Sunday evening and I’m taking the snaps off my camera. It has been dark and I’ve been hold up writing software for my Ten Breaths Map project so there are only three shots I like but by chance there is a strong connection between the photos and the project I dedicated…
Category: Misc
The ‘other’ always needed in any classification.
A future without species: The acme of my FameLab career
Today I gave my three minute presentation in the FameLab Scottish Final at the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh having got through the Edinburgh heat. Needless to say I didn’t win. But reflecting on the whole experience I think it was very worthwhile. Even after treating myself to sticky…
The New Wild : Garden Earth
Way back in the 1980s I worked as a young researcher for Prof David Moore at Reading University on a popular book called Plant Life (OUP 1991) which I believe was also published by Equinox Books under the title Garden Earth – although I struggle to find much reference to this version on the web. Perhaps Garden…
Hedonic Treadmill: Are there just Happy People and Sad People?
In searching around for a subject to talk on at FameLab Scotland in January I stumbled across the fact that I had possibly been misusing a very basic psychological term. I have often referred to the Hedonic Treadmill to illustrate the tendency we all have to seek happiness by acquiring…
FameLab – First Talk
A few weeks back Edinburgh Beltane Public Engagement Network offered a free day of presentation skills training with Mel Sherwood. When I say free I mean it was free to participants in FameLab UK. Yes there was lunch and yes it was notionally a “free lunch” so I should have been a…
Botanic Cottage: Sutherland
Over the last year my main project has been photographing the people involved in reconstructing the Botanic Cottage. This is Sutherland who is the organiser of community stuff associated with the cottage and also the catalyst for me making the photographs. I’m getting close to finishing photographing people but still not sure…
First of the Five Mindfulness Trainings
This is me starting to record the Mindfulness Trainings. I’m doing this so I have it as a resource but also to learn about recording speech and using my voice effectively. listen to ‘First of the Five Mindfulness Trainings’ on audioBoom
My Political Position
I feel comfortable close to Gandhi. Try the test yourself at the Political Compass Site. The same site shows just how little choice there is in UK politics at the upcoming general election. The SNP are still left of centre – but only just. Naturally I should be voting Green…
Grown men love bears too
A couple of years ago I bought a £1 bear from Ikea and made him some clothes. Occasionally I like to do this kind thing. It is comforting. He is the bear on the right. I thought he was lonely and bought him a wife. But she was naked for…
The Fourteenth of the Fourteen Mindfulness Trainings: True Love
This is the Fourteenth of the Fourteen Mindfulness Trainings of the Order of Interbeing: Lay members may not be celibate whereas monastics members are and so there are two versions of this training. For lay members: Aware that sexual desire is not love and that sexual relations motivated by craving cannot…
The Thirteenth of the Fourteen Mindfulness Trainings: Generosity
This is the Thirteenth of the Fourteen Mindfulness Trainings of the Order of Interbeing: Aware of the suffering caused by exploitation, social injustice, stealing, and oppression, we are committed to cultivating generosity in our way of thinking, speaking, and acting. We will practice loving kindness by working for the happiness of…
The Twelfth of the Fourteen Mindfulness Trainings: Reverence for Life
This is the Twelfth of the Fourteen Mindfulness Trainings of the Order of Interbeing: Aware that much suffering is caused by war and conflict, we are determined to cultivate nonviolence, compassion, and the insight of interbeing in our daily lives and promote peace education, mindful mediation, and reconciliation within families,…
The Tenth of the Fourteen Mindfulness Trainings: Protecting and Nourishing the Sangha
This is the Tenth of the Fourteen Mindfulness Trainings of the Order of Interbeing: Aware that the essence and aim of a Sangha is the realization of understanding and compassion, we are determined not to use the Buddhist community for personal power or profit, or transform our community into a political…
The Ninth of the Fourteen Mindfulness Trainings: Truthful and Loving Speech
This is the Ninth of the Fourteen Mindfulness Trainings of the Order of Interbeing: Aware that words can create happiness or suffering, we are committed to learning to speak truthfully, lovingly and constructively. We will use only words that inspire joy, confidence and hope as well as promote reconciliation and peace…
The Eighth of the Fourteen Mindfulness Trainings: True Community and Communication
This is the Eighth of the Fourteen Mindfulness Trainings of the Order of Interbeing: Aware that lack of communication always brings separation and suffering, we are committed to training ourselves in the practice of compassionate listening and loving speech. Knowing that true community is rooted in inclusiveness and in the concrete…
The Seventh of the Fourteen Mindfulness Trainings: Dwelling Happily in the Present Moment
This is the Seventh of the Fourteen Mindfulness Trainings of the Order of Interbeing: Aware that life is available only in the present moment, we are committed to training ourselves to live deeply each moment of daily life. We will try not to lose ourselves in dispersion or be carried away…
The Sixth of the Fourteen Mindfulness Trainings: Taking Care of Anger
This is the Sixth of the Fourteen Mindfulness Trainings of the Order of Interbeing: Aware that anger blocks communication and creates suffering, we are committed to taking care of the energy of anger when it arises, and to recognizing and transforming the seeds of anger that lie deep in our consciousness….
