Lost in Translation: Christian, Islamic and Secular misunderstandings of Buddhism clarified.

The fact that we can anonymously post to a global audience means we have a great power at our fingertips and immeasurable potential for both good and bad, skilful and the unskillful acts. With such power comes responsibility, including the responsibility to your fellow man not to take oneself too seriously or post stuff making fun at the suffering of others.

The internet is a wonderful thing, for many reasons. For one, it is a means to harmless absent-minded distraction. Occasionally, this has it's place in our world, and "YouTube parties/games" are often a hilarious way of sharing an evening with loved ones. I didn't have Youtube as a child, as so instead embarked on a brief but lively career as an amateur explosives enthusiast and all-round pyromaniac. Granted, there are obvious arguments against having a platform to express negativity (racial hatred/cruel pranks/bullying/sectarianism), but such is the case with every vehicle of human communication, and besides, now I can get the correct proportions of ethanol to gunpowder from the expert's videos. Musical cats, dancing otters, awe-inspiring music and vicarious 'must-see' disaster footage are all seemingly inexhaustible lines of enquiry into which one may delve at any time. For someone who grew up in a world before the mobile phone, the Pentium chip and the internet, dominated by musicians with towering hairdos, garish makeup and spandex (and that was just the men), this is simply magical. The internet is surely the most significant technological breakthrough in Mankind's history, is it not? Notwithstanding, if nothing else it allows you and I to connect, and for that I am exceedingly grateful. 

In more reflective moments, this medium provides an opportunity to ask some slightly bigger and more intimate questions too. This morning, with much on my mind and feeling restless, I went for refuge to a few Sangharakshita videos, and found them very useful indeed. Whilst perusing the suggestions for my next selection, I happened upon a video, entitled "Did Buddha believe in one God?", a Q&A session from an audience with Islamic theologian, Dr. Zakir Naik. The video is shown below, and I recommend you watch it, should you be able to spare three or four minutes. Essentially, it is a video of Dr. Naik answering an audience question on whether the historical Shakyamuni Buddha taught about one true God or not. Needless to say, it made for interesting viewing...

The below is an elaboration of a response which I posted, saddened to see so many so-called Buddhist practitioners writing very hateful, equally ignorant, patronising comments to the effect that Dr. Zakir Naik should be ashamed of himself for propagation of his views, and suggesting that he "does his research better". Some offered "corrections" to his answer, but few called upon the real crux of the matter - What do the canonical sources actually say on the matter, and more importantly (as Buddhism is a belief system based on rational experience), WHY The Buddhist tradition holds such beliefs? In essence, the Docter claimed that :

1. Buddhism is a Gnostic tradition, refusing to answer as to whether there is a creator-God or not.

2. The reason the Buddha chose not to discuss the matter was that the polytheistic tradition of the day would not have accepted the notion of one true God.

3. The Four Noble Truths are that I) suffering/misery exist. II) they exist because of desire III) desire can be eradicated, and thus so can suffering IV) the way to the cessation of desire is through the Noble Eight-Fold Path.

4. Buddhism is a contradiction in terms, because if one desires to suffer less, one must desire to tread the Eight-Fold Path. Buddhist logic is therefore flawed, one can never actually practice it, and that a desire to engage with the path to end desire is a contradiction in terms.

For me, this is an interesting situation, as the confusion and misunderstandings of Buddhism appears to be intrinsically entrenched in the limitations of language itself. As a keen linguist and aspiring author, communication is that which is most alive in me, and I'm fascinated by the tools by which we may do so, as their subsequent use (or misuse) is responsible for all bloodshed in the history of humanity. For example, Dr. Zakir is basing his teachings/beliefs on the understanding that the 2nd Noble Truth is: "The cause of dissatisfaction (note, NOT 'misery/suffering', an incorrect translation of the word 'Dukha') is desire". In fact, the Pali word recorded in the Buddhist scriptures is 'Tanha', which literally translates not as 'desire', but as 'thirst'. Let us briefly examine how this misunderstanding has come about. 'Desire' is a synonym for thirst, granted, but 'thirst' has a lustful, neurotic, desperate quality to it e.g. " a thirst for blood/a thirst for power" etc.as well as for more initially positive although eventually troublesome aspirations, such as "a thirst for knowledge". The problem of the over-intellectualisation of the Dharma in the West, and the trappings which lie therein is too vast to be looked at in any further detail on this occasion, and so regrettably, we must leave it for another time, but trust me, it's a bad place to wind up in. Take it from a habitual over-thinker.

I personally find graphics like the one above misleading, although I'm sure well intended. The main problem with trying to understand Buddhism is that there are many words and idiomatic phrases for which we have no equivalent, either linguistically or emotionally. Hardly surprising then to find subtler nuances than even available in English, when you consider it comes from a culture with 6,000 year of exploring the human condition. The above appears to have been written by someone who has English as a second language. No wonder people think Buddhism is negative, miserable and unrealistic if they see things like this!  

Meanwhile, the main other synonym for 'desire' is 'craving', but again, we must understand the term in the context of an unhealthy, neurotic craving, something which is to the detriment of ourselves and others. It is not wrong to desire to see one's partner happy, or one's loved one's well and free from suffering. To desire a glass of water if one is parched is perfectly reasonable, as is it to desire adequate food and shelter, but a neurotic dependancy on one's possessions or other people for one's own sense of wellbeing is clearly only going to lead to suffering on your part. The word 'thirst' seems to also bring to mind as tendency to try and grasp at things, to appropriate them, to control them. It is this grasping, this neurotic lust for material things, love, power, fame, health, even knowledge which is unhelpful, and leads to dissatisfaction and worse.

Interestingly, the first 'step' or stage or 'fold' on the path is "correct vision/Right Insight". This insight consists in recognising that as all worldly phenomena are characterised by impermanence, all are transient, and thus none alone can solely provide a lasting source of uninterrupted joy or pleasure. Our 'thirst/craving' for life to be otherwise, for the desired to be obtained, the broken to be mended, for the lost to be found, for the dying to live, is a cause of much our suffering and dissatisfaction, and often disillusionment too.

Again, the above is useful, but so easy to misread. "Right Speech" should read "Always communicate out of Love". "Right Action" is more "choose your actions wisely" and "Right Livelihood" is "do not harm others through your work". "Right Effort" is better understood as "do not make too much effort, do not make too little". The word "evil" was the one used by early Christian translators, but of course with no supreme moral authority, concepts such as 'good/bad/righteous/evil' etc become redundant. Hence we should use 'skilful' and 'unskilful'. Right Concentration should read "Right Awareness/Mindfulness", which is very different, and finally "Right Mindfulness" itself actually translates as "Right Meditation". It's easy to get confused when things are translated poorly, and I think a lot of it is because Westerners like these snappy diagrams and quotes because they can readily be posted on social networking sites. This makes it really hard for ANYONE to get their head around it all.

