In today’s fast-paced and constantly changing world, the ancient Japanese philosophy of Wabi Sabi offers a refreshing perspective on life, encouraging us to appreciate the beauty of imperfection and transience. Wabi Sabi is not just a design or aesthetic concept; it’s a way of life that can inspire us to find contentment and peace in the midst of life’s chaos and imperfections. Wabi Sabi is a philosophy that embraces the beauty of imperfection, impermanence, and incompleteness. It celebrates the natural state of things and finds beauty in the simple, unpretentious, and unrefined. This concept ..read more

Life is full of ups and downs, and it’s often not the challenges we face that define us, but how we respond to them. Bouncing back from setbacks, whether they be personal, professional, or health-related, is a skill that can be developed and honed. In this article, we will explore the concept of bouncing back and discuss strategies for resilience in the face of divorce, sickness, life-threatening illness, and challenges in both personal and business life. Additionally, we will delve into the Buddhist perspective on bouncing back, offering insights from an ancient tradition that has long focuse ..read more

Grief is an unavoidable part of the human experience, a natural response to loss that can profoundly impact our emotional, mental, and physical wellbeing. Whether triggered by the death of a loved one, the end of a significant relationship, or a major life transition, grief is a universal phenomenon that touches us all at some point in our lives. In this article, we will explore the nature of grief, its emotional and psychological impact, and constructive ways to cope with it. Additionally, we will delve into the perspective of Buddhism on grief and how its teachings offer valuable insights in ..read more

In Buddhism, there are five omnipresent mental factors. These factors are present in every moment of our mental experience and play a fundamental role in shaping our thoughts, emotions, and actions. Understanding these factors can help us cultivate mindfulness and develop a deeper awareness of our own minds. The five omnipresent mental factors are: Contact: Contact refers to the meeting of the sense organs with their corresponding sense objects. It is the initial connection between the mind and the external world. For example, when the eye contacts a visual object, such as a beautiful sunset ..read more

In both Buddhism and neuroscience, the concepts of brain, mind, and consciousness play vital roles in understanding human existence and awareness. While Buddhism offers a philosophical and spiritual perspective, neuroscience approaches these concepts from a scientific and empirical standpoint. This article aims to explore how Buddhism explains the brain, mind, and consciousness, provide clear examples, explain the differences between these concepts, and highlight the importance of understanding them. We will also touch upon the perspective of neuroscience to provide a comparative analysis. The ..read more

Buddhism, originating in ancient India, has traversed continents and centuries, touching the lives of millions. As it spread to the West, it underwent adaptations to resonate with the Western mindset. One such adaptation that gained popularity is Secular Buddhism. In this article, I want to explore the essence of Secular Buddhism, its distinctions from traditional Buddhism, and the reasons behind, what I think, is its appeal to Westerners. Secular Buddhism is a contemporary movement that seeks to distil the core teachings of Buddhism, while shedding some of its religious and metaphysical eleme ..read more

The Buddhist concept of emptiness refers to the idea that all things lack intrinsic or inherent existence. It is a way of understanding the nature of reality and the way in which things come into being. By recognising the emptiness of all things, we can let go of our attachment to fixed identities and concepts, leading to greater freedom and compassion. The concept of emptiness is probably the most difficult to understand in Buddhism. It is also one of the most misunderstood, and so in this article I will explore the concept of emptiness and its practical implications for our lives. What is em ..read more

Over the years, I have spent a lot of time meditating and reflecting on world peace. I have even wondered if it was even possible. I concluded that it is not only possible, but also essential for humanity. It is complicated, multifaceted and requires cooperation, but it is achievable. World peace is important because it is the foundation for global prosperity, stability, and security. Without peace, individuals, communities, and nations are vulnerable to conflict, violence, and instability. War and conflict result in the loss of human lives, destruction of infrastructure, displacement of popul ..read more

You do not have to study Buddha’s teachings for very long to understand that the very heart of his teachings centre around the mind. Sometimes the essence of his teachings is reduced to three points: Help everyone; If you cannot help, at least do not harm them; And calm your mind. These three points form a graded sequence of steps that leads you from an external practice to the essential internal practice. If we want to reduce our suffering, we cannot do it just by knowledge and meditation alone. We need to live a responsible life by understanding that we do not live in a vacuum and our acti ..read more

In this blog, we will be looking at the Buddhist concept of nonself. This is a difficult subject for many of us to grasp because we have invested so much time and effort into building and reinforcing a sense of self. However, Buddha stated that what we call a self is just a coming together of different parts. A woman goes to the woods to meditate. Whilst she is there her mind gets distracted and these questions arise: By whom was this being created? Where is the living being’s maker? Where has the living being originated? Where does the living being cease? These are questions we all grapple w ..read more