One of the special aspects of our Mindful Safari visits to Africa is meeting kindred spirits from around the world. There are usually participants from USA, Australia, UK, and other countries, and while we have very different backgrounds and lives, we come together in our deep appreciation of nature, our practice of mindfulness and meditation...
When I was growing up, Dr Dolittle wasn’t so much my hero as my role model! Just like him, I could think of nothing better than to be able to talk to the animals, walk with the animals and chatter to a chimp in chimpanzee! Much later in life, my boyhood dreams well behind me,...
For a long time it has been my conviction that we are by far the greater beneficiaries in the lives we share with our pets. I’d like to offer this brief excerpt, from the very end of my book Buddhism for Pet Lovers, which I hope may explain just how much they can help us – and we them....
We share the same world as our pets, yet we do not perceive the same reality. Both cats and dogs have only 20 per cent of the cone photo-receptor cells of humans, meaning they can only see the colours blue and yellow. All other colours are shades of grey. Dogs and cats also can’t focus...
The weeks leading up to and after the death of a beloved animal companion can be very difficult. In my new book, Buddhism for Pet Lovers, I provide a full account of how we can best help our pet through the most important transition of their life. Here, I’d like to share a passage about...
I am happy to share the following excerpt from my new book, Buddhism for Pet Lovers. Sometimes, even the most warm-hearted pet lovers need to be gently reminded that communicating with other sentient beings is a two way street. We may be very good at talking to our pets, but how much do we listen? I...
I am pleased to share some of the key themes explored in my book, Buddhism for Pet Lovers. These short excerpts provide a flavour of the book as a whole – I hope you find them helpful! It is my heartfelt wish that this book may be a cause for many people to enjoy deeper and...
I am delighted to share the Introduction of my book, Buddhism for Pet Lovers: Supporting Our Closest Companions through Life and Death. This chapter sets the scene for a book that is very close to my heart. In this blog I have also included in a few very personal photos from the family archives – my...
For most of us, the opportunity to spend time in the natural world is rare and fleeting. If we are fortunate, we may enjoy regular walks in the park or by the sea. We may get out of town on the occasional weekend. The very lucky get to go on Mindful Safari to Africa! But...
An idea that challenges, confuses and sometimes even angers people is that each of us could be reborn as an animal. When I recently blogged about karma, quite a few of the comments asked more about this subject. So, what is the Tibetan Buddhist perspective? It’s important not to be encumbered with ideas from Western culture and society...
