Following on from the previous post, this is about looking at sense desire, ill will, desire for physical being and desire for non-physical being, the 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th fetters. It might seem that freedom from the first three, from belief in a separate self, getting past where sceptical doubt can hold us back […]
Following on from the previous post, the first of the ten fetters is sakkayadhitti or self-view. In some ways this is considered by many to be the big one. It’s certainly at the root of a lot of spititual teachings. To ‘break’ this fetter is to see that there is no separate self, enabling the […]
We live in a world where we’re often persuaded that to be of any value something has to be new. If it’s not this year’s model, innovative or the latest thing then we’re missing out. So perhaps it’s no surprise that when it comes to spiritual development or awakening, Buddhism can be seen by some […]
Interest in mindfulness has increased over recent years and now it’s quite easy to find a range of books devoted to the subject. On the one hand mindfulness seems quite simple, we can define it as presence or awareness in the moment but it’s also worthwhile to spend just a little time considering it in […]
We all put effort into our life in different ways. It may be through work, for family or friends, in the pursuit of some passion or interest, or with our spiritual practice. The Buddha talked about Right Effort or Attuned Effort i.e. effort that supports us to realise truth, called the Dhamma in the Buddhist […]
Being present, being mindful is about tuning into the experience arising in this moment. It’s not about bypassing, altering or escaping that experience. But of course this can be a temptation. We have sensitive forms and as well as a range of physical feelings we have an array of emotions that can arise. Whether we […]
One of the phrases you may come across on a spiritual path of practice is, ‘letting go’. ‘You just need to let go. It’s all about letting go.’ Which is great and in a way makes sense but is also really frustrating because we really don’t know where we’re not letting go, so we don’t […]
Did you ever look at a bird sitting in a tree or another person and wondered at the separation between you? Well don’t. What you’re seeing is just eye consciousness. It’s the nature of it to separate. The only non-separation experienced is through the formless, the real. Realise this and the rest won’t matter. So […]
Awakening is a process that is continuously unfolding in all forms and in all aspects of what is, i.e. ‘the manifest’, if I may put it that way. We often look at this process in personal terms and use phrases to describe it such as ‘my spiritual path’ or ‘my practice’. But in reality this, […]
There’s something to say about flexibility. Flexibility of body, something I slowly seem to be losing, is important, but I’m talking here about a flexibility in our nature. The suppleness to bend and sway as we move along the windy and sometimes obstacle-strewn path that is life. The first time I came across the notion […]
liberationdiaries 
You must be logged in to post a comment.