Another confusing teaching of the Buddha is the oft-misunderstood doctrine of 'no-self' or 'anatman', which posited that there is nothing within us which is not ever-changing and impermanent. This does not refute the inner dimension of experience or consciousness, but is very different to the Judeo-Christian/Islamic beliefs in a 'Soul', which is the transcendental version of oneself attaining to a heavenly realm or otherwise. The main problem again is in the translations. This does not mean that we are to blame the translator, it's simply that words must be understood in their correct context. The Buddha was brought up in a world ruled by an ancient religion which later developed into Hinduism, called Brahminism. Within it its myriad or rituals and regulations is to be found the doctrine of 'atman' or 'atma', which described the inner-most refined essence of a person's spiritual being as being indistinguishable from God, and eternal, fixed, unchanging and immutable. In Western terms, a Soul. In the Pali language, placing the prefix 'a-' or 'an-' before a word turns it into it's exact polar opposite. Hence 'anatman' does not mean that as Buddhist we are denying an inner-spiritual dimention. Nor does it mean that for Buddhists, there is no such thing as 'me' 'I' or 'self', but more that on closer inspection, when we look for a fixed, unchanging, permanent aspect of what makes us 'us', none can be found. As a Buddhist, I do not say that I am soulless in the poetic sense, far from it. When I say I have no Soul, it simply means I find no evidence whatsoever for such a phenomenon, understood in those terms. To translate 'anatman' correctly, there is no fixed, definable 'self' to call 'me'. I experience consciousnesses of various states, some more refined and sublime than others. I experience memory (some, still) and I have a fluid personality (habitual responses) tying up a postcode, a name and a date of birth. My body changes, my opinions change, my 'self' changes. There is nothing within 'me' which is unchanging, nothing separate which is eternal. For this, I am exceptionally happy. It means I can transform my entire being, spiritually and emotionally, leaving none behind 'stuck in the past'. No facet of who we are should be left unexplored in our collective quest for who we can become. 

"Sabbe Dhamma Anatta - Everything is non-eternal".
Not a poetic translation, but an accurate one if the above aren't clear. The above isn't inaccurate, just very abstract.
It is neither Nihilistic nor Eternalistic. It's the Middle Way. To me, it's a fact. Like the fact that even Buddhists get it wrong sometimes...

The Buddha also taught that as everything is dependant on conditions (pratitya samutpada), nothing can self-create, and hence from the traditional Buddhist perspective, there is no creator deity or "God/Allah". Buddhism is not Nihilistic ('everything ends, so nothing matters'), nor is it Eternalistic (I will survive death and live forever'). Many would argue that Buddhism is a highly realistic belief system, and rather than terms such as optimistic or pessimistic (which are highly subjective) it can best understood as melioristic, founded in the belief in the betterment of human society through the individual's own efforts.  Buddhist is NOT gnostic (refusing to comment on God) and nor is it agnostic (not sure one way or the other). Buddhism is very clear on the matter, and no Buddhist can be anything other than a staunch atheist. Buddhism does not deny the transcendental, supra-rational dimension of existence, but instead of accrediting it to a divine creator being, recognises it as 'simply' the sublime, the transcendental, the dimension of the unconditioned, as opposed to the mundane or conditioned world of samsara, everyday cyclical life. It is in the conscious gravitation of oneself from the conditioned to the unconditioned, turning away from the limitations of the fleeting material world, and towards the ineffable beauty of life and the unconditioned, to evolution which makes us truly Human. It is in this re-orienting of ourselves towards the indescribable magic of friendship, the ocean, sunsets, stillness, silence, music, poetry, and meditation, to name but a few, in which the rhythm, the pulse, the very heartbeat of a Buddhist life is to be found.

Whilst we are on this daring fact-finding mission of awakening, I'd love to touch on the beautiful, revolutionary truth of Karma. The word 'Karma' means 'volitional actions', not some kind of mystical poetic justice. The consequences of actions, that to which so many people are referring when they mistakenly use it, is actually called 'Vipaka', and the Buddha taught the doctrine of 'Karma-Vipaka' or 'choices/actions have consequences'. This is a far more accurate and correct translation, and it's not hard to see where the confusion comes from, but there is a world of difference between this understanding, and the notion of Karma as some kind of impersonal cosmic retribution or punishment for 'bad' or unskillful deeds. You control your Karma NOW, in this VERY MOMENT, but you are Vipaka. You are creating your Karma as we speak, but how you make your present decisions and tendencies now are the Vipaka of your past actions or habits - you cannot change what you are now, but you can do things which will change who you become and how you react to life in the future. If you are angry, you can't suddenly stop being angry, but you can take a few deep breaths and (so long as you are not driving) close your eyes and allow the moment to pass. Buddhism is self-empowering. You are the boss. 

You define your own Karma. You can change it all around. YOU are the Karma Chameleon! 

Sometimes, it's better to look for re-expressions of the Buddha's key original message if we wish to understand translations of his supposed 'words'. Thich Nhat Han, Sogyal Rinpoche and of course Sangharakshita are some of my favourite exponents of the Buddha's vision, as they have gone beyonds the roots of the words themselves, and come back again to share their wisdom. 

Whilst researching this article, I discovered that many startling examples of online slander/confusion about Buddhism comes from a section of (often fundamentalist) Christianity called the Apologist movement. In the below clip we find another Doctor, but this time one who compensates for having little-to-no knowledge of his chosen subject by having flashy graphics. This one actually caused a tangibly negative response in me, I'm not embarrassed to admit it. It was found after 30 seconds of searching for "Buddhism Christianity debate" and is done so smugly it actually makes it really hard to write objectively and politely about Dr. Bobbie, given how woefully inaccurate this man is on so many of his "points". Some of the points in fact surely could be swapped around! This man clearly isn't going to let something as insignificant as scholastic or empirical fact get in the way of a good sell. I've rarely heard someone so sure of themselves be so categorically wrong, and so openly patronising too. At the time, it made me want to punch him, mindfully, in the testicles... 

