Exploring the interface between Buddhist teachings, meditation techniques, academic Buddhist Studies, and the practical application of them into our lives as lay Buddhists
After writing last week's blog post I decided to do a little research into Seung Sahn, the Zen teacher who I quoted a conversation between himself and a student. He certainly seemed to have a few unusual elements in his biography, such as spending five years in the army after his ordination (even monks were … Continue reading Uncovering the Cancel Mind
Leading on from last week's blog about learning to tolerate uncertainty, it seems only natural to explore the role of the mind in certainty and uncertainty. These are two states that we experience all the time, and yet when we scratch the surface it seems that all is not as straightforward as it appears. I … Continue reading Don’t Know Mind
Ever since the Covid-19 pandemic reached our shores, uncertainty has hung over almost everything. Lockdown was easy in some ways, because the range of actions we could take were so limited that it gave us very little extra to be uncertain about. But as lockdown eased I noticed that I suddenly had choices available to … Continue reading The Sensations of Uncertainty
I don’t spend a lot of time studying other schools of Buddhism, but every now and again I find something that really supports my practice. I found myself pondering an aspect of Zen teaching this week, from the book Being-Time by Shinshu Roberts. Zen very much focuses on exploring non-duality and aims to break down … Continue reading Not Either But Both
I noticed something interesting this week that led me into a different area of investigation of the experience of self. I've been on a bit of a healthy eating drive over the last couple of weeks, in part inspired by the reports that a nationwide campaign was going to be launched to encourage us all … Continue reading Taking Credit Where None is Due
When you have access to Dhamma talks, sutta studies, essays, retreat recordings, guided meditations and books from some of the most well practiced people on the planet available to you 24/7 it can be easy to forget that our own ordinary lives are rich in sources of learning. I've always taken a fascination with the … Continue reading The Dhamma of the Everyday
“The Great Way is not difficult for those not attached to preferences” http://www.mendosa.com/way.html Hsin-Hsin Ming By Seng-ts'an, Third Chinese Patriarch, trans. Richard B. Clarke Preferences are something we very much take for granted, we like some things, we dislike others, it seems like a very natural part of human experience. We can assume like and … Continue reading The Taste of Liberation
The sound of silence is a meditation technique made popular by Ajahn Sumedho, but for many of us learning to deal with the not so silent in the world is a significant part of our practice. I learnt to meditate while I was living in a flat across the road from a pub. My flat … Continue reading The Sound of Not So Silent
There is an often used scenario in Buddhism that explores the nature of perception. You are walking along a country path one day, and as stroll along you spot a snake in the grass, a venomous one perhaps. Naturally your heart rate instantly goes up, your body goes onto full alert, and your mind is … Continue reading A Snake, a Rope, a Wasp, and a Hoverfly
The early days of practice can be an amazing time. You are full of enthusiasm, bursting to learn everything you can, champing at the bit to throw yourself into new challenges, and every day feels like a progression. Naturally this level of intensity wears off as your practice stops being something new and becomes part … Continue reading The Ruts That Lead to Better Places
Kalyana Mitta 