This article first appeared in the September – December 2023 Portobello Buddhist Priory Newsletter. This version has been edited. These are a few personal thoughts about ‘darkness’. I am not exploring how concepts of dark and light are … Continue reading →
I found myself standing once again amidst an overflow of cardboard moving boxes and possessions, when the lay Sangha blog Dew On The Grass’s new monthly theme caught my attention: ‘The Map To Where I Live’1. I was nearly … Continue reading →
Today as we experience the emotion of grief, as we grieve the loss of Rev. Master Chosei, I’d like to look further into this subject of emotions. Sometimes we oppose emotions to analytical thinking, or reason, or the intellect, and … Continue reading →
Since as early as aged ten, I remember I struggled with the question of what is the purpose of life in general, and then my life – and how extraordinary it was that the world moved as if there was … Continue reading →
Of course the above title should be self-evident to a Buddhist but sadly that is not how I have felt till very recently. I have lived with mental illness most of my life. The symptoms of OCD (an anxiety based … Continue reading →
Written in response to the last (Summer) issue of the Journal. As human beings, we face many challenges, and for those of us who experience post-traumatic stress disorder and accompanying anxiety and depression, everyday tasks can become monumental and require … 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 →
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 →