The Fifth of the Fourteen Mindfulness Trainings: Compassionate, Healthy Living
This is the Fifth of the Fourteen Mindfulness Trainings of the Order of Interbeing: Aware that true happiness is rooted in peace, solidity, freedom, and compassion, we are determined not to accumulate wealth while millions are hungry and dying nor to take as the aim of our life fame, power, wealth,…
The Fourth of the Fourteen Mindfulness Trainings: Awareness of Suffering
This is the Fourth of the Fourteen Mindfulness Trainings of the Order of Interbeing: Aware that looking deeply at the nature of suffering can help us develop understanding and compassion, we are determined to come home to ourselves, to recognize, accept, embrace and listen to suffering with the energy of mindfulness….
The Third of the Fourteen Mindfulness Trainings: Freedom of Thought
This is the Third of the Fourteen Mindfulness Trainings of the Order of Interbeing: Aware of the suffering brought about when we impose our views on others, we are determined not to force others, even our children, by any means whatsoever – such as authority, threat, money, propaganda, or indoctrination –…
Interbeing: Fourteen Guidelines for Engaged Buddhism
The Order of Interbeing ( Tiếp Hiện (接现) Order) was founded in the mid 1960’s, in Vietnam, by Thich Nhat Hanh (a.k.a. Thay). The basis of the Order are the Fourteen Mindfulness Trainings which lay out the core principles for lay and monastic life. In 1987 Thay published a thin volume…
The Second of the Fourteen Mindfulness Trainings: Non-Attachement to Views
This is the Second of the Fourteen Mindfulness Trainings of the Order of Interbeing: Aware of the suffering created by attachment to views and wrong perceptions, we are determined to avoid being narrow-minded and bound to present views. We are committed to learning and practicing non-attachment to views and being…
Eleventh Mindfulness Training: Right Livelihood
This is the eleventh of the Fourteen Mindfulness Trainings of the Order of Interbeing: Aware that great violence and injustice have been done to our environment and society, we are committed not to live with a vocation that is harmful to humans and nature. We will do our best to…
Why I am voting Yes in the Scottish Independence Referendum
This is by way of a note to self. I’ll look back on it as a told-you-so in some form. Maybe with regrets maybe not. This is why I am voting Yes. 1) Trident Nuclear Missiles: I am ideologically opposed to renewing our nuclear weapons system. I don’t think it…
My Organic Rant
I put a comment (née rant) on Google+ in response to Tim Osmar posting this image in the context of Monsanto. My comment is actually on a private repost of the original post so you can’t see it unless you …. um … that it too complicated to work out…
My J.R. Hartley Moment
Back in 1995 (nearly 20 years ago) I published a book with Richard Pankhurst. It was actually a dictionary but that doesn’t stop me talking about “my book” as if it were a novel when it is appropriate for bragging purposes. Sadly Richard died last year but I think he…
Moon from living room window
Stuck inside today but snapped this using my 110mm cassegrain reflector and Fujifilm X-M1 through open living room window in the centre of Edinburgh. I could see the waves of warm air rippling the image but I wanted to see if I could combine the camera and telescope and they…
The Fourteen Mindfulness Trainings
Since I am now an aspirant to be ordained as a lay member of the Order of Interbeing I have decided to try and focus my blogging around the Fourteen Mindfulness Trainings of the order. The Fourteen Mindfulness Trainings are the very essence of the Order of Interbeing. They are…
100 Portraits: Phil
I caught Phil collecting plants in the garden. He is a very smiley guy so it was tough getting one which was a little more revealing. I did a straight mug shot that I liked as well but this was my favourite for the collection.