In my weekly blog, Heather’s Musings, I write about what has been happening in my life and how I am applying my mindfulness, compassion and insight practice to it. The process of writing the blog is often an opportunity for me to gain more clarity and recognise what is happening and I find it highly beneficial. My wish is that it is also helps other meditation practitioners who are on a similar journey.
The opinions and beliefs that I express in this blog are my own and do not represent the opinion of the Mindfulness Association.
Equanimity is a wonderful gift that over the years has developed from my mindfulness, compassion and insight practice. It means that when the shit hits the fan, I am less likely to panic and am more able to accept the situation as it is and see what unfolds. This contrasts sharply with my…
I was delivering the first weekend of Level 1 Teaching Skills – Introductory Teaching Skills at Samye Ling at the weekend. I found myself in the tutorial group feeling the palpable anxiety of the group who were each delivering 3 minute extracts from the Mindfulness sitting practice of settling, grounding resting and support (SGRS). Although I…
As part of my usual morning routine of practice I picked out one of the compassion cards from Pema Chodron’s compassion box. This morning it was ‘Examine the nature of unborn awareness’. I then read and reflect on the relevant part of her book ‘Start Where You Are’. After my practice on alternate days I…
It is very exciting! Our Joyful Club membership weekend (6-8th July) and retreat (6-11th July) at Samye Ling Tibetan Centre is nearly here (For more details, click here). At the Mindfulness Association our heartfelt motivation is to nurture a community of mindfulness practitioners so that we can come together and support each other in…
I am on Holy Isle for the Year 2 & 3 year end retreat of the MSc: Studies in Mindfulness which we run in partnership with the University of Aberdeen. It has been another glorious week of sunshine and practice and we have taught two days of teaching skills and then three days finishing off…
The very first Mindfulness course Rob Nairn taught and which is the foundation of our Mindfulness Association Level 1 training began at Samye Ling 10 years ago on 26 May 2008! Choden was one of the tutors and I was one of the participants. The course was by invitation only, just for experienced practitioners (I…
I hope you all enjoyed a wonderful bank holiday weekend. We have had glorious weather here again in my part of Scotland and I am sitting in my garden being serenaded by birds. As part of the first UK Kagyu Monlam, I am still going to teachings at Samye Ling with Drupon Rinpoche each morning…
This week there is the first Kagyu Monlam (prayer festival) at Samye Ling. There are also morning and evening teachings by visiting Lama Drupon Rinpoche. So I am driving over to Samye Ling twice a day and working at home in between. Even though my days are quite hectic (although it’s just day two of…
I am just on the ferry to the mainland from Holy Isle off the Isle of Arran on the way back from the Year 1 year end retreat of the MSc: Studies in Mindfulness. It is a collaboration between the Mindfulness Association and the University of Aberdeen and this is the end of our 8th…