Where I’m from in South Carolina, churches often have billboards out by the road. Many of the billboards have quotes on them that are often funny or witty and they almost always point to some religious teaching that takes place … Continue reading →
One day a farmer’s donkey fell into the well. It began crying out for help. The farmer tried all he could to work out how to retrieve the poor animal. He finally thought that as the animal was old, and … 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 →
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 →
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 →
A friend I’ve known for some time has alcohol addiction problems. He is very concerned about the world’s suffering and has strongly held views about the cause of this, and how to change things for the better. The trouble is, … Continue reading →
One of the Six Worlds is the world of the hungry ghosts. It is depicted in Buddhist literature as one of the worlds into which one can be reborn after death; more important for us is to see that it … Continue reading →