I don't even know where to start with this one! The problem that a lot of detractors have with Buddhism is that is demands nothing from you. There is no obligation to adhere to a strict moral code for the sake of appeasing and divine creator, nor is there the duality of creator and the created, the later being ourselves. They seem to think that anyone who does not recognise the moral authority of their God is ethically vacuous, and that Buddhism is an "anything goes" belief system. Far from it: In Buddhism everything counts, every action of body, speech and mind is of vital importance! Many videos critical of the historical Buddha often have someone saying "...and all this from a man who left his wife and children!" or words to that effect. Time and time again whilst researching my response, I came across Christian commentators who whilst happy to accept that we live in an impermanent world of inevitable setbacks and frustrations/sorrows, insisted that this was due to Original Sin (Adam & Eve) and that the reason suffering exists is because we are all sinners. As is my understanding, the Christian doctrine dictates that 'salvation' comes NOT from your own efforts, but through Going for Refuge, as it were, to the Holy Trinity and accepting Jesus Christ as the Son of God and your Lord and Saviour. They put it in his title, just in case you ever forget. Apparently, even if you live a life that is virtuous and in ernest for the wellbeing of others, yet reject the gospel of Jesus, then you are screwed, and hell or purgatory awaits. However, as we all know, the simple act of Confession will absolve you of all your Sins, and sadly many people who commit mass atrocities on both sides of the law can be found kneeling before a cross on a Sunday. 

We can all agree that we are not perfect, but if we are all sinners, then we are all doomed to fail whatever we do.
Hollow then the subsequent apology rings, and the confession appears to be little more than admission that we knowingly sinned, and will do so again. Where is the resolve to change? We need to confess to our mistakes in order to take ownership of our actions. The above almost resembles an obedience exercise, a self-fulfilling prophesy.

Specifically, as with these examples, the problems with looking into Buddhism are with language. Buddhism is an unbelievably dense, multi-layered belief system, and within each layer truths become relative to that layer alone. The moment you think you have it figured out, another deeper layer is revealed, like excavating endless Roman floors, the mosaics becoming ever more splendid with each one removed. Or like peeling the giant onion of truth. Whichever image you prefer. I wouldn't expect an Apologist to have a scholastic knowledge of Buddhism, but what irritated me was the condescension in his manner, and in the dismissive and notably inaccurate postulations of Dr. Naik, especially in front of an impressionable group on individuals. I have searched Youtube extensively, but you will find very few Budddhist critics of other religions. It's not our place to say, and is liable to cause offence. When we read the work of great Buddhist scholars, when pushed they will explain why Buddhism is an atheist 'religion'. Essentially, nothing can 'self-manifest', not even God - the 'who created God' line of rational thinking. 

To conclude, let us pause for thought and remember what started all this; incorrect translations, and their proliferation online. We ourselves must tread carefully here: the word 'Tanha' (or thirst') itself was simply the word agreed upon by the scholastic part of the Sangha approximately 250-300 years after the time of the Buddha, who himself would have spoken something similar to Sanskrit, but not Pali itself. 'Tanha' would have been chosen because it was etymologically similar, so we can't even be certain the exact word the Buddha himself used. Just so we are all clear on that. Instead we must, as searchers of Truth, therefore ultimately look beyond words, beyond idiom and metaphor, beyond language itself if we 'desire' to understand, or even come close to glimpsing the true vision of the Enlightened mind. 

I will leave the final word on the matter of Buddhist doctrinal accuracy for my teacher, Sangharakshita, to explain the Buddhist position most fully on God, non-theistic morality, Karma and The Three Jewels, and all in under 4 minutes! I think it makes a lot of sense and I hope you enjoy it. Check out the other videos on him, this one was broadcast on British TV in 1984. I think they really are incredible, but this after all is a teacher who spent 20 years living as a monk in India. I love how he speaks, very exactingly and consciously choosing each word. This is how we need to be online in our discourse; mindful and kind.

I send encouragement, love and Metta to Dr. Naik for his continued efforts to respond to what is ultimate in him. Peace be with him, I'm sure he simply misunderstands the translation of the word 'tanha', or is unaware of it. As regards to the other Doctor, again, maybe in time he will learn that deficient research will guarantee judgement in this lifetime, never mind wondering about the next. I'd love to help shift the course of his Karma, but why would he believe me? If you are a Christian or a Muslim, or if you just don't like what I'm saying or how I'm saying it, please accept my apologies. If I have acted unskilfully, I wish to take ownership of it. I'm am but a beginner. 

If anyone cares to clarify any misunderstanding of mine, please don't hesitate to comment below. I was really saddened by all the hate-bombs being thrown over inflammatory material. People get so ugly. It's all really device, and totally counter productive, as you will hardly value the opinion of someone who has just been insulting you. I have more pressing concerns than whether I'm right or wrong in my belief system. What I care about is how I treat myself and others, and trying to respond to life creatively, openly, and honestly. As a Buddhist, I know that there are bigger questions than what my 'backpack' looks like. We're all gonna have to jump, as he points out in one of his few brief detours through common sense. Many say it is a fear of death and the uncertainty of the afterlife which compels theists to act as they do. 

Sangharakshita once said "All fear is, ultimately, a fear of Death". It's beginning to make more sense these days. Theistic religions need metaphysical carrots and stick to get people to board the plane for that one-way flighted finale, to continue Dr. Bobbie's metaphor. That's no judgement of them, it's just a fact. I have no fear for them, no condescension, nor mean any disrespect. On the contrary, I think there is much to be gained from studying other world view points. It's why you and I are here in the first place, dear reader. 

Being alive is about living without fear, and Buddhism is jumping from the metaphorical plane without a backpack at all! I'm all buckled up and enjoying the flight, it's beautiful from up here, I can see for miles! As day by day our collective altitude rises, as we get closer to the opening of hatches and the big green light in the sky (to coin a phrase), I just wish all beings to be well, all beings to be happy, and may all beings one day dwell in the great equanimity that is free of suffering. May they look out the rounded window, and drink it in on this shared journey. As I have yet to jump, I can't comment on the descent but as Woody Allen said, I'm packing a spare pair of underpants just in case. Before that though, I'm off to inform the ernest Dr. Bobbie that he will want a parachute, not a backpack... I doubt he'll listen though. It all gets lost in translation these days...


In Metta, your humble in-flight companion,

The Dharma Farmer xx

May any merit gained by my acting thus be dedicated to the benefit of all beings.
May those who have lost some early jumpers along the way live on and heal in peace, 
with still hearts and freshly-dried cheeks. My thoughts are with you.

