Author Archives: John Barter
Tomorrow Reborn as Today
TOMORROW REBORN AS TODAY
Dear Friends – we get taught to pay attention to the just here and the just now! However sometimes the just here and just now present is only bearable knowing that there is a tomorrow and it may bring some respite or relief from the challenges of today. Enjoy my verse reflections on tomorrow as today.
John B.
TOMORROW REBORN AS TODAY
Tomorrow is;
Always only ever and forever;
Never more than just a day away.
What could, would should;
Tomorrow boast, bring...
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No One To Matter
NO ONE TO MATTER
Dear Friends
Life seems so vast and amazing with all of its complexities and complications; its contrasts and contradictions. However; is it only so because we, you me, we, perceive it thus and make it so?
So, what then is this I, me, you, we; this ‘one’ that we think ourselves into being?
The Ultimate Spiritual Path of Practice is to Realise Reality and Be Beyond the drama! It is to the mind free from identification as this or...
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Mind and Meaning Making
MIND AND MEANING MAKING
Dear Friends
It’s amazing how much meaning we make of a collection of concepts strung together in a line or sentence or ‘saying’. In many ways this expresses the idea of ‘the whole is greater than the sum of the parts’!
When we rearrange the words in a line, sentence or expression it can be interesting to note both what occurs and what meaning we make of this?
Enjoy my lines below and use these ideas for your own...
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Go to the Trees
GO TO THE TREES
Dear Friends
There are many suitable and sustaining refuges that we can source or seek out when life becomes difficult and distressing, when we feel depressed or despairing.
One refuge which is increasingly becoming appreciated both by contemplatives and the common person, written and spoken about by sages, saints, scientists, psychologists and philosophers; is that of the Trees and the Forests.
We are learning more about the importance of connecting and communing with nature. This is both the...
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Life is Limitation
LIFE IS LIMITATION
Dear Friends
In the context of receiving and relating to a particular Spiritual – Psychological (Psycho-Spiritual) Teaching, we may find that we connect with the concepts used or not!
This is very much the case with the use of the Pali Language word ‘Dukkha’ in the Buddha’s Teachings.
The Buddha has stated; “Two things only do I teach; the Truth of Dukkha and the Truth of its end to reach!”
However, when Dukkha is translated as ‘Suffering’, we may not quite...
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Not all of the same sense!
Dear Friends
How do we sense what we sense and what sense do we make of that?
From what is senses through our senses – is that sensed with common sense; even an uncommon common sense or is it sensed with mental non-sense. All of what is sensed and known does go to create our sense of self or self-sense!
Enjoy my verse below and make what sense of it you will!
John B.
NOT ALL OF THE SAME SENSE!
Of sensory experience;
Received through the...
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The Bodhi Tree – Any Tree and All Trees
Easter Personal Retreat: BODHI TREE FOREST MONASTERY – SATIPATTHANA VIPASSANA MEDITATION CENTRE
Dear Friends
This Easter 2019 I took the opportunity to take a Personal Retreat at Bodhi Tree Forest Monastery and Satipattana- Vipassana Meditation Centre.
I saw this time for Personal Meditation Retreat as a both a gift to myself and to all those that I come into contact with; appreciating that if I have greater Calm, Clarity and Insightful Wisdom, this is shared with others.
On Retreat, I delighted in this...
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Live With, For and As
Dear Friends – our life abounds with continually alarming information about distressing events and happenings all around our world, this planet that we share.
We are surrounded with examples of how not to be, but find it difficult to discern and see what is an example of the Good, the Great and the Gracious.
At this Religiously Significant time of year; lets get Spiritually Significant by living and being an example both to our self and others; be they our partner,...
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COME AROUND AND COME DOWN
Dear Friends
Sometimes we need to remind our selves as to where it is at, with regards to some peace and quiet, some calm and clarity. Sometimes we need to invite our selves to come to that place, not as a demand or command but as a caring invitation. Enjoy my verse as an invitation to do just that!
John B.
COME AROUND AND COME DOWN
Come around and come down;
Drop by and drop in;
Come in and get close;
To that place of peace...
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Autumn Newsletter 2019
Dear Friends,
Trusting this note finds you settling in to our Autumn months and cooler weather. Amidst the rain over the last few days we did have wonderful weather Sunday 31st March for our Half Day Meditation Retreat at Ratangiri – Farrants Hill. Our Retreat was well attended, and I thank all of you that attended for giving up your Sunday to share your presence in Mindful reflection and meditation.
The theme for our Retreat was The Four Foundations for Mindful...
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