There is a fairly consistent realization that brings western people to the spiritual path. That realization is that life is hard. It is easy to feel as though we are going through life like a stuffed dog toy being shaken …
When embarking on the spiritual path, sometimes we make the mistake of separating our “ordinary” and “spiritual” lives. This is an easy mistake to make: sitting in the lotus position and chanting “OM” certainly seems a lot more spiritual than …
We live in a world filled with distractions. In fact thanks to smart phones most of us are now walking around with an entire world of distractions in our pocket! Endlessly watching TV shows, or scrolling down and down and …
At the Vagabond Temple, sometimes we show videos of influential spiritual teachers, to compliment our Yoga, meditation and talks. In this video, the Tibetan Buddhist nun Robina Courtin, in her typically straight-forward and clear style, teaches us how to handle …
When we practice meditation, generally we bring our attention to a single object (the breath, a mantra, part of the body etc.). Having only thing to focus on only one thing may sound easy, but actually it can be extremely …
‘Mindfulness’ is an ancient practice extremely current at this present moment in time. With mental health conditions on the up and a declining success rate of anti-depressants, we have an increasing urgency to remedy this epidemic. In Buddhism, the intrinsic …
Ever had difficulties in a relationship? Ever had the same difficulties come up in another relationship? If you are a human being, the answer is probably “yes”, and it will probably remain “yes” if you substitute relationship with “job” or …
Tell somebody you are practising meditation and you may get a response along the lines of, “oh that’s too hard for me, I could never stop myself thinking!”. This is due to a common misconception that meditation is the process …
Meditation is a beautiful spiritual practice that can bring us many benefits, although it can be very challenging. When new to meditation, rather than experiencing peace or bliss, we may find ourselves faced with the unsettling realisation that we have …
In modern society, many of us simply do not have the time to take a moment to turn inwards and check up on how we really feel. Pressures of work, family life, and other aspects of society can turn life …