Mind and Meaning, Mindfulness and Meditation
When you first start practicing meditation you may feel a certain resistance to the practises or put up barriers to avoid committing the time to meditating. One of the ways I overcame this in the early days (and I still use it today) is to have a specific meditation space that I go to everyday. I light a candle and More →
Last year, I was very fortunate to see the Dalai Lama speak in London. I can’t explain it – but he just exuded goodness, kindness, compassion. I was so touched and inspired by his message of compassion that I felt compelled to do something – to spread a little compassion – even if on a very small scale. As he More →
Hokusai says look carefully. He says pay attention, notice. He says keep looking, stay curious. He says there is no end to seeing. He says look forward to getting old. He says keep changing, you just get more who you really are. He says get stuck, accept it, repeat yourself as long as it is interesting. He says keep doing More →
When you are in pain the main thing you want is for it to go away. You try everything to get rid of the pain and if that’s not possible, you use whatever techniques you can to try and forget or imagine the pain away. So, when instead you are asked to focus on the pain and give it some More →
“Cultivate the habit of being grateful for every good thing that comes to you, and to give thanks continuously. And, because all things have contributed to your advancement you should include all things in your gratitude.” Ralph Waldo Emerson I like this Writing Meditation because as I write it mindfully, I am doing so with gratitude in my heart. Gratitude More →
James Downs is a fellow Voice of Mind – and has campaigned tirelessly this last year to get mental health on the election agenda. Having been through a long journey with mental health services, James suggests that we can get so tied up with diagnoses and complex formulations that the most basic factor is missed – the quality of interaction More →
In my Philosophy class last week, our facilitator asked us to consider the question “Is there anything constant in life or within each of us?” My first reaction was NO. A flat resounding NO. Nothing in my life remains constant – it is always changing. I am changing, the people around me are changing, my work is changing, the environment More →
Meditating using Mantras is one of the most popular methods of meditation. Now, I am not one for chanting, wearing beads and burning incense sticks. It just isn’t me! If you are that person – great – whatever rocks your boat! However, I still do like Mantra Meditation because it gives me something to focus on to calm my mind. More →