …
If you have explored my re-vamped website, you will know I now have a webpage dedicated to the offering I have for spiritual and psychological integration. The deeper I have taken my practice of Buddhism (and benefitted from its skilful means on the path of growth and healing), the more inspired I have been to bring …
Last week I shared a little of my yearly review experience, and in particular, how I find myself gearing up for a more open 2022. Certainly, reports and editorials in the press are encouraging us to think of a transition from pandemic to endemic (at least in the UK – spin or reality, we will …