We all experience reoccurring negative thoughts at some point in our lives. It might be when we replay an argument we have had with someone, or relive some past abuse which haunts us. When these negative thoughts arise, we are not living in the present moment any longer, but the past. How does this help … Continue reading Negativity
Confidence of the present moment
The human brain is hard-wired to judge today’s experiences by those of yesterday. If we have perceived we have failed at something in the past, we carry those expectations with us, held in our memories like pebbles. However, whatever happened in the past, whatever could not be achieved yesterday should not deter us, should hold … Continue reading Confidence of the present moment
Life’s potential
A famous middle-aged Buddhist monk, who was suffering from a terminal disease, was interviewed by the press. “How does it make you feel, knowing you are dying?” the interviewer asked. “How does it make you feel to know you are dying?” the monk replied. “I mean, soon, before your time,” came the reply. “Whenever we … Continue reading Life’s potential
Peace of mind
When I went for my early morning walk this morning, my head was filled with the chatter of my thoughts. Half the time I wasn’t even fully conscious of it but knew the buzzing was incessant. Then, as I turned the corner, two hares leapt out onto the path in front of me. They didn’t … Continue reading Peace of mind
Certainty
Human beings are very good at analysing and labelling, at categorising and filing things into manageable boxes. But what can we really know for certain? We know without a doubt that the sun rises and sets every day, without exception. We know now that we don’t have to perform sacrifices or rituals for this to … Continue reading Certainty
Mind imposed order
We are incredibly conditioned creatures, far more than we are consciously aware and our minds control almost everything we see, hear, experience and do. If we learn a new word, something unusual that has caught our interest, so we remember it, we begin to see or hear this particular word much more frequently in the … Continue reading Mind imposed order
Being
They say that Zen is a system of contradictions and that just when we think we are beginning to understand it, it turns things on their head and we are back to square one. This is a deliberate way of helping us to change our perspective and not to become trapped by our own thought … Continue reading Being
Ego of the I
The moon is 384,400 km from the Earth. This is a scientific fact and if I were to tell you this, it would be a true fact, but it would not be I that was right, rather it would be the fact that was right. The ego likes to be involved in everything we do. It … Continue reading Ego of the I
The Mundane
When we think of Enlightenment, we do not think of the mundane tasks of everyday existence. We do not consider that if we are poor timekeepers, or don’t get enough exercise, that we will never reach Enlightenment. Enlightenment is thought of as a lofty, otherworldly affair, connected to spiritual ideas, contemplation and reflection. However, the … Continue reading The Mundane
Thought
We have all experienced that one moment of pure clarity of mind, even if we can only see it retrospectively. It might have been when we were in a foreign country, driving on the other side of the road, through a busy city. It may have been when hanging over the precipiceof a mountain rock … Continue reading Thought
Zen musings 