A source of joy
‘Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy.’ Thich Nhat Hanh
On fertile ground
Just like gardening, meditation is usually not very glamorous, but over time, our lives can become ‘fertile ground’ for growing the seeds of what we value.
A special place
‘Imagine yourself in a special place…’
Doing mode, Being mode
‘We have a tendency to think in terms of doing and not in terms of being. We think that when we’re not doing anything, we’re wasting our time. But that’s not true.’
Three minutes of calm
When there is a lot going on, in the world and also perhaps in our personal lives, I find it helpful to intentionally include practices during the day which are grounding and calming.
A tribute to Thich Nhat Hanh
‘People usually consider walking on water or in thin air a miracle. But I think the real miracle is not to walk either on water or in thin air, but to walk on earth. Every day we are engaged in a miracle which we don’t even recognize: a blue sky, white clouds, green leaves, the black, curious eyes of a child—our own two eyes. All is a miracle.’
Graciousness
When I think of people who seem to embody mindfulness, something they share in common is the quality of graciousness. There is a sense of fluidity and grace to how they engage with the world – they’re not barging through the day lost in self-centred pre-occupations.
A mindful festive season
I can really relate to this Zen saying – usually those times when we most need the practices which ground us are exactly the periods when we abandon them.
Everyday special moments
One of my favourite times, when I am away at a residential retreat, is the early morning meditation.
Mindful Music Listening
Today I would like to share a mindfulness practice using music, which I have been offering as part of teaching mindfulness.