Whether you class yourself as religious or not, whether you believe in sin or not, this quote from the Book of John holds an important message for all of us. Who are we to judge what another does, and what right does society have to decide what is good or bad? There do have to … Continue reading Let he who is without sin, cast the first stone
Tag: compassion
Eleusinian Mysteries
In the Eleusinian Mysteries, the motto written over the door was Know Thyself. During the initiations, a student was placed inside a maze fraught with dangers, with the promise that if they were to reach the centre then they would find the truth, they would discover God. For those that made it through, the holy … Continue reading Eleusinian Mysteries
I think, therefore the universe is.
As I entered the forest this morning, a myriad of experiences assaulted my senses. The bird song was prolific, the burbling chatter of the song thrush, the rich tones of the blackbirds, the rapid hurry of chaffinch notes and tweeting of the blue tits. The wind rushed through the swaying tree tops, roaring like a … Continue reading I think, therefore the universe is.
Reflection
What do we see when we look in a mirror? Do we see only the physical body looking back at us? Do we see further inside to what emotions we may be experiencing at that particular moment? Do the frown or smile lines make us consider what has happened to us in the past few … Continue reading Reflection
Soul
Do humans have a soul? Is there something perpetual and eternal, some enduring aspect of us which lingers on after we die? There is something so quintessentially me, something that makes me unique and unlike any other human that has ever lived – surely, whether or not we were created by some higher intelligence, that … Continue reading Soul
Self Love
We are told that we cannot truly love others until we learn to love ourselves. What does it mean to love oneself? Does it mean we should be vain and preen ourselves until we look as physically attractive to others as possible? Does it mean we should be proud of our achievements and boast about … Continue reading Self Love
Significant insignificance
Winter solstice this year saw the great conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter. This close alignment had not occurred since 1623 and with the close proximity of Christmas, it was named by many as the Christmas Star, similar to the one which many believe guided the three wise men to the baby Jesus, two thousand and … Continue reading Significant insignificance
Difficult path
It is easy to love those whom you like, who make you happy and are caring and warm. Opening your heart to love those whom you dislike, this is not easy. Perhaps you feel someone is dishonest and twists the truth so that you are cast in a bad light. It is easy to grow … Continue reading Difficult path
Atman
In Zen there is no self. When we sit, we are concentrating on the self that doesn't exist, devoting ourselves instead to the everything. We all exist as part of the whole, as part of the oneness, and in sitting we are letting go of our ego, of our self and realising our part in … Continue reading Atman
Sea of Consciousness
The mind is like the sea. Sometimes it is still and serene, at other times turbulent, troubled. It's depths are unfathomable and we do not know all that lurks there. It is made up of millions of tiny droplets, just like our minds have countless thoughts and processes, yet it is all connected together, the … Continue reading Sea of Consciousness
Zen musings 