2011 September | Wise Attention

Review: The Origin of Buddhist Meditation

Posted by Vishvapani on Sep 30, 2011 in Buddha, Buddhism, Reviews | 0 comments

What, if anything, do we ‘know’ about the Buddha? This recent book employs scholarly detective work to 'prove' that certain elements in the ancient Pali scriptures are true. It casts fresh light on the world the Buddha inhabited and the meditation practices he learned as a young man. More intriguing still, this suggests the changes he made when he came to teach meditation himself.

Thought for the Day Archive

Posted by Vishvapani on Sep 26, 2011 in Comment, Thought for the Day | 0 comments

Here is the text and audio of talks for Thought for the Day on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, where I have been the Buddhist contributor since 2006 commenting on the affairs of the day from the perspective of the Buddha's teachings.

David Breuer Weil: Radical Visionary

Posted by Vishvapani on Sep 22, 2011 in arts, Reviews | 0 comments

David Breuer Weil is a powerful artistic presence: heir to London-based Jewish like Freud and Epstein. As a new book and exhibition showcase his work, I reflect on my own friendship with David and the significance of his monumental images

Research on Mindfulness & Meditation: Latest Findings

Posted by Vishvapani on Sep 19, 2011 in Buddhism in the West, Mindfulness, Practice | 0 comments

Around the world scientists are avidly researching the effects of mindfulness and meditation practice. The results are coming in and the are showing that they help you sleep better, avoid depression, make more rational decisions ... and they change the shape of your brain. Here's a roundup of important studies.

War Crimes & the Real Meaning of Karma

Posted by Vishvapani on Sep 13, 2011 in Ethics, Thought for the Day | 1 comment

Ratko Mladic is on trial for war crimes. Is this justice ... or karma? This Thought for the Day talk explores the real meaning of karma and how this teaching fosters the ethical awareness we need to confront violence.

The Views Behind the Crash

Posted by Vishvapani on Sep 7, 2011 in Comment, Ethics, Featured | 0 comments

The problems of the financial crisis stem from deep set beliefs. Try looking at money through a Buddhist lens ... When Lehman Brothers Bank collapsed in October 2008, threatening to take the rest of the banking sector with it, Alan Greenspan, former Chairman of the US Federal Reserve, declared that he was “in a state of shock and disbelief”.