"Back" to Business: The Dharma Farmer walks again plus A Pilgrimage Revisited (POEM POST)

It's hard to believe that a year has passed since my India Pilgrimage preparations.
Nothing can prepare you for India, you just have to be brave, and it is both the greatest and worse place on earth, simultaneously. I cannot recommend the experience highly enough...

Hey, thanks for popping by, so glad you made it. My, but doesn't time fly by? A year ago, I was in the final stages of pre-Pilgrimage preparations, readying myself practically and spiritually for sub-continental wanderings. It seems like only yesterday, and yet it could have been another lifetime. I'm such a different person now, in a very real sense I didn't go to India - he did, the man I used to be. I cast my mind back, and recall how 12 months ago, that guy would arise every day at 6am for 45 min of mediation, often sitting silently in the evenings too. Upon the cushions, his formal sitting practice was in a very deep, still, stable phase. I remember a sense of lightness and fluidity in my day-to-day experiences of life, and this kept me sane in the build up, I'm convinced. It was to be my first time out of Europe or on a long-haul flight, yet I was in no way phased by this. 

I was more alive to the fact that I might not make it back in one or indeed any pieces. Death became a living reality for me, a timer counting down to an unspoken zero. A few years ago, the sister of my brother's best friend was killed in a car accident whilst touring around South America, and if it was my time to 'go' whilst out there, miles from 'home', and possibly at gun-point, I wanted to be prepared. As it happened, it proved to be time well spent. Before I even had a chance to be stabbed, mown down, poisoned accidentally or in any way find myself incapacitated by men in balaclavas, the flight to London from Manchester was delayed due to "computer problems" (bloody 'Windows' again?), rendering the pilots unable to ascertain as to whether the engines were on fire or not! Indeed there were also to be one or two VERY hairy moments on the Indian roads, statistically the most dangerous highways on earth. It's not hard to see why, and should you be planning to frequent them, assume that they will be populated by people who appear to have a genuine desire to die young. Generally though, I was single-pointedly focused East, and felt very peaceful when sitting with my imminent, and possibly literal departure. 

Moments later, we were 'clipped' at 60 miles an hour by the jeep. I nearly shat myself lifeless.
Having both nerves of steel and one's affairs in order helps a little, but not much...

In stark contrast 12 months later, my formal sitting practice has had to take a bit of a back seat of late due to my back condition, but in spite of this I have rarely felt more loyal, committed or drawn to the Three Jewels. I also sit more easily in my skin. Even though I was in quite a heightened, exhaled state a lot of the time, I think on reflection I was far less integrated then I am now. Truth be told, I'm still trying to digest the experience, but boughs are beginning to bear fruit. As Refuges go, the Three Jewels have been a life-saver these last few years, nevermore so than of late, and to them I owe and dedicate my life. Nothing else makes any sense. No decision could be easier. 

My first morning in India, after travelling and being awake for 59 hours... yes, I look tired.

In a very real and literal sense, there is no decision to make, I am merely responding experientially based on fundamental laws of the universe to which we are all subjected: If I put my hand in a fire I will get burnt. If I superglue cutlery to my genitals, people will assume that I'm of questionable mental stability, and rightly so. If I follow the advice of the historical Buddha, if I can heed the words of great teachers, arising from two and a half millennia of a tradition rich with wisdom and compassion, then I can vastly reduce the amount of suffering in my own life. In this my faith is unwavering. 

Most people, when they ask about the basic principles of Buddhism dismiss my answers as 'simply common sense'. When I explain how the principles of causality work, they agree it accords with their perceptions of reality; actions do have consequences, and those consequences do go on to form the basis for further actions and so on. Yet when it comes down to actually combining causality with these basic principles, and implementing some of these universally accepted truths in their lives, suddenly there is a massive drama and suffering arises as we flip the 'struggle switch' on. Unsurprisingly, I am often both parties in this conversation, and like most practitioners, find it easier to preach than practice. Why is this? Why this problem of putting into action what we know to be best for us? Why the discrepancy between our intellectual postulations and our emotional responses to life? It's maddeningly frustrating at times, but how can we kindly motivate ourselves to actually reduce this seemingly yawning chasm between our ideals and their practical application?

Myself and a fellow pilgrim, Dharmamitra Claire Morris, on a train from Nagpur to Sanchi.
We would go onto share many special moments over the Pilgrimage, and are closer than close now.

As always, our motivations and aspirations are key. One of the most important things is to committed to change itself, but not to achieving or grasping after some future state or fortune. When reminding myself of my motivation to change, what I have found useful to remember is that happiness is only real when shared. I know that by reducing the amount of unnecessary suffering and conflict in my life and enjoying the simple pleasures more, I will find myself to be of greater benefit to others. If nothing else, when I am well rested, eating a decent diet and not trying to please people, I can at least provide to my work-colleagues a chuckle over a lunch time cup of tea and conciliatory "we'll, it could always be worse, look on the bright side, eh?" type conversations. Although not the foundations for all happiness, sharing positive emotions with other people is the worlds most saught-after experience, and connecting with others authentically, honestly and emotionally naked exponentially increases the amount of joy and happiness I taste on a daily basis. I never feel lonely as through Metta and it's associated practice, the Metta Bhavana -generating loving kindness - I am always connected to someone in my mind and heart, if not in person. Choosing to share Metta-full moments with others, and facilitating their own quest for happiness brings real meaning to my life, and I know I'm not alone. 

The expression of my gratitude for the coming across this path in a meaningful way, and my confidence in it manifests in what is called "Going For Refuge". That is all it takes to consider oneself a Buddhist. How wonderfully simple! Bill Hicks was right - "It's just a choice, right now, between fear and love..." It's simply a choice. A decision you can make, or not make, as you chose. To grow, to love, to live fully, in the most human sense - as a freely evolving, self-aware individual. To be truly human is to consciously evolve. Going For Refuge, committing yourself to the path is the defining aspect of what constitutes a being a 'Buddhist'. It doesn't matter whether you chose to tell others. Not at all. It lies not in the wearing of robes, nor cultural and social traditions, but in committing oneself fully to change, to unfathomable life, to the great unknown... To Ultimate Truth; in short, to the Three Jewels. Symbolising three things of unimaginable value, the jewel of the Buddha represents limitless human potential to evolve. The Dharma is both the path of evolution and the means by which we evolve, and the Sangha constitutes your friends on the  same path, and in fact all practitioners, all over the world, of all types and levels. These people I consider my spiritual Brothers and Sisters, and love with all my heart ( as do I you, dear reader). By saying these words out loud, and meaning it, one can be said to consider oneself a Buddhist... 

