Category Archives: Blogs
Knowing the Unknown
Dear Friends
We live our life in the realm of change and
uncertainty. Whilst this includes the known, it also creates the unknown; like
the two sided of the one coin; like the back and front of the one hand.
Whilst we may feel okay with the known; maybe we can
also become comfortable with getting to know the unknown and not filling it
with fear and trepidation.
The unknown can be acknowledged, accepted and allowed
into our life as my verse below expresses.
KNOWING THE UNKNOWN
How do...
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STEP OUT OF VIEW
Dear
Friends
It is so easy and so often that we become caught in and caught up as a particular limited view or perspective. Such a view excludes other views and other people. Being caught in and as a limited view becomes a source of separation, division, confusion and conflict.
Our Meditation Practice is a way of helping the brain and mind move
from the particular to the universal and from the exclusive to the inclusive.
My verse below expresses this point...
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Always and Forever – Ever Leaving and Arriving
Dear Friends
How long do we ever spend in one place?
So often we may be here but thinking about going there; and in being there we have thoughts about being else-where.
Life is a process of ongoing flux and flow. Becoming more aware of this we can find flow in the flux without so much stress and struggle.
My verse below expresses the wonder and the mystery of the ever arriving and leaving.
John B.
ALWAYS AND FOREVER – EVER LEAVING AND ARRIVING
We are...
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‘Coming to our Senses’ The Art of Receptive Knowing
Dear Friends
This Sunday we held another Half Day Meditation Retreat here at Ratanagiri on the Tweed Coast.
Below are the Retreat Reflection Notes for your consideration, especially if you did not have the chance to attend this Retreat.
Kind Regards
John B.
Retreat Reflections: ‘Coming to our Senses’ – The Art of Receptive Knowing
Sunday 10th February 2019: with Buddhist Psychologist & Meditation Teacher John Barter
Being alive to life as the most important thing!
At times we may well wonder, what life is all about...
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Life-Story and Love-Story
Dear Friends
Much of our mental ‘self-talk’ does become the role and script that we live our life from. The stories that we tell ourselves continue to cultivate and create the person that we are. Seemingly subtle yet psychologically solid, we strengthen and sustain a someone that is our self. Please enjoy my verse about this process.
John B.
LIFE-STORY AND LOVE-STORY
We all like and love a story;
and we all are but a story.
And of that story, we are both the story...
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WE CAN BUT ONLY BE PHILOSOPHICAL
Dear Friends
Reality is, but reality bites - sometimes when we least expect, want or think that we can deal with it.
Certainly we have all had this experience. However Mindfulness and Wisdom can prevail in helping us see clearly and gain ground when we either think or feel that the ground is sliding away from underneath us.
Our Mindfulness and Meditation practice, our re-perspective from Understanding and Wisdom can offer firm footing to help regain our poise and presence.
Take heart from...
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Of Good and Greatness
Dear Friends
With the beginning of the new year we often think about what we wish, want or will achieve this year. Such thoughts can also bring a sense of sadness at what we haven’t yet achieved or experienced, got or gained, developed or maintained. We may also think about what we could have, should have, will not or won’t ever achieve or fulfil.
However, if we take a moment to move our mind beyond our sense of being a single...
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Heart, Mind is receptive knowing
HEART – MIND IS RECEPTIVE KNOWING
It is so easy to take for granted how we see, know and experience things. We often don’t consider that there may be another way of experiencing and knowing things. We may wonder how and why someone else might see and feel differently to ourselves? This could be because they are seeing and knowing in a different way to us. Consider my reflections below on the two ways of knowing.
What we see and know,...
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The Buddha’s Verse on Health, Wealth, Friendship and Happiness
Arōgyā paramā lābhā
santuṭṭhi paramaṁ dhanaṁ
vissāsa paramā ñāthi
Nibbānaṁ paramaṁ sukhaṁ
A healthy mind is the greatest gain,
Contentment is the greatest wealth,
A trustworthy friend is the best of kin,
Unconditional Freedom is the highest bliss.
(The Buddha: Dhammapada verse 204)
Have you ever taken the time to pause and ponder on What is the Focus, Form and Function of your Life?
What are we hoping to fulfill with our life? ‘What is a life well lived and what is the result of a life well lived?
Indeed, what is it...
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Living to Let-Go
LIVING TO LET-GO
We often focus our time energy and attention on getting, gaining, having, holding and becoming. Yet there is that which can be gained or known by none of these activities. This is the peace that results from relaxing, releasing and letting-go!
This is expressed in my poem that follows:
At the end of the moment, minute, hour;
At the end of the day, the week, the month;
At the end of the year, the decade, the life and the life time;
When...
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