Have you ever sat down to meditate with every intention of being calm and mindful, only to discover that your mind seems determined to do anything else? I certainly have. During the first year of Covid, I began paying much more attention to the Five Hindrances in my meditation practice. I was trying hard to Read More
Tag: Buddhism
Ten Minutes With The Buddha #2
Session 2 How Can I Find Joy and Peace in Meditation "Breathing in, I experience joy. Breathing out, I experience joy."— Ānāpānasati Sutta If you have practised the first four contemplations, you may already have noticed something beginning to change. Perhaps your breathing has become quieter. Your shoulders have softened. Your body feels a little Read More
What Buddhist Tradition Do You Follow?
"Come and see."-The Buddha During my recent pilgrimage to Nepal, I found myself being asked a question that I had never really considered before. "What Buddhist tradition do you follow?" At first, I wasn’t sure how to answer. Over three weeks I spent fourteen days in Kathmandu and four days in Lumbini, the birthplace of Read More
Stillness Haiku|The Empty Cushion
After meditation the room appears unchanged, yet something has shifted within. This haiku reflects the quiet transformation that can arise through Buddhist practice, long after the candle has been extinguished and the incense has faded. “Incense slowly fades-only the empty cushionknows where I have been”From “Stillness | Moments of Buddhist Practice in Verse” "Stillness is Read More
Is Mindfulness Becoming Too Commercial?
My short answer to this question is: yes. Mindfulness has become a huge industry. There are books, videos, apps, courses, retreats, coaching programmes and counselling services, all promising greater calmness, less stress, better sleep, improved concentration and relief from anxiety. Perhaps I am biased because I approach mindfulness primarily through Buddhism and feel that mindfulness Read More