Where there are humans, there is hope A strange take perhaps in a world which has thrown up a grand surprise of grimly epic proportions. The post of USA president has previously been categorized as ‘Leader of the Free World’. Recent events make a mockery of that idea. Somehow, over… Read More »On the World in 2025: There’s always hope, you know
Reflections There will always be moments that give you cause to reflect. Three occurrences this week have already counted for me. They are perfectly normal, although quite distinct. Together they highlight pride, compassion, and above all, the importance of perspective. That’s the thing about life when seen through moments. Reflection… Read More »Life Through Moments: Pride, Compassion, and Perspective
It’s in his kiss Did you know that men who kiss their partners before leaving the house reportedly live, on average, four years longer than those who don’t? This is an intriguing finding. Surely there’s more going on here? More than the simple act of a daily kiss? It is… Read More »Improve your quality of life: More affection and question your thoughts
Hard rain. Torrential rain. Rain that drums on the roof like it wants to get in. Accompanying gale force winds. Whipping through the trees, whistling and howling. Change has come to the weather. The last week of ice and frost with its pleasant, expansive open blue skies has given way… Read More »Change and Enlightenment the Zen Buddhist Way
Acceleration. It feels good to be moving. Hitting the pace. Autumn sunlight caresses the skyline and the bright yellows and subtle browns of my window view begin to blur as the train picks up speed. Swiftly approaching 120 miles per hour. Positioning my mind to have a good day, I… Read More »On Personal Development: Building People and Having Faith
Doodling with Intent This weekend I taught my son how to draw expansively. At least that’s what I’m calling it. I don’t know what the word is for drawing doodles which connect to each other but it must be a thing. The rain poured outside. The little ones had tired… Read More »Doodles, Old Souls, and Koans: Lessons from a Rainy Afternoon
Tick. Tick. Tick. The gentle, rhythmic ticking of a watch, each second marks the relentless passage of time. Now, imagine that watch transformed into a canvas. A scenic depiction. A wrist-sized snapshot of life in all it’s splendour, as well as displaying passing seconds, minutes and hours. In the vibrant… Read More »On Time: What is your relationship to your watch?
Scary Times I close my eyes. Blackness. Solitude. Fear of the unknown. I picture horrendous things out there in the darkness. My inner voice tells me they want to harm me. Shadow beings with teeth like knives and creatures with many horns and limbs. Crawling, scrambling somewhere out behind the… Read More »How does storytelling create reality?
A few days ago it was the summer solstice here in the UK. I love this time of year. The summer lies ahead of us like a vast canvas, ready for us to elevate our experiences into lifelong memories. Friends will be contacted, good times will be had. May is… Read More »On the employment market: How to mindfully embrace uncertainty
Cant catch a break? Try this. Unexpected, unprecedented. Resetting and refocusing. A kind of a break, and a new start of sorts. Three and a half weeks without my young family’s constant needs was just what the doctor ordered. Only, I didn’t know it until the opportunity was thrust upon… Read More »1 Tip to improve everything: Take an actual break
Why philosophy books though? I’ve come to realise that the only paper books I hold onto these days are philosophy books. I have never been a voracious reader but for some reason I have accumulated nearly a library on things related to Zen. This includes the topics of Buddhism generally,… Read More »Best Zen philosophy books for beginners
A nearby temper tantrum Today, I witnessed a horrendous tantrum. I was waiting in a queue to pay for lunch at Thatcham garden centre café. I had my two young children there with me. As I was keeping an eye on them clinging to my legs, I heard an awful… Read More »Learning from children: adopting a playful attitude to life