One of the first things the Buddha is reported to have said was about finding the middle way. There are few occasions when operating at the extremes will serve us well. Similarly when it comes to our practice it’s helpful to approach it with an attitude of moderation and retain our balance. That being said […]
Tag Archives: awakening
Some people describe awakening as the end of suffering. It’s one of the more divisive phrases that gets used in relation to the shift that takes us back from a subject/object experiencing of life to one in which there is no ‘us’, no ‘me’, no subject/object unless we engage in that way, this being replaced […]
Trying to follow a spiritual path can be confusing. Even though we realise there’s one Truth that’s being pointed to, it’s sometimes hard to reconcile the advice, views and pointers offered by different teachers. The English language isn’t well equipped to handle some of the nondual teachings on offer and so we have no common agreed terminology to help […]
I’d heard it said that this human experience is a sensitive one. I’d heard it but until recently I hadn’t fully appreciated or understood it. It was a sentiment I could agree with but it hadn’t been realised. I believed it because I believe the teacher but I hadn’t taken time to really look at […]
There are many apparent contradictions in life, not the least of which is the very basis for our consumerist society – if you have more, you’ll want less and you’ll be happy. But you have to ask yourself, if that’s the case why do so many of rich and successful people we come across seem […]
I was interviewed recently about happiness and the interviewer asked me to look back at the ups and downs of my life. I guess that stirred up a lot of memories because this really isn’t what I sat down to write today, it’s just what came out but maybe it’s worth saying because it underpins […]
In classical Buddhist cosmology there are six realms into which we can be reborn. We all know the human realm but below it there are also the animal, hungry ghost and hell realms, and the realms of the fighting spirits (asuras) and gods or devas above. Most notably these are depicted in the beautiful wheel […]
Last time I said something about what awakening is but not so much about the how. This question came up at the last Nonduality Up North meeting and so I thought I’d share some of that discussion. If you were there you’ll probably recognise quite a lot of what I’m about to say. The first […]
I thought it might be helpful to clear up some misunderstandings by taking a little time to say what awakening actually is. First let me say that you are not what you think you are and that awakening is not what you think it is. With that proviso in place, awakening, like the realisation that […]
I’m afraid. I’ve always been afraid. At least as long as I can remember. Perhaps there was a time in the deep innocence of babyhood when I felt safe, but I suspect not. I just can’t quite believe it. It’s not the fear of a specific thing, it’s a deep primal fear; a fear for […]
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