Buddham Saranam Gachami - To The Buddha (to human potential) for Refuge I go. 
Dharmam Saranam Gachami - To The Dharma (the path of his advice) for Refuge I go. 
Sangha Saranam Gachami - To the Sangha (fellow practitioners, of all abilities, past and present) for Refuge I go. 

Inside our minibus, on the road between Bodh Gaya and Rajgir (Vultures Peak).
I was foolish enough to watch the oncoming traffic, whilst others couldn't bear it and
sensibly found other things to pass the time. I look terrified, and often was. The unknown IS scary.

 As Sangharakshita has always insisted, "Commitment is Primary, Lifestyle is Secondary." Nothing is more straightforward to me. The Buddha too was insistent that "every person must be a lamp unto themselves... An island no flood can overwhelm". Frank Sinatra did it his way, you must do it yours, dear reader. Stick to the basic question as to whether an action will lead to harm for yourself or others, an you can't go wrong. If you start asking yourself how you might also be of service to others, then you are closer to the source of true happiness, and thus closer to Enlightenment. There is a real beauty found in the tender care for and of others, in the altruistic dimension of the path, and beauty is the mark of spiritual truth. As the legendary 8th century Indian scholar Shantideva so movingly wrote:

"All the suffering in the world comes from 
seeking pleasure for oneself.  
All the happiness in the world comes from 
seeking pleasure for others.

Where would I possibly find enough leather
With which to cover the surface of the earth?
But (just enough) leather on the soles of my shoes
Is equivalent to covering the earth with it

Likewise it is not possible for me
To restrain the external course of things
But should I restrain this mind of mine
What would be the need to restrain all else?

May I be like a guard for those who are protectorless,
A guide for those who journey on the road.
For those who wish to go across the water,
May I be a boat, a raft, a bridge."

If ever you wondered as to how tough your life is on the global scale, compared to all others,
you might want to go to India. I never before considered bricks and electricity to be luxury items...
So much suffering in the world, why weep for my own mere inconveniences...?

In spite of the difficulties I have had to face in the last year, I have been able to experience much beauty, and for this I consider myself lucky indeed. Not just watching the sunrise over Vultures Peak whist meditating in the cave the Buddha himself lived in, although it was special. Many other small moments of beauty and pleasure have been rediscovered, an undercurrent of joy in the simplest of endeavours too. For example, the gift of my legs, of simply being able to stand upright for long enough to make a cup of tea is one which for too long I have taken for granted. I give thanks every day I'm able to do so, and these days are becoming increasing frequent I'm happy to report. I am therefor overjoyed to say that a few days ago I was able to walk through the doors of the Buddhist Centre in Manchester for the first time in SIX WEEKS! I was greeted simultaneously by sandalwood and the beaming faces of six or seven of my Brothers in the Sangha, Order members and GFR Mitras (Order members to-be), each and every one of us. I have to confess I got a little choked up, but DAMN it felt so GOOD to be in that building again. These guys are my friends, some of them very close indeed, and I hadn't seen them in what felt like forever and a day. I tried and failed to express my delight in seeing all of them together at once, and though all of us had well intentioned questions, none of us had the time to answer them all properly. Still, it was a beautiful shared moment, and one which I have committed to memory, for recollection in times of hardship.

Speaking of sharing spiritual beauty, as it happens I was in the centre to meet one of my fellow Pilgrims for a meeting upstairs in the Sangharakshita Library, and we reminisced on how quickly the year since then had passed. As distant as it may feel at times, I close my eyes and to this day I can still fell the hot sand and dust between my toes, still taste the sweet, sticky morning chai in the back on my throat, and that night, on a wave of nostalgia and endorphins (it was an enthralling Kula meeting), I dug out a battered and torn old notebook...

Whilst glancing through it, the stifling fumes of the mid-day traffic flooding back to me, I found a little poem, which I had written in the Deer Park in Sarnath, the site of the first ever discourse or 'sermon' by the newly Englightened Buddha. It was the occasion of the first unenlightened person 'getting it' and realising for themselves the Buddha's truly unique and remarkable breakthrough. Thus is was the site of the first ever Going For Refuge, by the ascetic Kodanya, and was the birthplace of what we now in the West call "Buddhism." I remember feeling huge upsurges of tear-streaked grattitude from the moment I arrived there until the moment I left, and performing the Buddha Puja for my fellow Pilgrims in the shadow of the Dhamek Stupa, the spot of this historic event itself is an honour I can't convey but shall remember til I die. 

The Deer Park, Sarnath (Isipathana) Feb 2013- The spot where "Buddhism" was born is marked by the Dhamek Stupa, completed 249 B.C.E. This is where is all began. The Buddha had walked the 212km to meet up with friends to share his vision. How kind and generous is that?! Were It not for that walk, I would be dead. Simple fact, and my gratitude knows no bounds. A deeply, deeply moving place, I look forward to going back... 

I recall it being very late at night when I finished the poem, to a lively carcophony of Bhangra dance music, car horns and fireworks. The insanity of India's nocturnal noise-pollution is something which has to be experienced to be believed!... I thought I'd share it with you in an attempt, regardless. This is for all those people that are thinking of travelling to India - you have been warned! I know it's a bit unusual for me to post poetry, but I think it's healthy to be a bit scared and practice bravery sometimes. I hope you enjoy, or are at least mildly amused by my terror... In an effort to post shorter blogs on here, and to mix it up a bit, I will leave you with you this little poem. I truly hope that one day, with wide-eyed nods of agreement and astonishment, you will be able to recall it yourself. India changed me forever. I can't recommend it highly enough, if for no other reason than just to know better in your heart how lucky you are to live in a world of air-conditioning, Twitter and microwave curries. Until then, I'm sure we can all feel immense gratitude for the bountiful opportunities (both on and offline) to grow and better ourselves that the 21st century affords us all. Perhaps then, we might actually squander them less. Here's to hoping. 




"Say what you like"

The Indian roads, it's true, are
Nothing if not splendid and
They are not splendid.
Rarely great,
Potholed and piss-poor,
The barely-tarmaced high seas throw up 
Clouds of noxious dust.
Death-wish Drivers with
Dashboard Divinities,
Seemingly looking to
Meet their maker,
(Ahead of schedule and
Face-first,
Through the windscreen)
Flashing past induce
Involuntary profanity as we
Loose the other wing-mirror...

Time-forgotten towns with neither name nor hope,
Destitution interspersed with 
Incongruous serenity,
Rice fields and respite.

