Blog
Hello and welcome to my blog!
This blog will be about Buddhism. ‘Oh! not another one,’ I hear you say. Well, yes but…
There are many great blogs on Buddhism as a religion and even more on Buddhism as a philosophy. I am writing about Buddhism as a way of life, which means there is no Buddhist jargon or dogma. It is not based in the metaphysical world, but has its feet planted firmly on this planet. It is easy to follow and practical. I use the Buddha’s early teachings as the blogs foundation, and explain them in a way that is relevant to your life today. You will find some of what I am going to write about in my books, ‘The Best Way To Catch A Snake’ and ‘Life’s Meandering Path.’ You may also follow Buddhism Guide on Facebook and Twitter. I hope you enjoy the blog. Feel free to give me feedback, as I love to hear other people’s views.
Coping with Change
Change is never far from our door, whether it's breaking up with an ex, moving to a new city, the death of a relative, a pandemic, or the loss of a job. Even good changes, such as having a baby or getting a new job, can be stressful. Change isn't easy but here are...
Changing Your Behaviour
What I'm going to talk about today is a subject that I don't usually talk much about, because people seem to think it's a magical or mystical thing or it's handed down to us from some god or a higher being; none of these are true. I am talking about karma. Many people...
Buddha’s Last Words – The Buddha Dharma Series
All compounded things in the world are changeable.They are not lasting.Work hard to gain your own liberation.Practice diligently. These are Buddha’s last words and the first part reminds us that all compounded things are impermanent. If we keep this in mind we will...
A Sense of Self – The Buddha Dharma Series
In Buddhism, one of the most difficult teachings for people to understand is anatman or non-self. The doctrine states that in humans there is no permanent entity that can be called a self or a soul. This denial of “any Soul or Self” is what distinguishes Buddhism from...
Four Immeasurables: Compassion – The Buddha Dharma Series
Compassion is the third of the four immeasurables and it is an understanding that the world is full of suffering, and a heartfelt wish that this suffering will come to an end or at least lessen—for ourselves and others. Some people are so wrapped up in their own world...
Four Immeasurables: Kind-Heartedness – The Buddha Dharma Series
The second of the four immeasurables is kind-heartedness. This is not about how we feel, but about how we relate to these feelings. It invites us to drop our habitual patterns of reactivity and to free ourselves from emotional habits which serve neither ourselves nor...
Four Immeasurables: Equanimity – The Buddha Dharma Series
In Buddhism, we are taught to avoid and eventually abandon negative states of mind, such as the three poisons, and encouraged to cultivate positive ones, such as the four immeasurables, which are: Kind-heartedness, Compassion, Open-Hearted Joy, and Equanimity. These...
Eight Worldly Concerns – The Buddha Dharma Series
Nobody’s life is perfect, we all have good and bad days. This is part and parcel of our worldly concerns. Sometimes the world is like a rose, all beautiful and fragrant. Other times, it is like the stem of the rose, all thorny and prickly. An optimist will see the...
Four Foundations of Mindfulness – The Buddha Dharma Series
Mindfulness is traditionally based on the four foundations and that is what I want to address here, but before I do that, I want to discuss an issue I have with the modern mindfulness movement. To be more specific, their definition of mindfulness. People who know me...
Staying Focused – The Buddha Dharma Series
The final aspect of the eightfold path is staying focused, which is achieved by effort, mindfulness and concentration. Effort Without applying effort, we are not going to reach any of the goals we set ourselves. Here I wish to highlight the effort required to avoid...