Play in the dream reminds you to apply what you learn while meditating to the rest of your life. Mind training isn’t just about meditation; the idea is to put what you learn to practical use in order to make life better for yourself and others. The original lojong slogan is: In post-meditation, be a… Continue reading Buddhist Writing Prompt: Play in the Dream
Rest in beginner’s mind encourages you to meditate and rest in the awareness you discovered in slogan 3. So if you don’t already have a regular meditation practice, now would be a good time to begin. The original lojong slogan is: Rest in the nature of alaya, the essence. Alaya is the essence of consciousness,… Continue reading Buddhist Writing Prompt: Rest in Beginner’s Mind
Don’t hold on to your stories reminds you to let go of your ideas about reality and yourself. It’s also about not taking these slogans too seriously. They’re just ideas or thoughts in your mind. They may be useful tools, but it’s important not to get too attached to them. The original lojong slogan is:… Continue reading Buddhist Writing Prompt: Don’t Hold on to Your Stories
Examine the nature of awareness asks you to turn your attention inwards and notice who is aware of your experience. If you want to train your mind you first need to understand how it works and who is doing all this thinking. The original lojong slogan is: Examine the nature of unborn awareness. When you… Continue reading Buddhist Writing Prompt: Examine the Nature of Awareness
See everything as a dream is about letting go and not trying to control reality. After facing up to the facts of life and death in Slogan 1, you can see how everything is always changing and impermanent, so the best thing to do is to go with the flow. The original lojong slogan is:… Continue reading Buddhist Writing Prompt: See Everything as a Dream
First, remember the basics is about the intention behind starting something new. Your intentions lay the foundation for everything you do, so your reasons for doing something are important and will determine how things turn out. The original lojong slogan is: First, train in the preliminaries. This refers to the four basic facts of life… Continue reading Buddhist Writing Prompt: First, Remember the Basics
Good news! My latest book is now available as a shiny new paperback! Discover the secret to mastering your thoughts and get your mind to behave itself so you can get some writing done. Here’s the inevitable blurb: Free Your Pen: Mind Training for Writers 59 Slogans to Cure Writer’s Block & Free Your Voice… Continue reading Free Your Pen now available in paperback!
In part 1 we looked at how Prometheus can be interpreted as a gnostic creation myth and met some of the characters. In this post we’ll look at some of the other symbolism in the film, including the secret of immortality and the alchemy of creation. As always, EXPECT SPOILERS! Elizabeth Shaw is our moral… Continue reading Prometheus: the Alchemy of Space Aliens – Part 2
As part of my occasional series on mystical and gnostic themes in film, I thought it would be a good time to tackle Prometheus, what with Alien: Covenant in cinemas as I write this. Prometheus is part of the franchise that began in 1979 with Alien, the classic horror film directed by Ridley Scott, and… Continue reading Prometheus: the Alchemy of Space Aliens – Part 1
What can I say about this book that hasn’t already been said? 2001: A Space Odyssey was written at the same time as the film was in development. Arthur C Clarke and Stanley Kubrick collaborated on the story, and the book was published after the film was released, although they differ in detail and in… Continue reading Fantasy Reading List: 2001 – A Space Odyssey
American Gods by Neil Gaiman is a multi-award winning fantasy novel that mashes up ancient and modern mythology and mixes it with mystery and some gruesome horror. I read the author’s preferred text, which expands on the original, and found it disturbing, funny, thought provoking, and hugely enjoyable. I’m going to dig into the book… Continue reading Fantasy Reading List: American Gods
There’s a weird recurring search term that pops up on my stats occasionally, so I thought it was time to investigate. In amongst queries for dark night of the soul symptoms and astrological mythology, you get this: “who are you jessica davidson” Not the most interesting thing to be Googling, and I should know. So… Continue reading I’m not the Jessica Davidson you’re looking for
Jessica Davidson 