We are constantly propelled along by our emotions, with our mental and physical state becoming a product of the way we feel. We have varying ways of dealing with emotions, both holistic and medicinal: When over-excited we might take a few deep breaths and divert our attention elsewhere for a while, and when feeling down we might…Read More
But What if it’s the Present That Makes Me Unhappy!?
A week ago I received a comment from a reader on my post ‘Will I Ever Be Happy? Stop Waiting for the Perfect Moment’. The fundamental theme of the post is to stop waiting for life to happen; stop waiting for a better moment than the one you have now and step into the present.…Read More
The Funny Thing About Fear
Fear is the mind killer, the eradicator of potential and the eraser of personal progress. And if there’s one thing that will stop you embracing life, it’s fear. Fear wants you to stay in your house and lock your door, to avoid smiling at a stranger because he/she could be dangerous, to avoid changing job because you won’t…Read More
It’s Never Too Late to Start Living the Life You Want!
We tend to see life in sections rather than a continuous journey. We box it up and stack its sections in an order that’s almost taboo to break. We set targets by age, and once past a specific age, we convince ourselves that the target has been missed and the opportunity squandered. “Oh, I’m too old for…Read More
My Perfect Mango Moment
Moments of clarity come at unexpected times, usually when we’re temporarily distracted from the grasping and striving of the daily grind. These moments come upon us suddenly, and for a few seconds or more, everything just seems to fall in to place and make sense, almost indescribably so. One of these moments graced my presence…Read More
The Actor
Who is the actor playing this role Who is the person walking this path Who is the person in my presence Who is the person in my past Whose expectations will I fulfil Whose opinions will I believe Whose footsteps shall I follow Whose words shall I refuse Whose arms should I embrace…Read More
What is the Point of Life?
On the face of it this seems like the most unanswerable question there is, a question that nags our existence from start to finish. And paradoxically, the more we integrate mindfulness with our daily lives and realise that the only reality we have is the present moment, the more life may seem somewhat pointless –…Read More
No Clock for a Day – Stepping Out of Time
In this fast-paced, competitive world, we can become incredibly driven and impatient, and that drive and impatience is primarily motivated by time. We live in the worry that we don’t have time to get where we need to go, to do what we need to do and to become who we aspire to be. Seldom…Read More
Impermenance – Remembering That What is Born Will Die
It was only last year that I had the pleasure of meeting the guys who set up The Spring Foundation, an organisation that educates and holds retreats using mindfulness as its approach to coping with cancer, both during treatment and during remission. This week, however, cancer came closer to home. My mother-in-law was diagnosed with…Read More
Mindfulness & the Past – What About History?
Fundamentally, mindfulness is about living in the present, accepting the moment and not being controlled by the past or restrained by perceptions of the future. But what about history? History is of great importance because it helps us understand the circumstances that have shaped the landscape we live in today, not to mention that history…Read More