Memento Mori

Memento Mori

Insight, Wisdom and Enlightenment are big, impressive and rather scary words. It’s easy to think that they are far beyond the level of our daily practice and that what’s relevant right now is just simple ethics, mindfulness and trying to be kind. But digging a bit...

Worldly Winds in the News

This Thought for the Day reflects on the worldly winds as the news shows them blowing through the lives of those caught up in a maelstrom they never expected Listen to the broadcast. Step back from the details of several stories that have dominated the headlines...
Practising at Home

Practising at Home

At the start of the Triratna Urban Retreat, as people around the world join together for a period of intensified practice, here’s a reflection on practising at home, developing mindfulness in daily life and the influence of the worldly winds: praise and blame,...
Review: The Origin of Buddhist Meditation

Review: The Origin of Buddhist Meditation

What, if anything, do we ‘know’ about the Buddha? In addition to its importance for Buddhist studies, this question is — or at least should be — of fundamental interest to those who consider themselves the Buddha’s followers. But scholars have grown increasingly...
Thought for the Day Archive

Thought for the Day Archive

I’ve been contributing since 2006 to Thought for the Day, BBC Radio 4′s religious comment slot in the popular and influential Today Programme. I’ve done about ten a year. Since April 2011 talks have appeared on the Today website and stay for a month. The audio...