Consolations 26

Contemplate upon
the sacred mysteries
of being
and your mind
will shimmer with
untrammelled clarity.

Consolations 25

Replenish your awareness
with beautiful things –
your heart will surely sing.

Consolations 6

May the love you give
be as wide as the sky
it comes back to care
and minds that vivify.

“The Art of Living” by Thich Nhat Hanh

Although Thich Nhat Hanh died two years ago (22nd January, 2022), it is possible to argue that he is still very much alive. His philosophy and life-affirming perspective on how to live lives on in his many books, videos, and various retreats/centres around the world where students of his teachings continue to practise and disseminate his wisdom on embracing life with fearlessness, serenity, and joy.

“The Art of Living” is a perfect distillation of Thay’s abiding themes: peace in the present moment; interconnectedness; joy; letting go; peace in the present moment. To read anything by Thich Nhat Hanh and then put his philosophy into practice is like entering a refreshing river of clarity and contentment. Thay never preaches; instead, he shows the way for the receptive reader to embrace life with an open heart and realise the truth that every day is a fresh page in which we can write beautiful thoughts, speak wise words, and perform noble actions. A constant refrain is the idea of cultivating our spiritual dimension and to do this we need to be mindful of out being. As Thay so eloquently expresses, “our quality of being determines our quality of doing.” Our minds and bodies are inextricably connected. When our thoughts are grounded in rooted spirituality and joyful love, then so will our actions. This is an imperishable pearl of wisdom that we can apply throughout our lives.

In his chapter on “Impermanence”, Thay compares our minds to gardens, which is a beautiful metaphor, reminding us that we aren’t apart from nature, but part of it. Just as gardens need to be managed, so do our minds. It all depends on what seeds you water. Ultimately, it is our responsibility whether we will cultivate seeds of happiness or seeds of anger. Thich Nhat Hanh writes in such a gentle and non-objective manner, that the tone rather than being like a lecture (as it could so easily lapse into in a less accomplished writer) is instead one of care and encouragement. It doesn’t matter where you are on this precious journey that is life, you still have great powers within you, “what you grow is up to you.”

In a world riven with polarisation, discord, hatred, and bitterness, Thay’s message of peace, healthy communication, looking at life with unfeigned awe, and acting with balanced compassion for fellow humans and the Earth couldn’t be more timely. He reminds us that nothing we say or do is ever wasted, that everyone can live a full and wholehearted life, if you accept that nothing stays the same, you act out of intention, and you remain attentive to the positive energies you have the capacity to radiate with your loved ones and the world.

“The Art of Living” will leave you feeling renewed, refreshed, and rejuvenated – ready to love life with engaged vitality, awareness, and deeper insight than before.

“Your words can be beautiful gems, reaching across space and time to create mutual understanding and love.”

Coffee

I sit and scribble a few words
on beauty and sorrow.
Kisses carried in the night sky.
Palms joined with flushed awareness.
Pain pressed in stained pages.
Aches assuaged by starlight
and meadow bright.
It is enough to know you live,
that trees will bear fruit
once more.

52 More Meditations

Happy to say that 52 More Meditations is now available as an ebook (kindle) and also in print.

Please share and enjoy.

Thank you!

Meditation 103: Generosity

To stay generous in a world, which at times feels hostile and threatening is a radical act. Generosity is the glue that binds yourself to others and the world. A generous mind, a generous heart, generous actions will help create a generous planet. Generosity of spirit is the pathway to liberate your mind from negativity and ego-driven desires. When you are generous, you are open. When you are open, you are ready to receive. When you are ready to receive, your soul will be uplifted. Mutuality is at the heart of living a truly committed life, fizzing with spirituality and infinite affection. Your generosity is the gateway to deep-rooted tranquillity. To realise that your actions have had a positive effect on others is truly life-affirming and is the core of what it means to be fully human, filled with a sense of giving and a thrill for living.

Book – Love Letters: Words of Connection

Please check out my latest collection of offerings, Love Letters: Words of Connection a sequel to Love Letters: Fragments of Desire.

I hope you enjoy.

X

Meditation 52: Dance

Risk everything.
Nurture the reverence
that dwells inside.
Be bold. Dance.
Beneath the moon
or wherever.
Revel in ecstasy.
Taste, explore, dream.
Savour stillness.
Touch and be touched.
Laugh and cry and laugh.
Love, love, love.
Be magical. Live.

(From 52 Meditations)

Thoughts on “The Daily Stoic” by Ryan Holiday & Stephen Hanselman

The philosophy of Stoicism has never been so popular; perhaps its appeal has had greater pull during these strange times, as all of us grapple with the baffling uncertainty of existence. Or maybe, it carries resonance at any time of our lives, simply because the wisdom of the Stoics, written thousands of years ago, still rings so true in modern society. Safe to say that for anyone interested in developing their character and wanting to gain greater understanding into human nature, then the Stoics will never go out of fashion!
Ryan Holiday and Stephen Hanselman have produced a wonderful book in this collection of meditations from three of stoicism’s greatest practitioners: Marcus Aurelius, Seneca & Epictetus. Although this book was first published in 2016, I can’t help but feel that its import holds even more significance as we continue to navigate our way through the choppy waters of COVID 19.
This book is perfect for dipping into on a daily basis or, if you are hungry like I am (!), you can gorge on three or four meditations each day. What I love about the book’s structure is the analysis the authors provide on each meditation. They illustrate perfectly how these three wise philosophers, writing as they were in times of plague, warfare and uncertainty, were all attuned to what we need to do, deep down, if we want to lead a meaningful and purposeful life. For this is central question that the Stoics explore: how to live a life, infused with meaning and integrity, and remain untroubled by external circumstances in the process.
Divided into three sections, following the main tenets of Stoical philosophy – discipline of perception, discipline of action and discipline of will, we are taken on a journey into the realms of our ego, thinking and identity and encouraged to interrogate whatever beliefs we may hold and act upon new found knowledge. For this is key: whether we can put into action what these learned philosophers write about.
Ultimately, this book is all about growth and learning about one’s self in relationship to the world, and how better we can manage our emotions in a world plagued by instability and fragility. Wisdom breathes and sings on every page, pertaining to all aspects of our lives. While it is vital to realise the imperishable truth that we never stop learning, it is just as important to remember that we are blessed with a plethora of gifts, and that we should do our best to water and nurture them as we journey through life. In the words of Marcus Aurelius:
“Hold sacred your capacity for understanding. For in it is all, that our ruling principle won’t allow anything to enter that is either inconsistent with nature or with the constitution of a logical creature.”