Drawn ever deeper you push on,
Surely not far to go now?
100 miles, and ten times as many 
Minutes to master.
The constant lurching motion wreaking 
Havoc on senses unguarded,
Frayed into bug-eyed delirium from successive "sleeps", 
On equally fractious beds.

Oh, and then at night there are the trains...
Or the traffic.
Or a Whitsun Wedding.
Or a blearily bleating unwatched tv.
Or hounds, hopelessly howling, 
Pissing and shitting themselves lifeless, 
(Not unlike their owners, should either be so lucky!)

Or all of the above.

At once.

I remember sleep.
- I used to have it.

But say what you like: 
The trains exhilarate,
The dogs (almost) never growl,
The traffic is awareness personified, and
The people always smile,
(Once YOU have made the effort first). 
The food is always phenomenal, 
The company exemplary,
The price is always right, or less.. 

Here amongst the scattered dreams of yesteryear, 
Cast aside like old grain,
You find India;
Wonderfully woeful at times,
But with a persistent insistence to lend her assistance,
And extend Grace and Gratitude's slender brown hands.


In destitution lies hope,
In riches, the void.
In Sarnath, my heart...

Yours, lost in the reverie,

The Dharma Farmer xx

May any merit gained in my acting thus go to alleviate the suffering of all beings.

I think, therefore I am (miserable): Six Top Tips to Beat the January Blues and Post-Christmas slump!

Ah, welcome back, I trust the New Year finds you well thus far? If not, then I'm sorry to hear that, and this article may be for you. Recently, I was saddened to hear that several friends of mine outside the Sangha (and possibly some unknown one's within it) have sought professional help after having some kind of post-Christmas/Holidays melt down. Addiction demons and compulsive behaviours, kept at bay for so much of the year, are exacerbated and rear their ugly heads one more in the financial, mental and chemical oblivion that marks out the post-Christmas/New Year period as a particularly gloomy and depressing time for so many. If lucky enough to have employment, we rise, go back to work and return home again under cover of darkness, as vitamin D levels so vital for the production of our 'happy hormones' plummet. "Same old, same old", we say to each other, and trudge away from the festive glow, sadly shaking our heads, crestfallen. For some, the loneliness of a Christmas absent of loved one, or seasonal cheer not manifesting as promised can really be a strain, exacerbated by low temperatures, lower bank balances and (in the northern hemisphere) shorter 'days' to varying degrees. In addition, at this time of year the preoccupation with dispatching oneself in an untimely fashion is understandably at it's highest, especially amongst sufferers of S.A.D (Seasonal Affective Disorder). Mercifully, despite all this, all modern evidence suggests that actual suicide rates do not go up until March or April, so if ever there was a time to act, to make a change, now would be it! 

Perhaps there is some link between the rest of the world budding to life during the re-emergence of Spring, and the sufferer being unable to feel the same rebirth, renewal, the same simple joys of a new, warmer, more living season in their hearts? If you can't feel the same spring in your step as the new-born lambs, then to the slaughter you both shall go... A feeling perhaps of being left behind as the rest of the world starts giggling at in the pleasingly comical sight of pale flesh protruding from skimpier attire and convertible car-roofs being let down several months too early in moments of commendable optimism. I am not a clinical psychologist, but even I know that the 'January Blues' or 'New Year's Slump' can affect any of us over a lifetime, and thus feeling hopelessly impotent in the face of the suffering of several close friends, here are a few tips and hints, from a Buddhist perspective, on how to Beat the Blues and be a light for others in the darkest months of the year. You don't have to take them on all on at once, but whatever you do, try setting yourself small, realistic and manageable goals in the short-term. You will be amazed at how quickly small change accumulates into great fortunes...

LOOK AFTER YOUR 'INNER WORLD'...

Almost self explanatory, but I feel this requires consideration still. As we all know, our mental and physical states are very much inter-dependent. Just as increased mental anguish causes demands on the body which eventually manifest psychosomatically, so too can prolonged physical discomfort (something I have been forced to deal with for 9 months now) have a bearing on one's energy levels and overall positivity. When we are physically fit and well, we sleep better, thus feel less anxious and drained the next morning, which has a direct bearing on our capacity to deal with stress. The excessive alcohol, food and in some cases drug consumption which typifies Christmas for so many can lead to a prolonged lack of quality sleep, which if kept up over the party season can lead to long term mental health risks:

1. Cut Out The Alcohol/Drugs and Drink More Water!

Christmas and New Years is a time to eat drink and be merry, but how merry, and for how long? Have you ever seen a drunk with a hangover at the same time? What about the 'other stuff', the pills, 'wraps' and 'columbian marching powder' too? I'm gong to proceed on the basis that if you have a crippling heroin or crack addiction, you need professional help, but for everyone else, what about drugs as 'innocuous' as cannabis or alcohol? Both, in different ways, will affect the brain's capacity to enter 'deep sleep', or the R.E.M (Rapid Eye Movement) stage of the sleep cycle. One of the main reasons that depression is so readily associated with both of these drugs is most often a simple lack of restitution. Obviously, abuse of both, either or indeed any other stimulants such as caffeine or cocaine will also affect the body as it tries to force a fortnight of accumulated toxic sludge through your kidneys and liver. Any poisons our bodies ingest or create as a result will require water to break them down in the liver, and the waste products are excreted via the kidneys, as we all know. As part of this process then, it is unsurprising that most dieticians recommend drinking a LOT of water as part of any detox program to flush out our lymphatic systems, the pathways along which poisons in the blood are removed and sent to the kidneys for removal. Processed foods too have a high salt/sugar content, which in turn requires more energy from the body to deal with, leaving us feeling drained, overly sensitive and unsure why... By reducing our alcohol intake significantly (or by taking "time out" for a few weeks), we can get better a night's sleep, and consistently well-rested people are able to cope with the mundane stresses and vicissitudes of the New Year much more easily than those still trying to keep the party going!

