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Following a lovely exchange with Zana Frood in this morning exploration of the Noble Eightfold Path, we ended up talking about understanding right view (the first thread of the eightfold weave) as a fitting understanding of how reality works (i.e. through constant impermanence/emergence). This understanding then allows us to stop faffing with all the constituent bits of our existence (form, feeling, perception, mental formations and consciousness = the aggregates in Buddhist jargon).

This morning was the Spring Equinox and I thought I'd post this extract from our Thursday session which had a decidedly Springy feel to it. https://share.descript.com/view/R8yzkwqrlpl

Tricycle put this online event on every year and always have fascinating sessions and fantastic speakers - https://tricycle.org/events/the-buddhism-ecology-summit-2025.

… and no broken limbs! This Monday sees us moving the Beingfulness lens to our thoughts and mental formations (the 4th Field). And on Tuesday we’ll be completing our tour of Somatic Practice. And Thursday - fanfare🎺🎺- continues our Satipatthana exploration with the Seven factors of Enlightenment.

In a quaint little cafe in Dolgellau that used to be the old prison downstairs and court room upstairs and noticed this old clip displayed which mentioned “fetters” and reminded me of Thursdays meditation!

I really love this video and thought others might appreciate it too - https://www.instagram.com/p/DAgEXSvJPYO/ Miracles are happening all the time - you just need to think something new about old things! 😍

Sharing a poem Nick Cave directed me to recently. It's definitely not a perfectly rendered piece of writing, but something about it struck me between the eyes! Sharing in case it does the same for you 😊 Sometimes a Wild God by Tom Hirons Sometimes a wild god comes to the table. He is awkward and does not know the ways Of porcelain, of fork and mustard and silver. His voice makes vinegar from wine.   When the wild god arrives at the door, You will probably fear him. He reminds you of something dark That you might have dreamt, Or the secret you do not wish to be shared.   He will not ring the doorbell; Instead he scrapes with his fingers Leaving blood on the paintwork, Though primroses grow In circles round his feet.   You do not want to let him in. You are very busy. It is late, or early, and besides… You cannot look at him straight Because he makes you want to cry.   Your dog barks; The wild god smiles. He holds out his hand and The dog licks his wounds, Then leads him inside.   The wild god stands in your kitchen. Ivy is taking over your sideboard; Mistletoe has moved into the lampshades And wrens have begun to sing An old song in the mouth of your kettle.   ‘I haven’t much,’ you say And give him the worst of your food. He sits at the table, bleeding. He coughs up foxes. There are otters in his eyes.   When your wife calls down, You close the door and Tell her it’s fine. You will not let her see The strange guest at your table.   The wild god asks for whiskey And you pour a glass for him, Then a glass for yourself. Three snakes are beginning to nest In your voicebox. You cough.   Oh, limitless space. Oh, eternal mystery. Oh, endless cycles of death and birth. Oh, miracle of life. Oh, the wondrous dance of it all.   You cough again, Expectorate the snakes and Water down the whiskey, Wondering how you got so old And where your passion went.   The wild god reaches into a bag Made of moles and nightingale-skin. He pulls out a two-reeded pipe, Raises an eyebrow And all the birds begin to sing.   The fox leaps into your eyes. Otters rush from the darkness. The snakes pour through your body. Your dog howls and upstairs Your wife both exults and weeps at once.   The wild god dances with your dog. You dance with the sparrows. A white stag pulls up a stool And bellows hymns to enchantments. A pelican leaps from chair to chair.   In the distance, warriors pour from their tombs. Ancient gold grows like grass in the fields. Everyone dreams the words to long-forgotten songs. The hills echo and the grey stones ring With laughter and madness and pain.   In the middle of the dance, The house takes off from the ground. Clouds climb through the windows; Lightning pounds its fists on the table And the moon leans in.   The wild god points to your side. You are bleeding heavily. You have been bleeding for a long time, Possibly since you were born. There is a bear in the wound.   ‘Why did you leave me to die?’ Asks the wild god and you say: ‘I was busy surviving. The shops were all closed; I didn’t know how. I’m sorry.’   Listen to them:   The fox in your neck and The snakes in your arms and The wren and the sparrow and the deer… The great un-nameable beasts In your liver and your kidneys and your heart…   There is a symphony of howling. A cacophony of dissent. The wild god nods his head and You wake on the floor holding a knife, A bottle and a handful of black fur.   Your dog is asleep on the table. Your wife is stirring, far above. Your cheeks are wet with tears; Your mouth aches from laughter or shouting. A black bear is sitting by the fire.   Sometimes a wild god comes to the table. He is awkward and does not know the ways Of porcelain, of fork and mustard and silver. His voice makes vinegar from wine And brings the dead to life.

Here's the table that Ven. Analayo gives about the things that help us work with the different hindrances:

Hi All, Just to say that if you book for one of the online classes, and it’s UNDER 24hrs before the time of session, you will not get a reminder email on the day. However the link for the zoom class should be in the original booking g If however for any reason there’s not link or your can’t find the zoom link, if you use the app, go to my profile, and go to bookings. If you go through the website, go to the top right where you will see 3 lines. Press on your profile image and it will open up to various options including bookings. Hope this helps for those that may have asked questions around booking and zoom link 🙂

I am loving the concept of liking and not liking. In today's somatic meditation with Alistair, I noticed relishing the feeling of dropping into my body - my body loves it when I take the time to drop in with a wide open awareness. It feels very healing and nurturing, especially when it is being guided by someone else who is holding the exploration space open for me - for some reason, I can relax into it more. I noticed sensations in my body that weren't totally pleasant and then from last week's meet I remembered: ah - I am not liking..! :) and I smiled at myself internally. I made my breath more gentle and the exploration more subtle to see if I could feel where the not liking was to what I was physically feeling in my body and I noticed it was a subtle feeling of contraction. At some point I dozed off and woke up groggy to the group chat at the end of the session feeling somewhat bewildered. I notice more "not liking" as I acknowledge my grogginess - and simply acknowledging it is enough to let the "not liking" and discomfort associated with it, lift somewhat. I am looking forward to joining more practises over the upcoming weeks and exploring mindfulness with an aim to be present and accepting day to day and turning towards what is.