Do things just happen by accident? The way that I came to read this book made me question that statement. Is there some sort of intentionality behind them? Sometimes. Perhaps. Let me explain the circumstances and see what you think.
Continue reading “Book review – Letting go of the person you used to be”
Miss Daisy was feeling a little poorly last night and still appeared very lethargic this morning. As the little girl has had a heart condition for some time ( see 441 Days ) Molly and I started mentally preparing ourselves for the worst. However I repeated this mantra in my mind all through my meditation session this morning. Later, when it came time for breakfast, our old bouncy Daisy reappeared from her bed as if nothing had happened and tucked into her breakfast with the same enthusiasm as always.
Continue reading “Healing Mantra for Daisy”
We poor scribblers find inspiration in the most unlikely places. An idea then picked up can lead down all sorts of paths previously unknown. This was the case recently when I was watching an episode of “Deep State” where the character played by Walton Goggins recites part of a poem as an epitaph for one of his companions who was being buried. The words “miss me but let me go” struck a chord within me and I had to see if I could find the source of this poem, if there was one. Continue reading “Let Me Go”
I was recently invited to subscribe to a newsletter by a guy called Tim Ferriss through a marketing ploy of his. As part of the enticement, he was offering a set of 3 free pdf’s, the first of which was “5 Morning Rituals” and it really struck a chord with me. I have been annoyed lately with how my mornings, and subsequently, my days seem to just drift away with little to show for it at the end of the day. So because of this, I decided to subscribe just to get the pdf’s. Continue reading “My 5 Morning Rituals”
All of us who meditate regularly develop our own little quirks and idiosyncrasies in our practice. I haven’t tested this personal theory but here is an example of one of mine and I would appreciate any comments you might have about your practice.
As I have stated before, I do open eye meditation from the Zen school of Buddhism. That is, I keep my eyes open throughout the meditation and keep my gaze fixed on a single spot in front of me, usually an image in my iPhone meditation timer which I place in front of me. However, most people in our Western communities learn meditation in the traditional method with eyes closed. Continue reading “Meditation Direction”
Routines, routines, we all have them don’t we and I can be attached to the very point of distraction with mine at times. Over the last few years, I have come to realise that I am not always best served by adhering so rigidly to the routines I have constructed. Constructed is the key that I have come to realise, that these routines I have created are just mine, my own creations, and not set in stone. There is a soaring sense of freedom at times when I decide to break away from a routine, either because I have other things I want to do, or that I notice that one or more aspects of the routine aren’t really useful, or simply just because. Just because a realignment can bring a whole new outlook, a freshness, to an aspect of my daily life. Continue reading “Sweet confusion”
I found this image included on a Facebook post by Tara Brach today and it reminded me of a blog I wrote some time ago called “Daisy’s Kiss”.
Tara included the following Dalai Lama quote:
“There is no need for temples. No need for complicated philosophies. My brain and my heart are my temples. My philosophy is kindness.”
— The Dalai Lama
Take a look at my blog post and you will see what I mean.
What qigong does for my body, meditation does for my mind.
Meditation calms the racing energy of my mind and gets it flowing in a single focussed stream. With regular practice of meditation I am able to get some control over the “monkey mind” that challenges us all, where the mind flits from thought to thought constantly, incessantly. It has often been said meditation is the simplest and yet the most difficult thing to do.
After all, how hard can it be to simply sit and focus on your own breathing? Continue reading “Meditation for me”
Why? Why am I paying a barber to cut my hair with a clipper on #2 setting when there is hardly any hair left on top? Why am I bothering? What is the difference between #2 and #0 I thought? Not much I thought. Why not just start shaving it off and save myself the barbers fee? So I did, I shaved it all off that weekend, secure in the knowledge that I could always let it grow back if I didn’t like it. But little did I know that my biggest lesson in how attachment works were to be found in that seemingly simple rational decision.
Continue reading “Duggy’s lesson”
It was just an old Sydney Swans cap, bought at a stand outside the SCG sometime in the 1990’s, when I was attending a Sydney Swans game. I liked it because it had a sort of vintage feel to it, a canvas fabric look rather than the bright red and white caps supplied by the Swans as part of the membership pack. It was also in the days when I was regularly buying Swans kit like shirts and jackets. My need to be identified by this paraphernalia has long gone, the attachment broken, in a process I have written about elsewhere.
Weekly episodes on whatever catches my eye but with a keen interest in hearing the story behind blues musicians and craftsmen
Mike Stacey 2016
