One of the good things about a commercial model for our Ashram was that it acted as a screen that separated the sincere seekers from the tyre kickers. I’m guessing 90% of people saw our old $3000+ price tag of a retreat and simply… disappeared. “Too expensive” “Not in my budget” Or maybe even… “what

In our online communication, we make big claims. “Life-changing”  “Transformative”  “A journey of rediscovery”  You may have thought we are exaggerating… or that we are sleazing onto you with hubris (or maybe that we are just a pack of wankers?!) We aren’t.  We know what we share works.  We’ve seen the tears, we read the emails,

In my gung-ho days of service in the military, we were always badgered with ‘the mission.’ Often, we were made to memorise the pithy one line mission statement. It even had a formula; Do xxx… by yyyy… in order to zzzz. Kill/capture the bad guy, by tomorrow evening, in order to save the hostage. I’m

There you are… finally aware of why you are suffering. A dot is joined. You have come to the realisation that an impression or imprint was left on you at an early age. It might be an early childhood trauma, or perhaps a more subtle experience like the example embodied by a parent. Oftentimes, we

Modern life is frantic (to say the least!) It can also get… a little dry. In your imagination I invite you to compare the continual stream of notifications and never ending daily tasks… with a simple agrarian life, tending to a field, just a few thousands of years ago. Which one is more peaceful?  What is

I didn’t set out on an overtly spiritual path through life. It was more like I bumbled my way upon it by chance (after hitting a place of despair and asking for help.) My first few months of ‘opening’ were characterised by confusion. One day I finally summoned the courage to enter a new-age book shop.

“Damn, I’ve done it again!” Falling into an old pattern is easy. Breaking them can feel hard. What I notice is an instant reaching for the whip of self-flagellation. “You didn’t do it right.” As a long time sufferer of a harsh inner critic, I have had to learn to be gentle on myself. And

Monday Meditation Musings #012 “When I have time, I’ll do all of the things I want to.”  “I’ll do what makes me happy… After I get this other more important thing done…” “One day…” What are the situations calling for your attention?  What screams out as THE most important thing for you right now? Each day is

So there you are, about to make a decision. But you are torn. Is it option one or option two? Do I go left, or right? Hidden behind rumination, is fear. Worry. A hypothetical sense of regret that, upon closer examination, doesn’t yet exist. “if I make the wrong decision, it will cause me to

Monday Meditation Musings “Surely life can be better than this?!” I have seen my share of crushing lows. There were days I simply didn’t want to go on… What are the questions you ask yourself when you are in the depths of your suffering? For me, the most hopeless is ‘why bother?’ I’ve always been the

A patch. A plot. A bit of dirt. The Earth. Home to billions of critters and creatures. What does ‘home’ mean to you? Is it tied to a physical place, or an inner feeling? Perhaps both. One may understand what home is by reflecting upon being away. When was the last time you felt like

Monday Meditation Musings #005 Losing your way. I’m sure we’ve all been there at some stage. We wake up and there is a sinking feeling of not being in the right place. This could be on the physical plane (gulp, where am I!), but more likely is in an interior realm, an inner sense of ‘hmmm,

Today is not just a normal full moon; it is Guru Poornima (Full moon in honour of all Gurus.) For those on a more traditional path of yoga, today is a day where we venerate and celebrate the Guru. In our polarised times, we have become a bit cynical. Many will hear the word Guru