Category Archives: Message From John
Autumn Newsletter 2020
Dear Friends
I trust and hope this this message finds you well and mindfully managing, navigating and negotiating the challenges and choices life has imposed on us at this time.
We now find our selves in the middle of Autumn, the first whole session of 2020, since Summer is shared with 2019 at the beginning of the year and with 2021 at the end of the year.
Autumn is a particularly pleasant season and time of the year with regards to weather...
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DOES OUR MOTHER-NATURE
Dear Friends
It does not take too much insight to see that we are all connected to each other as a humanity; as life forms on this living planet all of which becomes Mother-Nature.
Certainly, what we do and how we live our lives as individuals and as a humanity does affect the living-life of Mother-Nature. What happens to Mother-Nature does also then impact on our life and living.
This current time of Covid-19 calls us to question many things of profound...
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FOREST DWELLERS – WITHOUT AND WITHIN
Dear Friends
As we be with and bear through, ride with and abide with the challenges of changing times, it can be most helpful to check in with and tune in with that which is perennial.
Here the perennial nature of Nature and specifically a Forest, can bring some peace of mind and peace of Being; particularly if we are caught in thoughts and feelings based on another time and another place.
Try and connect to Nature to connect our own Nature...
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TURNING POINT – CHANGING POINT
Dear Friends,
Challenging times challenge us to change and be the best that we can be to get through but also to grow from those experiences. Whether these experiences are particular to the individual, the family, the community, the country, or to the world – they require a special way of being in our selves as we relate and respond to the predicament.
The current crisis of the Corona Virus to humanity requires a critical response to engage and enhance not...
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REAL HOME
Dear Friends,
Amidst the choices and challenges of changing times; where do we find a true place of peace, a true refuge, a real retreat, a safe sanctuary, a place that is our ‘Real Home’?
It appears that no matter how intelligent one might be, no matter how well developed and cultivated our personality is; no matter how strong, fit and healthy we physically are; no matter how great our work-life and financial income is; no matter how lovely the place...
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MINDFUL MOMENT
Dear Friends,
One of the wonderful insights into the reality of our life is that it is all happening now!
Whilst we can have both reflection on the past and consideration of the future; our focus needs to be now. Our life is always and only forever just now. The sum total of ‘having the time of our life’ is really about how many moments we were really present for. We so easily ‘miss the point’ of the present.
Our Mindfulness practice...
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LIVE – LEARN – LOVE
Dear Friends
What is Life about?
What is this Life of ours about?
As a young person this was a perennial ponder until I was moved and motivated to take up Monastic Life as a Buddhist Monk to look into and live out the meaning of Life.
I saw that fundamentally and ultimately, Life is for Living, Learning and Loving.
Fundamentally, to Live well and create well-being for our selves’ and others. To learn and become educated so that we can function well and...
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MINDFUL MIND
Dear Friends
What can we make of Mindfulness and what can Mindfulness make of us?
There are many mind or mental states and activities, that may be enhanced with Mindfulness.
In working with Clients from a Buddhist and Mindfulness based Approach, I often play with words to help push a point or make meaning. These might include ‘The Mindful Mode’ for engaging experience; ‘The Mindful Mood’ for presence-ing the present!
Below is a more magnified list of words all beginning with the letter...
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Upcoming Mindfulness Meditation Events
Dear Friends,
We have been blessed with much rain over the last couple of weeks of our New Year 2020, particularly in areas that have been scorched by the recent bush fires. The rain has also helped renew life to flora and fauna that suffered due to the drought conditions.
However the great deluge of rain here on the Tweed Coast caused the cancellation of our Half Day Meditation Retreat on Sunday the 9th of February. Given that many roads in...
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THE MINDFUL MOMENT
Dear Friends
Life does have its gain and loss; its pleasure and pain; its satisfaction and sorrow; its blessings and its blights.
Yet the real sadness is when we miss our Life by not being present for it. We can appreciate that Life is but a collection of ongoing present moments, which are not always pleasant and pleasing, wonderful or exciting. Most of the flowing moments of our Life are quite ordinary; yet they are our Life!
What makes our Life or...
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