I’ve been reflecting back quite a bit recently about my journey, and how I’ve taken many approaches at different times – I believe because they’ve each been appropriate at the time. I don’t know if I’ve ever had a ‘one size fits all’ type attitude when it comes to whatever this strange thing that we […]
A Dzogchen Guide to Buddhist Yanas Read Post »
Issa Kobayashi’s poignant haiku about life’s fleeting nature. So few in words, yet so utterly profound. This World of Dew: The world of dew — A world of dew it is indeed, And yet, and yet . . . 露の世は露の世ながらさりながらTsuyu no yo wa tsuyu no yo nagara sari nagara Issa KobayashiDew on the Grass: The
This World of Dew – Issa Kobayashi Read Post »
The birds have vanished into the sky,and now the last cloud drains away. We sit together, the mountain and me,until only the mountain remains. from Endless River: Li Po and Tu Fu: A Friendship in Poetry, Translated by Sam Hami. This is so evocative. A truly beautiful image, of Li Po sitting *with* the mountain,
Li Bai / Li Po – The Birds Have Vanished Into The Sky Read Post »
In a sense, what distinguishes the three types of Compassion that Gampopa sets out in ‘Jewel Ornament of Liberation’ is the development and level of our Compassion and our Wisdom. With the first, Compassion with reference to Sentient Beings, we see beings suffering, and we feel a response to that suffering which is our compassion.
If both the moving and the calm aspects of the mind are the same, then why should we meditate and learn to reach the calm aspect? Responses on a Dharma list In an important sense, both aspects are not the same. From the relative point of view, are they the same? Do they both appear
Mind Moving and Mind Still Read Post »
Do not lose the view in the conduct; If you lose the view in the conduct, you will neverhave the chance to be liberated. Do not lose the conduct in the view; If you lose the conduct in the view, you stray into black diffusion. Padmasambhava This seems to be an ongoing theme for me,
Reflections on Padmasambhava – View and Conduct Read Post »
Sometimes you make choices in life which seem as though they are going to have huge consequences. Sometimes it seems as though they are going to define the parameters of what will be possible and what will be for many years to come. From a conventional point of view, it seems obvious that if you
Where Does It Lead? Read Post »
There are some beautiful changes in my meditation at present which I thought I’d share. A month or so ago I switched to doing my daily meditation out in the open again, having spent much of the last 6 months meditating indoors. It’s been such a joy to meditate under the open sky, regardless of
The Blessings of Meditation Read Post »
One thing which has come to me over and over again in recent days is the profound ‘is-ness’ of things. By this, I don’t mean the ‘suchness’, to use Buddhist terminology. What I mean is that when I look at a leaf, it is extraordinary how ‘leafy’ it is …. the texture ripples with extraordinary
The ‘Is-ness’ of Things Read Post »
I was re-reading one of my favourite blogs this morning – Willow’s ‘Life as a Dervish‘ (blog no longer available). Her blog resonates really strongly, I guess because I’ve also lived abroad for many years in a totally different culture from the one that I was born into. And for me, that experience was just
My Identity is Portable Read Post »
