Michael Harding

This is an extraordinary technique in Tibetan Buddhism for opening the heart to the eternity of love, the ever enduring presence of love and the way in which even enemies are good teachers. It's also beautifully aligned with the idea of Christs' bodily resurrection. Both open the heart way beyond what is possible to think about in mental pictures and they bring us into the vast and infinite dimension of the present moment.

Pure joy to be in Jampa Ling yesterday for a little ritual/puja to invoke blessings and positive energy for the coming year. Sending you all those blessings on this the final morning of that festival. Great day to share more about the 37 Practises of the Boddhisatvas and to open the door further on the imaginal library of Tibetan philosophy. Open your heart. And subscribe a few euros/dollars on the Patreon site to access all 500 podcasts.

I'm reflecting here on the opening phrases of the 37 practices of the Bodhisattvas. But it's just for a look in the window. Enlightenment is not only found by reading the books, but maybe just sweeping the floor. Depends on where your heart is.

Well here is a round about kind of love story. Or rather the story of love. The story of a dream, a stove, a lost podcast and the 37 practises of the bodhisattvas. But this is only scratching the surface. I'll have more to say later. 

I couldn't find anywhere else to do this. So it's recorded in the car which is why it sounds a little like it was recorded in a car. I wanted to explore if it was possible to meditate in the car. And it is. So I'm delighted to present the results. Have a great weekend. 

A couple of trees fell and they got me thinking of how the landscape around me always changes and how nothing is permanent. I hope you survived the windy weekend and that you are ready for Imbolg. That's the new name for St Brigid's day. I prefer saint Brigid's Day. But never mind. Please enjoy this meditation on impermanence and stand by for an extra podcast early next week to make up for the lapse which happened during the storm. I'm going to say a few more words about Buddhism. It's such a rich well of wisdom and we haven't been there In a while and Brigid's day is a good day for going to the well. And there's no well more holy than the well of Buddhist wisdom contained in the Tibetan tradition. That's next week. IN the meantime enjoy my reflections on the storm and have a great weekend.

Surrendering to Winter.The equinox in autumn is around September 21. That’s where it began. Now after midwinter we’re on the way out of the dark again. This week I have been meditating on this great sweep of the year. The time called winter. And winter as metaphor. I too will be folded back into the earth when life Is over. That too is winter. And that too might be a metaphor. And there may be some act of love that transcends death. Wouldn’t that be wonderful. If we could wash the oil out of the cloth the impurities in the human soul, so that we become white, pure white, and live in the floating realm of bliss, of which the metaphor of our lives is the anchor.Think about it this way. Your self is an anchor to a ship floating above you, far up there in the ocean of bliss. I offer you these reflections as a kind of poem that explains nothing, but I hope finds a space in your heart, as it goes out from my heart.

Someone asked me to say a few words on bereavement and I thought since it's January I might oblige. I think the first thing that I wanted to say was that I don't have any easy way to think about death. But I know that for me, meditating on the death-resurrection narrative in the gospel is a powerful consolation. And if you ever know anyone troubled by loss or grief or melancholy always know that there are people they can reach out to. Friends, and family and professionals likeThe Samaritans on freephone: 116 123 or email: jo@samaritans.ieor Pieta’s freephone crisis helpline is 1800 247247 or text HELP to 51444

Christmas is a peak in the dark, and January can be a big sinking into sadness, so I'm thrilled to share my secret; the thing that keeps me from sinking into misery, and the thing that for me defines being Christian. See what you think. I'm a zen monk in the way that the tree is not the tree.