Brilliant Mistake

Walking on the reserve, after some time away on retreat. Contains geese.

I'm back on the ridge walk today. I'm getting ready for a trip up to Northumberland, to the monastery.

I'm on the ridge walk again. I'm trying to get my fitness back ready for a trip up to Throssel. This is just a quick update.

Just a quick message. I'm still here, and I'll be continuing the podcasts soon.

Back home after a retreat.

Birdsong, and the constancy of It.

Back on the ridge walk, feeling gratitude and potential.

Thoughts after listening to a talk by Brad Warner, called The Zen Butterfly Effect

Thoughts good habits and simplicity. Contains crows.

Message me on Twitter if you have any questions or thoughts. I'm @jwelby.

Back at the lake, and thinking about just being.

My first walk for a while. This is about keeping things simple.

Thoughts on not rushing to try to correct everything, and how we should trust ourselves.

My mother died of cancer just before Christmas. Here a few thoughts about her passing.

Back at the lake, talking about greed, including spiritual greed. The podcast I mention is by Brad Warner - Can you be just a little bit greedy? The quotation I give as “Now you have, so guard well” is actually “Preserve well for you now have; this is all;” and is found in The Most Excellent Mirror—Samādhi, one of the scriptures recited in the morning at Sōtō Zen temples. (The wording I give may exist in a different scripture, but I haven’t been able to find it).

Back on the Ridge walk. Today I talk a little bit about a chapter from the Shobogenzo called Kobusshin - The original, unchanging Buddha-mind.

I'm still here. An experiment in recording at home. I'll be getting back into themed podcasts soon. Stay well. I made a mistake in the podcast: Rev. Master Mugō's blog is at jademountains.net.

Once again the necessity of letting go in meditation is clear.

Thoughts on time, meditation and the self. I would strongly suggest reading “Uji”, a chapter of Dogen's Shobogenzo. www.thezensite.com/ZenTeachi… I would also suggest listening to Rev. Master Daishin Morgan’s talk: Time and existence are the same thing

A brief podcast from Trafalgar Square. I talk about how compassion is to be found everywhere and in all things.

How meditation lets us see how we set up our own contexts, and allows us to let them go.

How not doing is just fine.

How meditation allows us to let go of undigested assumptions and find peace of mind and deep meaning.

Keeping effort at the right level. I don’t mention it in the podcast, but the title is a reference to a piece of teaching the Buddha gave to a monk who used to be a musician before he was ordained. The monk was trying too hard in his practice, and eventually exhausted himself and became discouraged. The Buddha knew of his musical interest, and reminded him that tuning a string too tight or too slack will not produce the desired result. The monk understood, and was able to find right effort, and continued his training successfully.

More on balance and active training.

I finally get round to talking about Dharma, and how we can find the capacity to deal with things which we didn't know we could work with.

Just a short one today, about pushing through resistance

How sitting still with acceptance is deeply healing. I mention two Dharma talks which I listened to recently: Rev. Master Jiyu: A True Master by Rev. Master Shiko Rom Refining one’s purpose by Rev Master Daishin Morgan Rev. Master Shiko Rom’s talk starts with a verse, which is traditionally recited before a lecture: “The unsurpassed, penetrating and perfect Truth is seldom met with, even in a hundred thousand myriad kalpas. Now we can see and hear it, we can remember and accept it. I vow to make the Buddha's Truth one with myself.”

Moving forward in difficulty, with a bright mind.

In the woods, unclear what to talk about, and a thank you.

Scattered thoughts on the boldness of the mind that seeks the Way.

Thoughts on facing our fears and moving forward. The temple I mention is Todaiji in Nara.

Finding peace wherever we are.

A talk about taking refuge in the Sangha. We need to connect.

How meditation allows us to let go of habits of mind and body.

Some thoughts on a well known Zen saying - When the teacher points at the Moon, only a fool looks at the finger.

Some reflections on our senses as teachers.

Dusk by the lake, and reflections on perspectives.

How the last few days have felt like a meditation retreat, and how a retreat often feels.

Why training to attain ease is ultimately unsatisfactory.

I talk about one type of representation of the Boddhisatva of compassion, poised in thought.

A bit of teaching which was passed on to me in my very first introduction to formal meditation. Still true, still useful.

The importance of daily meditation.

Thoughts on teachers and students.

A simple bit of teaching which cuts through a lot of negativity.

A brief tribute to a friend who died a few days ago. I mention Throssel - that's Throssel Hole Buddhist Abbey.

Change and sacrifice. I talk about an XTC track from their 1986 album, Skylarking.

Thoughts on emotions and being with others. There is a lot of wind noise on this recording. Sorry about that.

How not striving to become Buddha allows us to make progress in training.

Recorded in a churchyard at the end of today's walk.

How different aspects of the self are different aspects of training.