It’s like the scent of rain after a month of drought, the way it rises up and fills the lungs, quiets the body and gentles the mind – that’s what it’s like when, after grasping and spinning and reaching and clenching at last, exhausted with my own fear, I lay my hand on my own…
Did you used to have an imaginary friend when you were a child? Do you still? I asked this question not so long ago in a group of mindfulness and compassion practitioners, and there was laughter in the room in response. A few brave hands went up, but judging by the response, it seemed I…
Nourishing the Givers In our fast-paced world many of us find ourselves feeling drained and in need of our own nurturing. When I feel this way I head to Aconbury Wood, near my home because I know that one powerful and deeply enjoyable way to replenish energy and restore balance is through seeking solace in…
Let’s Rise Up! If we surrendered to earth’s intelligence we could rise up rooted, like trees. (Rainer Maria Rilke) When I did a retreat with Joanna Macy (a renowned Buddhist scholar and activist) many years ago, I was shocked to discover that pretty much all my personal suffering is funnelled down from a more…
A Personal View Next month, in April, I’m going to be teaching on a course with Choden (mindfulness teacher, Buddhist monk, author and old friend) on “The Practice of Buddhism”, which I’ve been asked to write a few words about. Where to start! Buddhism has been around for over two and half thousand years, after…
Deepen your Mindfulness with this next level of training as we learn to respond with kindness
I’ve got your back… Recently, I was teaching a course and doing a session on self-talk. What I mean by self-talk is the little or not so little voice that internally narrates our life for us. This voice provides a running commentary on the mundane, the drama, the people who we live with, the people…
Since the middle of December I have been working as a hospital chaplain, visiting patients who are seriously ill. I have never worked in a hospital before and my main worry was that I would be distressed and not know how to cope with some of the suffering I would encounter. It turns out that…
The Mindfulness Association takes you on a 4 year journey from being a complete beginner towards experiencing the highest level of Awareness. The journey starts by coming face to face with the unruly and unsettled nature of our mind that jumps from one experience to another causing us all manner of stress and confusion. We…