Category Archives: Blogs
Rains Retreat, Vassa 2017
This last week has marked the end of the Buddhist Monastic three months ‘Rains Retreat – Vassa 2017’
This verse arose in my mind on Pavarana Day – the ending of the retreat, and lends inspiration to realising reality and finding freedom.
Kind Regards
John B.
Pavarana Day – End of Vassa Rains Retreat 2017 – The Free Mind
Wander where there is no Path,
Find firm footing where there is no place to stand,
Seek shelter where no roof exists,
Live where there is no abiding...
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Our Practicing Peace
Fundamentally and ultimately, if it is Peace that we are really seeking, our ‘way of practice’ needs to focus on Peace as our path and purpose.
Here;
Our Perspective is Peace
- to see, be and relate from Peace.
Our Practice is Peace
- to exercise and enhance Peace at all times and in all places.
Our Process is Peace
- to develop and deepen our experience of Peace, both in the mind and in our life.
Our Presence is Peace
- to gift to all people and...
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Blessing of the Buddha – Real Happiness and Peace
The ‘Blessing of the Buddha’ is the gift to us all, of his realisation and revelation of a Real Happiness and Peace.
This ‘Happiness – Peace’, is not founded on or confounded by the way of things.
This ‘Happiness – Peace’, is not built and dependent on things that fundamentally do fade and falter, fatigue and fail, finalise and finish.
This ‘Happiness – Peace’, does not become, stressed and distressed, disordered and distorted. It does not diminish, dissolve, deconstruct or destruct. It...
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The Ending of Time!
The whole of I,
we, you and me;
is but a ‘cognitive creation’.
We think our self into being!
Behind and beyond the thought,
of I, we, you and me;
is simply energy manifesting as
the body and mind-ful awareness.
Meditation frees the mind,
from thought, from the activity of identification;
from ‘identity-ing’ and allows simply a
Body-Mind ‘Presence-ing’.
Here – Now, no one;
No – not now, no not here!
No story; no story teller;
no stress, no suffering; no drama and no SAMSARA.
For the I, we, you and me – self, is...
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Is It Peace?
Is it Peace?
Is it Peace that we seek?
Fundamentally and Ultimately, at the end of the day, at the end of our life, and everywhere and when in between; is it Peace that we seek?
Maybe!
So, what then is Peace?
Peace is a calm contentment, a quite joy, an ease and fulfillment.
Peace may be experienced in the external environment, but fundamentally is a quality and state of mind – heart (Citta).
Peace could be said to occur on three levels.
1. Peace is the...
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Let’s get serious …..
Let’s Get Serious
What are we serious about?
How serious are we about Life, how serious are we about our life?
My sense is that most people do not and are not taking life and their life serious enough.
We do not even take the things in our life serious enough. Things like our health, both physical and mental; our relationships – intimate and otherwise; our work – be it self employed or employed by others; our potentials and life possibilities.
It appears that...
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Make Meditation about Meditation ……
We need to make our meditation about meditation!
Our meditation may include awareness of the body and certainly may help relax and heal the body, but it is not about the body but about the mind.
And as the mind, our meditation is not about the thoughts, memories, stories and ideas about our self.
Our meditation is not about the self’s wishes and wants, worries and woes.
Our meditation is not about being caught in the mental content of our mind, but about...
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John interviewed by Tweed Daily News
John was recently interviewed by Tweed Daily News at The Brain Mind and Memory Centre at Tweed Heads, discussing how you can improve the brain and wellbeing through mindfulness, meditation and Buddhist wisdom.
Watch the unedited video below
https://youtu.be/ixNmiHH37QI
In this interview you will also discover how and why John became a Buddhist monk and then a psychologist years later.
The above photo is of John as a monk in Switzerland.
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Wisdom Talks 20 – The 4 Jhana (deeper meditative states)
In this episode of Wisdom Talks John Barter discusses the “The 4 Jhana” - translated as The 4 States of Meditation in Theravada Buddhism. To encourage and inspire the possibility of refinement of consciousness and deeper states of mind; and appreciate that there is great joy and peace beyond just worldly pursuits.
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Wisdom Talks 19 – The Power of Trust (Saddha)
In this episode of Wisdom Talks John Barter reflects on a teaching of the Buddha called “The 5 Bala”- translated as The 5 Powers (or Strengths). In particular the first power or strength called Saddha - translated as Trust or Faith
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