It's not what you look at that matter. It's what you see. (H.D. Thoreau)
If you have the blessing to have a kind, wise person in your life, speak to them. Seek out other groups/individuals who can offer support to your wellbeing in whatever way: therapy, yoga, self help groups, monasteries... Think of a major challenge in life you have previously overcome. At the time you might have thought …
Continue reading "This Too Shall Pass. 10 Ideas to Support You in Difficult Times."
The following text is an adapted version of a talk given to participants of the MTTC (Mindfulness Teacher Training Course) at Waldhaus Meditation Centre, Germany in October 2025. I dedicate it to all who are experiencing heartache right now – whether over a romantic relationship, the loss of a beloved person or the state of …
Continue reading "What’s Love Got to Do With It? Reflections on a Powerful Feeling"
4 minutes reading time Any city can be a challenging place to practise mindfulness. There are many 'sense contacts' which can easily lead to a feeling of overwhelm. At the same time, a city offers wonderful opportunities to practise mindfulness. Here are some ideas. Feel the movement of walking. Feet touching the pavement. Human body …
Go on. Make your way to this club everyone is talking about. The bouncer looks scary, but the door policy is weirdly generous. All you have to do is hand over the What Ifs and Maybes. Then, enter. Surrender your 'self' to this stuffy mess. Dance to the beat of being. Let the base vibrate …
Continue reading "Dance to Songs You Haven’t Chosen. A Poem."
8 minutes reading time Relationship to Other Beliefs If we experience a particular teaching or religion as liberating then there is no cause for feeling threatened by other beliefs. We can rejoice in somebody else's faith, even if it is not the same as 'ours', when we see that the teachings they follow lead to …
5 minutes reading time Making Mistakes Whether we are on a 'spiritual path' or not, we all make mistakes. It is important that we can look honestly at these areas which need our attention. This honest examination however does not need thoughts like 'I am not good enough' or 'It is all my fault', which …
Regular formal meditation (sitting, standing, walking or lying down) is a very beneficial and powerful way to practise mindfulness and I would encourage everyone to try it out, even if it's just for 5 minutes a day. However, if you really feel this isn't your cup of tea, there are many other ways to practise. …
Continue reading "Ideas to Practise Mindfulness With Nature"
In the six meetings we will look at different 'nourishing' qualities / concepts and explore ways of cultivating them in formal meditation and in daily life. Over the 6 week period we will explore such questions as: What are ways of grounding oneself when feeling overwhelmed? What might be a fresh perspective of looking at …
Continue reading "Soul Food – 6 Week Online Course. Starting Wednesday 21/02/24."
Our eyes are a wonderful resource for mindfulness practice. Every moment of the day we have the possibility to use them for practicing. This morning I took a train from Glasgow Central Station to Edinburgh Haymarket. I wrote down examples of what my eyes could pick up on the journey. If you would like to …
Continue reading "Using Our Eyes Mindfully in Daily Life Situations"
The world is in crisis. No question about it. The question is: How do we respond? We could become cynical. We could choose to 'opt out', to not get emotionally involved in any of it anyore, out of a feeling of helplessness, despair or overwhelm. Because, at the end of the day, 'What does it …
Have you heard much about the positive impacts of mindfulness and meditation but never quite understood how to practice it? Do you like the idea of meditation in theory, but find it hard to sit on a cushion by yourself? Are you curious about meditation but never really found it very enjoyable when trying it? …
Continue reading "6 Week Online Course. Starting 4th of October 2023."
Transcription of part of a talk given in Iona Village Hall, 16/08 I live on a small island which has been and still is an important place of pilgrimage for many. But what comes to mind for me, when I hear the word 'pilgrimage' is the pilgrimage of the heart, rather than a physical one. …
Meditation has an important place. For me, so important that I do it daily. However, one of the most important lessons I have learned in the last years is: there are also times when meditation is not the answer. The times when frustration, anger or fear are too present to sit down. There is nothing …
I love the childrens book 'Frederick'. Frederick is part of a family of mice. All the other mice are very busy during the summer, collecting corn, gathering barley, nuts and berries for the winter. Frederick in the meantime sits on a rock with his eyes closed (in a sense, he's a meditator in mouse world). …
Continue reading "Gathering Light – Summer Solstice Reflections"
We live in a time in which rest has become a luxury. Being 'busy' for many of us has become the normal state of being, interrupted by occasional times of rest. The problem often is though, that we have become so used to busyness (either in physically doing things or thinking about things we should …
SOMETIMES MINDFUL 