Explore your inner world
Explore your inner world
Contemplative practices are present in all contemplative traditions, and although there are differences when it comes to meditation, contemplative teachers within the varied traditions all point to the same thing. Within the Catholic tradition, one of these teachers is Saint Francis de Sales, a Doctor of the Universal Church who lived between 1567 and 1622. […]
Patience and Persistence: Two Pillars of Mindfulness Read More »
When teaching mindfulness meditation in a secular context, I often encounter situations where people struggle with the nuanced understanding of secularism. Frequently, I am asked whether individuals who are Christian, Muslim, Jewish or hold other beliefs can attend the sessions, as there is sometimes a misconception that these practices are exclusively Buddhist. Additionally, some participants
Is There a Place for God in Secular Mindfulness Meditation? Read More »
Reconciling with the past might be one of the most challenging things to do. Because of this, we might bring unresolved and unprocessed emotions and situations from the past into the present, whether it be from a traumatic upbringing, an unresolved relationship, an argument or the persistent recollection of previous mishaps. We might develop a
Making Peace With The Past: A Reflection on “Karma” Read More »
Peter Doobinin argues that love needs agency, commenting, “Our ability to love is determined by the decisions we make to act in a certain way. When we surrender our decision-making, we deny our greatest strength: our capacity for love.” Peter Doobinin argues that yes, indeed, love requires agency and conscious decision-making. Might this be a
Does Love Require Agency? Read More »
Thich Nhat Hanh comments: “The true declaration of love is, ‘Dear one, I am here for you,’ because the most precious gift you can give to your loved one is your true presence, with body and mind united in solidity and freedom.” Thich Nhat Hanh’s statement draws attention to the significance of being truly present
Uniting Body and Mind: The True Declaration of Love Read More »
Once, when asked about his secret to peace and contentment, meditation teacher Jiddu Krishnamurti famously replied: ‘I don’t mind what happens.’ Upon initial reflection, Krishnamurti’s answer about his secret to peace and contentment seems almost flippant – “I don’t mind what happens.” How could not minding what occurs in life possibly lead to inner tranquillity?
Krishnamurti’s Secret: Not Minding Read More »
“The more we’re living at odds with the truth, the more we suffer. The more we live along with it, the happier we are.” – by Lama Tsomo In the words of Lama Tsomo, when we deny or distort reality, we create inner discord that inevitably leads to suffering. This discord arises from the dissonance
Distorting Reality: The Power of Truth Read More »
Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche comments, “To cultivate a steady mind independent of circumstances, we must work with the mind itself. Working directly with the mind uncovers the inherent quality of meditative awareness.” Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche, a prominent Tibetan Buddhist monk and teacher, here emphasizes the importance of cultivating a steady mind regardless of external circumstances. He
Working With The Mind Read More »
Centered and Wide Embed Eyes Closed or Eyes Open: Sharing From Personal Experience by Clayton Micallef Read on Substack
Eyes Closed or Eyes Open: Sharing From Personal Experience Read More »
In answering the question if mindfulness practice can lead to an embodied wisdom, it is best to start with the foundation of why we practice meditation. Primarily we meditate to cultivate mindfulness which is conducive to us being more aware of what we experience. 3 dimensions of mindfulness Purser and Milillo (2014) have put forth the argument that mindfulness
Can Mindfulness Lead to an Embodied Wisdom? Read More »
Our mind has an innate tendency to wander off, incessantly into thinking. At any one moment as if on impulse, we might find ourselves either thinking about worrying or mulling over the past or trying to anticipate the future or just daydreaming in the present. Such a state of mind detracts us from our present
Investigating The Living Present Read More »
Impermanence is also known as the philosophical problem of constant change. Reflect nothing remains the same and everything is in continuous flux, even your breath from moment to moment is different so much so that your next breath can be your last. The paradox with impermanence is that although we know change happens, we still
Thanks to Impermanence, Everything is Possible Read More »
Image credit to BD Hypno Plus Mindfulness is the first step the vehicle through which we become mindful. Mindfulness is like a light that shines out in the dark, allowing us to become mindfully aware of our thoughts and feelings. How these affect our behaviour towards ourselves, other people and our surroundings. Mindfulness and being
STOP – What does mindfulness and being mindful mean? Read More »
When someone does you wrong in life, do you keep holding onto it or try to forgive. But what is forgiveness? Is forgiveness an exercise which benefits are for the other person or yourself? Let’s reflect on these. Forgiveness, in reality, isn’t “really” about someone else’s harmful behaviour but how you keep relating to it. It’s a reflection
Forgiveness: Making Our Own Peace in Life Read More »
Recently I was asked by someone why do you practice mindfulness? Personally, I do not subscribe to the notion that I practice mindfulness. In essence, formally I practice meditation which is conducive to the cultivation of mindfulness. As in essence within the formal practice of meditation mindfulness is one of the faucets cultivated through such
Why Do You Practice Mindfulness? Read More »
The tale of the two farmers reminds me of when a friend asked me what is mindfulness? His question was so spontaneous that it caught me off guard. That day what spontaneously came to mind was practically the analogy of the two farmers. Ploughing the field Two farmers set out ploughing their field. While ploughing
The Two Farmers: A Mindfulness Analogy Read More »
Do we need to engage in an active cultivation of awareness as a farmer cultivates a field? Or more specifically what is one of the motivations behind why I practice meditation? Today I will be looking at these questions from the standpoint of meditation being a tool for the cultivation of awareness. What is awareness
The Active Cultivation of Awareness Read More »
Have you ever asked yourself? What is Meditation? As a practitioner, I have been asked this question many times by persons interested in starting meditation. I like to bounce such a question back to the person asking. But what do you think meditation is? Usually, the following one of two replies is most likely. Either
What is Meditation? The Polar Bear Experiment Read More »
Do you seek happiness and its causes? In our lives, we probably all seek happiness and its causes. Likewise, as we seek happiness, we would also like to be free from the causes of suffering. But how? Most prominently through the golden rule. A proposition found in all major religious and spiritual traditions, which “instructs
Happiness and Its Causes Read More »
Compassion Joining hands Today during my daily practice of meditation, a particular person came to mind. I felt a deep sense of openness towards this person and what they are going through. So I engaged in a compassion practice and started directing loving-kindness and compassion towards them. Strangely when I was directing compassion towards this
Joining Hands: A Flow of Compassion Read More »