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What is stress?

Stress is a slow but very reliable killer. It exacerbates the effects of most diseases and chronic conditions. It delays recovery from illness and it makes us age more quickly. Like nicotine it seems to affect all the systems in the body. Stress also makes us anxious... Read more

Muscle tension

Stress is a very physical event. We feel stress most clearly in our muscles, particularly in the neck, shoulders, back and face. We even use the words ‘stress’ and ‘tense’ interchangeably. “I feel tense’ means the same as “I... Read more

Why I am not a Buddhist

Many people assume that because I teach meditation I am probably a Buddhist. This is a natural mistake to make since the two are often confused. However meditation is a practical skill. Buddhism is a conservative Asian religion. There is no automatic connection... Read more

What is Mindfulness?

Until recently, people spoke about ‘meditation’ but hardly ever used the word ‘mindfulness’. This was a jargon word found only in the context of a certain kind of 10-day Buddhist retreat. Then, around 2005, the situation changed dramatically. As a teacher, I get phone... Read more

Awakening: keep it personal

After a climactic night of meditation, the Buddha became fully ‘awakened’ at the moment of sunrise. This word invariably implies a kind of fresh morning radiance in the soul. We imagine an awakened person as having a continuously serene and joyful state of... Read more

A Short History of the Soul

‘To thine own self be true’, said Shakespeare, quoting a proverb that had its roots in ancient Greece. ‘Know yourself’ said Socrates, who argued that self-understanding is essential for happiness, wisdom and the pursuit of any knowledge... Read more

Truth: knowing it or living it

Our need for truth is hard-wired into the psyche. We make distinctions every day between true and false, and try to clarify those situations that are ambiguous. We seek out the certainties and good evidence that make all the difference between success or failure in... Read more

Music and the Song of the Body

Years ago, I went deep underground with some caving enthusiasts. After two hours of scrambling, crawling, and abseiling, we decided to switch off our lights and listen. A deep dry cave is more profoundly black and silent than anywhere on the surface of the earth. In... Read more

After the Ecstasy, the Reckoning

Do you want peace or bliss? Tranquility or excitement? Serenity or ecstasy? It is not easy to have both. The fanatics, such as drug addicts and hermits, will strive for the extremes. Most of us will have more moderate aspirations. A harmonious, well-ordered life is... Read more