The last year has not often been a time for being grateful, as it’s never easy when times are hard, if we are sick or a relative is, or we lose our job. But perhaps these are the very best times to give thanks, specifically for the things we do have rather than those we […]
The world around us, and who we are now, is not the same as it was just a few months, weeks, days, even a few moment ago. People have died, clouds have passed overhead, flowers have bloomed and leaves have fallen. Already we have changed, some of our cells have died while others have been […]
Now, more than ever, we need to be kinder. It is so easy to blame others, be distrustful, or to hate anyone who seems different. Being kind and loving takes patience, caring and thoughtfulness; it is is the profound realization that everyone counts, that everyone matters. The story goes that, at the time of the […]
If we genuinely want to end hatred, bigotry, racism and abuse, if we genuinely want to bring real change to the world, then there is only one place to begin. We have to stop the war within ourselves by opening our hearts to ourselves and to all others, equally, for there will never be peace […]
As the great Zen teacher, Alan Watts said: We all need to go out of our minds at least once a day. When we go out of our minds we quickly come to our senses. Given the circumstances we are all having to deal with at the moment, many people are ‘going out of their […]
Where mindfulness is all about being aware, being present in the moment, noticing and paying attention to thoughts, feelings, behavior, and everything else, mindlessness is anything but, dominating all those moments when you are least aware. As such, mindlessness is the most amazing teacher ever: become aware of when you are unaware and hey presto, […]
After extensive travel in India and Australia we came back to visit with Ed’s family in New York. At dinner we were relating a story of a train journey we took across India. It was a very crowded train so Ed put his arm around Deb in order to sit as close together as possible. […]
The future is a concept—it doesn’t exist! There is no such thing as tomorrow! There never will be because time is always now. Alan Watts When Deb was a teenager in London, her mother was editor of The Middle Way, the journal of the British Buddhist Society. As a result, Deb met some fascinating people, […]
What is it about something as simple as sitting still and watching our breath that evokes panic or even fear? No matter how much information there is proving the mental, emotional and physical value of meditation, there seems to be as many people who resist giving it a try. No doubt meditation can be challenging, […]
It’s really happening! Mindfulness and meditation are infiltrating our lives like old friends. But this poses a conundrum. With health reports saying we would all benefit practicing mindfulness and meditation, and with classes easily available, why do many of us ignore this or find excuses not to try? How ironic that the best things for […]