2. Get more QUALITY sleep!

This does not mean napping in front of a fire with a half-empty bottle of imitation Tesco's Champagne (or even real Champagne) poised precariously in hand, but real sleep, involving a bed and everything! Getting your head down for four hours in a bath with a sleeping bag doesn't count, sorry. It's a trick I used to employ (being a heck of a lot easier than buying and carrying an air bed to a friend's house) and aged 18, there was something admirably resourceful, idiosyncratic and hardy about being able to sleep anywhere, at any time, on any amount of booze or drugs. Fast forward a mere 5 or 10 years, and what passed for student chic is now more likely to ruin the next day rather than make the party. I myself spent most of Christmas 2013 up all night working on "A Bodhisattva's Christmas Carol" (literally, sometimes in 11 hour stints) and slept less than 5 hours a night for most of the fortnight proceeding the 'big day' too, and as a result was an emotional wreck! With the pandemonium that the holiday season affords so many of us, with all the shopping for food and gifts, all well intended, now is absolutely he right time to remind ourselves why 'nest is best', as an old friend used to joke. There is an old wives tale about how an hour's sleep before midnight is worth twice that of an hour afterwards, but whether this is simple maths or indeed some type of biological phenomenon (I expect the former), it's certainly no coincidence that many of my friends have decided that this year will be a year of as many early nights as possible. Sangharakshita (my teacher) has said that he wonders if the reason so many of us struggle to even go to bed at night is because we feel on some level that we haven't really achieved anything of value during the day? It's certainly an interesting thought, and resonates with me this end, so in a similar vein, I've decided to make 2014 the year that I start rising earlier too. 

As 'Mr. E' (Mark Everett, son of Nobel prizewinning physicist Hugh Everett) from 'Eels' sang in an open letter to unborn progeny on 'Things The Grandchildren Should Know': 

"I go to bed real early/ Everybody thinks it's strange/ I get up early in the morning too/ No matter how disappointed I was with the day before/ It feels new..." 

There is a lot of truth in that, and these words of advice come from a man with a life-long history of managing his bi-polar tendencies and depression. If we can fill our days with wholesome (i.e. that which does not cause us to feel fragmented, but leaves us more 'together' in ourselves) activities and worthwhile, productive endeavours, then not only will we be more tired and sleep better, but we will also have less to do tomorrow, and feel less stressed as a result. With renewed vigour and much more energy in the mornings, this should lead us naturally to get more done, and feel better about what we do afterwards.

3. Eat Better!

You are what you eat, as the saying goes, but never more so has this been true. Whilst there is nothing intrinsically wrong with grazing on E-Numbers, Twigglets and After Eight mints for 18 hours a day every now and then, it certainly wouldn't be advocated by many as a serious lifestyle choice for the other 360 days of the year. I adore cheese, and as a result almost never eat it as home as a snack... Just thinking about it is sending the 'cheese monkey' scattering to my shoulders to gnaw at my ears and tug my hair in the direction of the fridge, but my resolve holds firm. Why? Because you might as well just chew lard for all the good it does you. Phrases such as 'Christmas Weight', 'Festive Tummy' and "New Year's Detox' are commonplace for a reason. If we gorge ourselves senseless on brandy butter, sugary confectionary and mass produced meat (red or otherwise), is it any wonder we struggle to shift colds and cellulite, in equal measure, in the January months? Perhaps, with the new year upon us, try keeping a weeks worth of receipts from your food shopping, or keep a small notebook for a week or two documenting everything you eat/drink/smoke or spend. It gives you some clear indication what the long term costs of poor diet might be, physical, monetary and psychological, if left unabated for another month or two more. This time of year I try and get back into soup and casserole making. You can throw together £7 worth of parsnips, carrots, lentils, celery and potatoes into a load of garlic and chilli stock and just cover in an oven for two hours, checking every half an hour. It really is that simple, but something as elementary as that with rice or wholemeal bread can make all the difference to your mood the next day. Plus you get to feel quietly grown up about being entrusted with sharp kitchen utensils, which is always nice. If you have a few freezer tubs lying around, save a few portions, and you also have the self-satisfaction of being rather lazy for your next few meals. After all, why create more stress for yourself?

LOOK AFTER YOUR 'OUTER WORLD'...

Aside from the obvious kindness we can chose to extend to our bodies and minds, there are a few other general lifestyle/attitude changes we may want to consider implementing for a few weeks to get us through the long slow months ahead, before the cheeky wink of springtime beckons us forth into a new season. These have more to do with making our external lives easier and less stressful.

4. Work out your finances!

Ok, so Christmas is rarely cheep, and unless you grow your own vegetables and aren't above gift-wrapping carrots, the chances are that the holiday season, with all the hullabaloo of Hootenanny etc has set you back a pretty penny or two. Most people understandably want to get into the festive spirit of kindness and generosity, in and of itself no bad thing, but as a result, give way beyond their means. I am no exception to this rule. Granted, the last two weeks have been fantastic: I saw lots of family in Wales, and did several trips to Manchester and back over the last three weeks, wracking up approximately 700 miles. It was wonderful to connect with loved ones again, but petrol is not cheep, plus all the presents we have to buy people, plus the food, and maybe a novelty jumper or two. After all, what kind of Christmas party is without crap knitwear? Then you have the ubiquitous 'works do', and how much were all the taxis to people's houses because you couldn't command adequate (or legal) responsibility over your vehicle? It all adds up, and as I said, I'm not excluded from this either. This year, I think I got as far as January 4th before the seasonal call from my bank's branch manager, querying as to how I was proposing to pay for my credit card bill. This is a bill, you understand, towards which I have been sending 'interest only' sums for the last six years, and for a HSBC Mastercard I haven't actually used since 2006! For the last few weeks I have been watching my reserves (financial, but also physical and spiritual) be depleted drop by drop, sinking day by day, like some spiteful barometer. Now, with an extra-long month for most people, the pressure is mounting. I, for example, got paid on December 23rd, and will have to wait until January 28th before receiving my shiny farthings once more. It seems cruel to me that following the most expensive time of year, so many people across the world have to make their meagre puddle of rapidly evaporating means go so far. 

Draw up a spread sheet on Excel, get an expenses notebook, scrawl it on your buttocks with lipstick - whatever it takes, just for goodness sake work out your budget for the immediate future at the very least. Some people will want to plan the upcoming 12 months, but for now, at least take stock of what you have, and double check your projected expenditure. If you fid yourself cutting it a little too fine for comfort, then do you have any unwanted gifts you could ebay? Are you sure you have enough money for that night out with friends? Do you really need another trip around the "Sales" to secure yet more "bargains"? I can't remember the last time I partook in the January sales... Probably about 1989, and even then, it would have been to audible protest and with much ill-tempered flailing, I'm sure! To paraphrase our old friend Mr. Dickens, if a man earns a pound and spends £1.05, he is said to be miserable, whereas if he earns £1 and spends 95p, he is said to be happy. That a solitary 10p can make such a difference as to whether we are delighted or distraught is astounding, empowering, and Sad but True, as Metallica pointed out, although they may not have been referring to matters of fiscal savvy. I can't recall now, but you get the point.

