Buddhism is a non-theistic tradition. Whether or not it can be termed a religion is debatable—the etymology of the word ‘religion’ refers to God. Many of us think of Buddhism as a practice-based psychology rather than a belief-based religion. Nevertheless, Buddhism has some of the outward trappings of a religion, such as temples, iconography, prayers and incense. Tibetan Buddhism also...
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Why does our time on Mindful Safari touch us so deeply?
For the past few years it has been my very great privilege and joy to lead groups of people on Mindful Safaris to Africa. On these trips we combine daily meditation sessions in nature, along with game viewing. None of us has any idea what will happen from one day to the next, but the overall response of the group...
Is this the Queen’s favourite disguise? A Royal Insider reveals all!
I had such a lot of fun writing The Queen’s Corgi: On Purpose. Like The Dalai Lama’s Cat series, what I’ve tried to do in the book is to offer wisdom – in this case about how to lead a purposeful life – packaged in an entertaining and heart-filled format. Chapter Three introduces the theme of impulse control, and I’d...
The Gifts offered by Pets on our Inner Journey
Dear Blog Readers, 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...
Could the concept of ‘resonance’ help explain the power of meditation?
Resonance is a fascinating concept, especially for those who practise meditation–mantra recitation in particular. The term offers a possible explanation for how memory and habit become engrained in nature. It has been shown that actions undertaken in the past become easier and more effective for different living beings to carry out in the future. For example, if rats are taught...
How the world looks, sounds and smells different to our pets
Dear Blog Readers, We may live in the same world as our animal companions – but do we share the same reality? The following is a short excerpt from my book, Buddhism for Pet Lovers. I hope you find it interesting! Warm wishes, David We share the same world as our pets, yet we do not perceive the same reality. Both...
How we can best help our pet in the seven weeks after death
Dear Blog Readers, 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. I will be sharing excerpts from this in future months....
Try this experiment: be mindfully present for your pet
Dear Blog Readers, I’m 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 hope you find...
How our pets have a capacity for spiritual growth
Dear Blog Readers, I’m pleased to share some of the key themes explored in my new 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 richer...
New book! Buddhism for Pet Lovers. Read the introduction here!
Dear Blog Readers, I am delighted to share the Introduction of my new 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 apologies...
Mindfulness as a pathway to live like a millionaire
In the Epilogue of my book, Why Mindfulness is Better than Chocolate, I reprise a few insights about the benefits of living more mindfully. I hope you find these useful! Warm wishes, David Epilogue There’s a story I like about a New York merchant banker who goes on vacation to an idyllic seaside village in the Caribbean. After a few...
Quick Video Update on The Dalai Lama’s Cat Movie!
Hi Blog Readers, I’m just back from a visit to London where I met up with The Dalai Lama’s Cat Movie team. What a great group of people and it’s wonderful how well everyone gets along! I know a lot of you are as excited as I am about the movie, and are keen to know what’s happening with it. ...
