It struck me, while watching the steam rise off my pan of hot water earlier, that the universe, in physical terms, behaves in the same way today as it did 4 billion years ago. Before life even existed in any conscious form. When the earth was busy shaping itself from its own internal pressures. Spewing out toxins and branding itself with molten rock. Change comes from within, and is nurtured from external sources...  

Early this morning I picked up a…

Some reflections on the journey from dysfunction to sobriety.

The Ego is formed in the early years, as a response to the realization that the world is not just solely about us. It serves to establish a balance between our base desires and impulses and helps us to conform to the dictates of society. As we begin to observe the vastness and complexity of society we adjust ourselves according to how we can fit into it. In my case, this was no less than an adjustment to already existing…

I had a bit of a rough night last night, which is not unusual, but in these current circumstances contributes more to the weirdness and difficulty of the lockdown than it does to a smooth adaptation. I have been in isolation, due to having some symptoms consistent with Coronavirus for nearly a week. I am asthmatic and have experienced some breathlessness so have taken the precautions laid out in the guidelines. This has been harder than I had imagined it would be. I feel as if…

Quote from Anthony De Mello:
“…in awareness you will understand that honour doesn’t mean a thing. It’s a social convention, that’s all. That’s why the mystics and the prophets didn’t bother one bit about it. Honour or disgrace meant nothing to them. They were living in another world, in the world of the awakened. Success or failure meant nothing to them. They had the attitude: “I’m an ass, you’re an ass, so where’s the problem?”

Namo Amida Bu( ;

I have recently been made aware of a practice known as Ho’ponopono. Ho’ponopono is an ancient Hawaiian healing practice, based on universal forgiveness, that was rediscovered and popularised in the 80s. A man called Joe Vitale(Hawaiian I think)  became enchanted by the practice after his daughter was healed from an…

Adjusting to the extreme contrast between India and England has been a truly enlightening experience for me and I will probably be processing it psychologically for quite a while to come! 

It is impossible not to be affected by the seething mass of raw energy that flows endlessly there, seemingly toward no apparent goal except pure survival. It often seemed like hell…

I found this in a book that I'm reading. It has challenged my current "understanding" of the Nembutsu. I tend to think of the name itself as salvation and the bridge to the Pure Land...

"...Nembutsu is not a means to gain salvation but a reflection of it. Shinran acknowledges there is nembutsu without true entrusting because he lived in an environment where nembutsu was recited for benefits and merit. By itself it cannot produce true entrusting. Nevertheless, they are inseparable as…

On Saturday evening our regular study group met on Skype where we looked at and discussed material from "No Abode", a beautiful book about the life of Ippen, ancient Japanese Purland master and "The Essential Shinran" which documents the life of Shinran Shonin, one of Honen's most famous disciples. We had a very stimulating discussion which I enjoyed greatly. We will be meeting again on Saturday 19th May at 9pm British time. Please feel free to contact me if you would like to join us.…

''The lotus does not grow in the solid ground of lofty plateaus, but in the muddy ponds of lowland marshes. This is an analogy meaning that foolish beings, while in the mud of blind passions, put forth the blossoms of the Buddha's perfect enlightenment; This indicates the inconceivable power of the Tathagata's universal Primal Vow.''

From ''The Essential Shinran.''

We had our regular skype study group on Saturday evening. Three people attended including myself and we studied some of Dharmavidya’s writings and had very helpful discussions about subjects such as Buddhist prayer, accepting death and being Human. The next group will be on Saturday the 25th at 9.30pm. This late time is due to the fact that some of our members are overseas in different time zones. if you would like to join us please email me adamdunsby@hotmail.com or skype me…

Found this on a Chogyam Trungpa video…

''The relationship between student and teacher is like a dance…

In relating with the teacher, your critical input and your surrendering work together. They’re not working against each other. The more input you get from the teacher and the phenomenal world and the more you develop, at the same time, the more you question. So there is a kind of dance taking place between the teacher and yourself. You are not particularly trying to switch off…

I sometimes can’t believe how defective I am!! Whilst despairing of myself the other day I remembered a Shinran teaching that I found some time ago. It really made me think and reinforced my resolve to practice.

It is a Pureland teaching about the depth of our sin preventing us from being genuinely good. Our efforts to be decent, caring beings are always based in and therefore contaminated by our self centredness, greed hatred and delusion. This is due to the…

• The power of intentions is a topic that comes up regularly for me and always provides me with food for thought. In a recent service I was struck by the gravity of the Bodhisattva vows that we sing as part of our liturgy. ”Innumerable…