5. Connect with friends more!

For Buddhists and non-Buddhists alike, the feeling that we have some genuine and authentic connections and emotional bonds with other humans is of paramount importance to our sense of overall wellbeing. For Buddhists in particular, we place an emphasis on the Sangha, the community both local and global which we venerate and "Go To Refuge" to at times of strife. Whether we are spiritually inclined or not, we all benefit from friendship, compassion, and basic kindness being extended in our direction. Not only that, it is obvious to us just how much this connections means to our friends when we call them out of the blue, just to see how they are. Think yourself on how warm you feel inside when a compadre or partner in crime lifts the receiver for nothing more that the simple pleasure of hearing your voice and seeing how you are. This time of the year offers the least excuse and the easiest, most obvious opening lines ("How was your Christmas/ New Year? What did you get up to? Any resolutions etc) if your intention is simply to listen to someone talk enthusiastically about themselves for 15 min. You will be startled (or not, if you are already in the habit of doing so) at how much it brightens the day of another, simply by showing interest in their life. I had a harsh reminder of this when discussing my health with family this year. I was advised in no uncertain terms that it was unreasonable for me to expect concern for my back problems if people are unaware of them, to which I replied that I couldn't bring myself to just call my many siblings (I am the eldest of five) to moan at them about my spinal shortcomings. "Have you considered, my dear", my mum replied with a look of aghast incredulity on her face "calling your family every so often just to see just how WE are?".... Point taken, well and truly, and consider it a lesson learned, right there. Email, telephone, Skype, whatever it takes, connect with others, if possible arrange to meet up. Then you can both feel better after a bit of a moan, and besides, any problem shared is going to be a problem halved for either party. As we can see ourselves having a positive influence in the world around us, so our self esteem goes up, and thus we sleep with a lighter and gladdened heart at night.

6. Spring Clean ahead of schedule!

Why wait for Spring? You will burn those festive calories off in no time, your home will look gorgeous, and you wont have to avoid that pile of post by the front door with a guilty snort of derision. Come the warmer months, whilst others are looking despairing at the seemingly insurmountable challenge to sanitise, you can be sauntering along a canal with an ice cream, maybe fondling sandals with ill-advised plans and an expression of whimsy. There's something magical (well, I thing so anyway) about getting up early and emptying shelves of unused books, clothes and DVDs into boxes and carrier bags for the charity shops, or if needs must, Ebay. We all accrue and accumulate so much material nonsense, why wait for  the warmer months to simply get rid of it all? Seriously, most of my DVD's I will never watch again anyway (two copies of "WWII in Colour" - really?) and half my books are of the slasher/torture-porn variety (James Patterson/Karen Slaughter/Val McDermid etc). The other half of my library (Buddhist books notwithstanding) comprises of a few classics but mainly John Grisham's legal thriller novels. The most popular male author on the planet he may be, but it doesn't stop his output being uniformly useless to me nowadays. There is nothing wrong with any of the above authors, but really, how badly do I want to read these books, and how much is simply me wanting to have aesthetically appealing and 'well stocked' (read: full) bookshelves? I recall the example set by a friend of mine, an Order member called Pramodana (some of you may have read about him already in "Part Five - Spiritual Death" of our Christmas Carol expedition) who passed away in early December. Before he died, he made the decision to de-clutter his life, saying: "I like the idea of my body being taken out of an already clean and empty room, and the door simply being closed behind as the light is turned off, leaving no mess behind." To put this into effect, he simply gave away as much of his possessions as he possibly could, and coupled with his sudden need to prioritise some books and endeavours in his remaining six months, this task was made all the easier. He got his wish by the way, and very happy he was with it too! It just goes to show that having less 'stuff' can indeed bring us untold riches, taking delight in the lack of clutter and detritus. Besides, think of all the potential power they hold, all the pleasure that others will get from them, having now served their distracting purposes for me. For Buddhists, this manifests in the third precept: "With stillness, simplicity and contentment, I purify my mind"

At the end of the day, we can have the best of intentions, but life will rarely meet all our expectations, or visa versa, if ever. The whole point of the Buddhist path is not to make your little space in Samasara (everyday life) as cosy as possible, or trying to barter with it. It would be foolish to assume that "If I meditate, then can I expect good things to happen to me." The whole point of Samsara is that it CANNOT BE PERFECTED! Life cannot be brought entirely under our sway or control, and there will always be, on some level, some kind of suffering for someone, somewhere in the world. We all just have to take our turn in the stocks every now and then, thats all. Life is ultimately unsatisfactory. No matter how much celery you eat or sleep you get you will one day grow old and grey (hopefully), and after a comparatively short while with us, you too, like every other single life on this planet before you, shall expire. Why then make such a brief stay on this planet any harder than it otherwise need be? 

We leave school, college or university in our late teens or early twenties, assuming we are not mature students. We then have probably less than 10 years of peak (or socially acceptable) physical conditioning before our 30's usher in ever-expanding waistlines, grey hairs and an almost unstoppable decline into eventual senility and decrepitude. No matter where we are on that timeline, that fact that we are alive, and with no guarantee for how much longer is in and of itself a silver-bullet solution to our complacency. Whether you are 18 or 80, there is no excuse for making life harder for ourselves than it otherwise need be. At the same time, we can use any dissatisfaction to maybe peer under the lid into the true nature of things. It all comes down to whether we chose to look for the lessons in our everyday experiences, and subsequently learn from them.

To those friends of mine who, like myself, have struggled or are struggling to keep it together this time of year, my thoughts are with you, truly they are. For any of you feeling merely a little burnt-out, a little deflated, toxic, bloated or otherwise jaded by it all, I ask you to ask the person in the mirror - "What can I do today to set in place a happier future for me and those around me tomorrow?" 

Meditation is an excellent tool for 'checking in' with ourselves and seeing how best we can extend that kindness to our future self. Due to the fact of 'Dependant Origination' (or 'Pratitiya Samutpada', a Buddhist teaching whereby all phenomena have causes and effects, dependant on each other) we can use our rational intelligence to assess which, if any of the above, would apply to us today or make our lives easier in the future. This 'future' could be later today, tomorrow, next week or in 30 years, but if we can choose contentment and gratitude over sensual pleasure, craving and aversion, we can find ourselves of more than adequate means, energy and inclination to revel both collectively and individually in the rich opportunities for spontaneity that the present moment affords us all. Now THAT is something worth smiling about!

Yours, with a peppermint tea and a stick of celery,

The Dharma Farmer xx

May all beings be well, may all beings be happy, may all beings be free from the bonds of suffering,

This article is dedicated to R.M. I am with you every step of the way, my brother.