There are just a few things which I have known in my bones for as far back as I can remember. They are constants, like the water which remains unchanged through raging storms and calm seas, through the changing of … Continue reading →
I’m not built for the monastic life, however. I am called to the push and pull of the outside world, the warmth and chaos of children, the interesting and frustrating human relationships that comprise the business environment, the attendant dynamics … Continue reading →
When visiting one of our smaller temples a few years ago, I was asked by the prior if I might talk about or answer any questions about training with depression. As they pointed out, most if not all of our … Continue reading →
Working with the dukkha of intense anxiety and panic attacks led me to meditation. At University I was offered CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) to help with this but declined this as it seemed too much like being clinically reprogrammed. At … Continue reading →
I came to monastic training after 20 years working in the British National Health Service as a clinical psychologist/psychotherapist. During half this time I was also practicing within our tradition of Sōtō Zen and often found myself contemplating the seeming … Continue reading →
In the winter of 2016 I arrived in the US and stayed with the Shasta Abbey community for nine months. During my stay I was offered the opportunity to spend some time at one of the hermitages, to explore and … Continue reading →
Anyone who has experienced intense anxiety in the form of panic attacks will know how this manifests: the racing heartbeat, hands shaking, difficulty breathing and speaking. As a lay trainee I train with a meditation practice; it is private and … Continue reading →
Here I address training with depression from a point of view of pure meditation (serene reflection meditation). Depression can appear to be the supreme obstacle to meditation practice and Buddhist training. Serious depression distorts our perceptions, confuses our thinking, and … Continue reading →
It is a basic human desire to seek happiness and satisfaction in our lives. The question we all face in life is how do we find this happiness and satisfaction? The way we answer that question is the way we … Continue reading →
My challenge at this point in time is encountering the ocean of grief and sorrow. This sadness comes and goes in waves. At times the sorrow seems fathomless. This is not a linear process, and neither are these reflections. Issue: … Continue reading →