Don’t misinterpret is about not misinterpreting the teachings and applying them in ways that mean you don’t really have to change. The original lojong slogan is the same and focuses on six specific qualities that you should avoid misinterpreting (see the book for more). Spiritual practices of all kinds can make you feel good and… Continue reading Buddhist Writing Prompt: Don’t Misinterpret
We leave behind the mental chatter of Gemini and enter the deep waters of Cancer. As a cardinal water sign, Cancer is concerned with emotional security and achieves strength through surrender. Water takes the form of whatever container it flows into, and will flow around obstacles or slowly wear them down. Water doesn’t resist; it… Continue reading Zodiac Myths: The Story Behind Cancer
This week I’m reading The Dark Night of the Soul by Gerald May, subtitled: A Psychiatrist Explores the Connection between Darkness and Spiritual Growth. The book explores the dark night through the writings of two of the best known Christian mystics: John of the Cross and Teresa of Avila, and addresses some of the misconceptions… Continue reading Review: The Dark Night of the Soul by Gerald May
Practice what’s important is about not wasting the opportunity to practice mind training and meditation by paying attention to this moment right now. The original lojong slogan is: This time, practice the main points, which are to help others, practice the teachings, and cultivate compassion. This moment is the only time in which you can… Continue reading Buddhist Writing Prompt: Practice What’s Important
Mars represents initiative, assertion, ambition and goals, how you go after what you want and use your energy. When the planet goes retrograde all these areas come under scrutiny so this period can be quite disruptive. (More on Mars here.) No matter how well organised you are, Mars retrograde can put an unexpected spanner in… Continue reading How to Handle Mars Retrograde Transits
Don’t count on external conditions is about practising mind training and meditation no matter what’s going on in your life. Whether your circumstances are favourable or not, practice anyway. The original lojong slogan is: Don’t be swayed by external circumstances, which reminds you that you can’t control reality. You can only control your reaction to… Continue reading Buddhist Writing Prompt: Don’t Count on External Conditions
Meditate on what you resent is about noticing when you shut down or get annoyed, and using that to wake yourself up. The original lojong slogan is: Always meditate on whatever provokes resentment, and it encourages you to practice tonglen meditation with the things that get your goat. This slogan asks you to pay attention… Continue reading Buddhist Writing Prompt: Meditate on What You Resent
Last week we looked at Gemini myths which gave me the perfect excuse to watch Doctor Strange again. The film deals with various Gemini/Mercury themes including magic, healing, the confrontation with the shadow, and the shamanic journey between dimensions. It’s another superhero origins story – a classic hero’s journey with an added dash of ‘Hollywood… Continue reading Doctor Strange: Time and the Meaning of Life
Train with a whole heart is about applying the practice of mind training to everything in your life, not just when you’re meditating. The original lojong slogan is rather long: Train without bias in all areas. It is crucial always to do this pervasively and wholeheartedly. The key idea is to practice without bias, which… Continue reading Buddhist Writing Prompt: Train with a Whole Heart
Last time we looked at the language of deification in the Unitive State. Here we finish the extracts from Evelyn Underhill’s Mysticism with the second style of language used by mystics to describe the experience of union, that of spiritual marriage, and explore the source of the mystic’s joy: “At this point we begin to… Continue reading The Mystic Way 15: Spiritual Marriage and Joy
From the earth of Taurus springs the butterfly mind of Gemini. As a mutable air sign, Gemini provides the ability to know and understand reality. If Aries stands for the subject and Taurus stands for the object, then Gemini is the relationship between these two: the knower and the known giving rise to a third,… Continue reading Zodiac Myths: The Story Behind Gemini
Practice with your whole being is about applying the practice of mind training to your whole being, not just your mind. The original lojong slogan is: Keep the three inseparable, which means seeing the body, speech, and mind as united. The body refers to how you act and what you do. Speech isn’t just what… Continue reading Buddhist Writing Prompt: Practice with your Whole Being
Jessica Davidson 