Gallery

September 2016 Japan, Temple Training.              This too shall pass. A very simple and highly profound teaching. Deeply knowing this truth can help us to deal with the certain challenges and inevitable difficulties of life. This too shall pass…
Beginning to know this, we might wonder what are we feeding. Are we giving food to the narrow, mean, selfish sides of ourselves? Or are we consciously nourishing the kind, thoughtful, selfless sides of ourselves?                               Because all these — and more — exist within ourselves. Every human being is capable of disconnection and cruelty — and also capable of compassion and love. What we feed makes a huge difference to who we are. I say this because I know it so well inside myself and I have seen these truths many times in many others.

October 2018, Eiheiji Temple. Studying Program.    Different ways of engaging with self – therapy, meditation, study, movement – have helped me over the years to be better resourced and thus more resilient. Storms are certain, difficulties are inevitable. As human beings, there is the certainty of suffering. Resources and resilience can make us robust enough to surf the sorrows, gracefully get older, appreciate the joys. Thus becoming more fulfilled while we live this time-limited life. This is the study the self this is training on non-duality mind.

March 2019 Italy,  Yoga Appennino Weekend.   Everything connects. Everything changes. This is the nature of all things. Rather than things being separate and compartmentalised, things are much more continuities, process, relationships. And all is precious. What might inspire your realisation of preciousness? Maybe a crisp morning frost; a child’s hand holding your hand; a flower; the sun rising from above the hills; a hug from a good friend.

And all is impermanent: snow on water; the child becoming an adult; petals falling from that flower; the sun setting; a son saying goodbye.

June 2017 Japan, Nahoshima Art Island Tour.         The 12th-century Japanese Zen teacher Dogen gave this beautifully succinct advice when asked about a meal at the monastery where he was abbot: “Cook with the ingredients you’ve got.”

I love the simplicity of this statement.

That it can acknowledge that each meal – each person, each day – can be different. Some of us are born with long hamstrings. Some of us are born with minds that naturally meditate. Some of us are born with lots of energy. We are all different – and we all have abilities to shift settings (lengthen hamstrings, calmer minds, more energy). Knowing the ingredients we have got is important.

I know that I make mistakes  (such as impulsively saying something that subsequently I regret).

Learning lessons such as easing ambitions, clearer seeing, getting grounded, quieting the desire for drama. Cooking with the ingredients we’ve got…In my view Art & Meditation are matching ingredients that need to be explored together to create and shift in the settings. 

October 2022 Italy, Selvapiana Sesshin.              Canossa is a beautiful retreat area that is surrounded by  acres of valleys in the Appennino countryside. Dossan and myself have been running these type of Sesshin weekend; we both love teaching at this wonderful place.
There will be lots of meditation, lots of delicious food, lots of vegetables, lots of space – space to unwind and unpack, space to soften and cultivate ease.

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"Loved the content, pace and sense of community. Was like a mini-retreat.”

April 2019 Japan, Movements Yoga Retreat.         Yoga teachers placing postures on pedestals creates hierarchies and divisions. This is not the sign of a good teacher. We do not become happier with longer hamstrings. There is nothing spiritual about having stronger shoulders. It is almost like there is an unspoken competition among some yoga teachers about who can do the strongest adjustment, who can encourage a practitioner into the deepest backbend.
In my view, we all need support, we can all benefit from guidance and mentoring.