Monkey Mind

The term monkey mind originates from the Buddhist tradition to describe a mind when it is unsettled, easily distracted, uncontrolled and/or jumping from one thing to the next. Over 2,500 years ago, the Buddha (a person who has attained full enlightenment) story says...

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Wisdom of no escape…

While listening to a talk given by Pema Chodron, I was reminded of the perspective provided in the Wisdom of no escape. Pema Chodron has written a book on this very topic, which was also a topic of discussion by her root teacher Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche. The Wisdom of...

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Interbeing…

In reading a number of books written by Zen Buddhist Master Thich Nhat Hanh (affectionately called Thay), I was introduced to the perspective of interbeing. This view is based upon the understanding we are inter-connected to all and everything and our existence is...

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Judgemental mind…

One of my observations this week has been around judgemental minds. I noticed myself commenting or criticizing myself in my thoughts and words. I have observed that this habit can be particularly dominant during difficult times, which is when our personal demons seem...

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Happiness is the way…

“There is no way to happiness; happiness is the way”. I was reminded of this quote while listening to a talk given by Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh in August 2013. All beings are looking to be happy regardless of their circumstances. I often hear people talk about how...

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Love (a poem by Rumi-reposting)…

Can we define the experience of love? Sure love is an emotional state but how would you explain to another how love makes you feel? Is all loving the same? In this week’s blog I thought I would share one of my favourite poems by Rumi, a 13th century Persian poet, and...

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Rushing a moment…

How precious is a single moment? Sitting still in my morning meditation watching myself breath, I observed within myself the desire to be finished so I can move onto the next thing. It occurred to me how much we look for the next moment instead of being fully present....

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Non-violence…

Today’s world is filled with a great deal of violence. One can’t turn on the news or read a newspaper without learning about violent acts being perpetrated around the world. Whether it is in conflicts between nations or violence within our own community, the news is...

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Learning from fear…

We have all experienced fear at some point in our lives. For some, fear is a daily experience arising out of strong emotions. Fear is not rational; it is based in the emotional realm of being. At times, fear has value in that it prevents us from becoming injured....

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Finding happiness…

While revisiting Pema Chodron’s book on Happiness, I was reminded that the key to finding happiness is in studying how we make ourselves suffer. If we are clear how we create suffering it is much easier to generate more happiness in our lives. Everyone wants to...

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About Me

Welcome to my blogs on spiritual practice, conscious awareness and mindfulness. I hope you find them insightful and thought provoking. Send me a comment or question. I’d love to hear from you. You may also want to check out my recently released book, The Dance of Dynamic Peace. Each chapter offers insights and practical tips on how to create greater peace in your life. More information is available on my book page.