Trust and Confidence: One of the Five Great Spiritual Powers
Trust is like pouring oil on troubled waters; it smooths the way. We don’t need to take so much trouble to build our walls. We can let go and let life sweep through us....
The Extraordinary Nature of Ordinary Self
It is an extraordinary relief to encounter the perfection of ordinary self in a world that is screaming loudly, “There is something better out there! There is something you might be missing! There are...
When did you Stop Breathing?
Last year I was living on campus for three months at my teacher’s home; the Venerable Sangharakshita. When back in the UK I found myself caught up in my family constellation. It had been...
Calling All Eco-Sattvas: Buddhism and Climate Change
Impermanence, anicca in Pali, is the underlying reality upon which the Buddha based his teachings of liberation. Things change. Accepting change and being willing to let go of what has passed is often seen...
Bringing the World into the Heart
These are divided times. At least, it’s easy for it to appear that way. We have no shortage of conflict. No shortage of judgment. No shortage of fear. For those of us practicing peace,...
Sajja: A Practice for Everyone
There is a monastery in central Thailand called Wat Thamkrabok that has become rather famous over the last 60-years for its unique approach to the treatment of alcoholics and drug addicts. The stories, and...
Using The Five Aggregates As A Strategy
The aggregates offer us a map for the exploration of our sense of self. Working with form, feeling, perception, identification and consciousness as we go through our daily lives, supports us in our pursuit...
Almost Unbearable
We are all going to die but don’t know when. Life is precious. These truths are traditionally contemplated to motivate a spiritual seeker to persist, with patience and trust, during the work of uncovering...
Letting Go of Fear – Finding Courage in the Face of Uncertainty
Even though we know fear does not serve us, we often allow it to stop or limit us. We might not even be aware of the ways it drives us and makes us smaller...
The Dharma on the Front Lines: How to Work with Conflict
Peace sometimes feels impossible to find. It is there for a while then something happens and conflict or friction returns. It may be conflict with ourselves, in relationships to people close to us, at...