In Tibetan Buddhism, the foundation of our practice is not a belief, a text, or a ritual – but a teacher. The importance of a teacher really can’t be over-emphasized. At the most basic level, because Buddhism is a practice-based psychology, the role of the teacher is like that of the golf coach, the piano...
Hi Everyone, We’re at that exciting stage of the publishing process where six different cover designs are being considered for my next book. What is the book? A collection of short stories entitled ‘The Astral Traveller’s Handbook & Other Tales’ – in what I plan to be the first of a new series of ‘Bedtime...
I’d like to share an excerpt from my book, Enlightenment to Go, which deals with exactly this question. How better than to illustrate with the example of an Englishwoman who spent twelve years meditating alone in a cave in the Himalayas? A concern I’ve heard expressed is that too much time spent meditating, or developing...
Tibetan Buddhism contains a wonderful array of practices to suit many different people, across a variety of circumstances. But at the centre of all these practices, you might say at the heart of Tibetan Buddhism itself, is the cultivation of bodhichitta. What is bodhichitta, and why is it so important? The following extract from my...
Dear Blog Readers, On this first day of January, 2018, may I start by wishing each and every one of you a very Happy New Year and all good things for the year ahead! Although New Year is a man-made concept, this period around mid-winter is a natural time of drawing inward and reflection on...
If you were in a position of unique privilege, and could access anyone in the world you wanted to, who would you turn to for wisdom when you needed it most of all? You would, of course, be ultra wary of those driven by self-interest, narrow in view, or lacking in insight. You would wish to...
Do you need to have faith to be a Buddhist? Must you believe in certain things – and if so, what? Faith may seem unnecessary or irrelevant if you are engaged in a practice-based psychology, which is how many of us regard the Tibetan Buddhist path. But in fact you do need faith – or...
I’d like to share a chapter from my book Hurry Up and Meditate which explores this intriguing question. I hope you find it useful! Since ancient times, the wisdom of self-knowledge has been held above all other. Some believe that it is the real purpose of our life’s journey. In ancient Greece, when seekers visited the Temple at...
Buddhism may be an ancient tradition, but it’s a difficult one to categorise from a Western perspective. Is it a belief based religion? Or a practice-based psychology? Many of the trappings and rituals may make it look similar to some of the more orthodox Christian denominations. But there is no Creator or omnipotent deity in...
Medicine Buddha is an extraordinary and precious healing meditation practice found in Tibetan Buddhism. The purpose of this blog is simply to share a few resources and links I hope you may find helpful if you are investigating this practice. As with all tantra practices, it is recommended that you receive proper initiations and teachings...
