Hello everyone, just to let you know that I'm off on retreat to Holy Island for the next two weeks. So please do welcome anyone who joins and re-assure them that I'll be more present after the 11th July! Sending you lots of Island blessing!

Teri asked a question on Monday which chimed with my thinking about what meditation permits. Worth a listen: https://share.descript.com/view/U65ycpFJlj1

We had a good discussion in our last Thursday morning session before my trip to Nepal, which also brought to a close the cycle of teaching on vipassana-shamata: https://share.descript.com/view/vgJFxv1eSdV

I'm so delighted to have been invited along with my friends Kai and Shokti to look after the Queer Dome at this year's Buddhafields festival in July. We are creating a safe and welcoming LGBTQI+ space to meditate, chat, hang-out and make friends in the middle of this great Dharma-inspired festival - the "Buddhist Glastonbury". As part of the offering we're going to be hosting some workshops showcasing queer dharma teachers, practioners and thinkers. So I'm reaching out to this lovely community to ask if. you can think of anyone in the UK who might be a good fit for this? Sadly, we don't have the funds to fly people over from around the world, so it's folk in the UK or who are already visiting the UK this July. Put your rainbow-coloured thinking caps on please! All suggestions in the comments below - preferably with a contact/website as well. We're looking for the whole spectrum of queer spirituality - trans, bi, gay, lesbian, POC, the disabled community. Anyone who fits into the rainbow!

I couldn't have received a better Mothers Day present than this beautiful garden ornament. My daughter knows how much my garden and my meditation mean to me , so thoughtful. The tranquil expression on his face is wonderful. I hope to find him an equally tranquil space for him to rest in little garden.♥️🙏

https://share.descript.com/view/DHACn8PIgax

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE! I have written and spoken a lot about how the News Industry does not mirror reality and that one of its main drivers is to make people anxious and watch more news. This is why I am an avid support of Reasons to Be Cheerful and Positive News, two excellent outlets of what has been going right. So please take a moment to look at the Positive News' round up of 2024. Not to make us complacent - but certainly to give us hope! https://www.positive.news/society/what-went-right-in-2024-the-good-news-that-mattered/

Just a few shots of the incredible beauty of the Trees for Life Rewilding Centre in Dundreggan where we’re about to start our 7-Day Retreat exploring change. It’s a wonderful spot for practice and very comfortable. I slept for 10 hours last night!

https://share.descript.com/view/ra4Uw5JyuDF

I was filming in France, for escape to the country, and discovered – to my delight – thatI was filming in France for "Escaoe" and discovered- to my delight - that our hotel was only 10 minutes drive from Plum Village, the Zen Buddhist community set up by Thich Nhat Hanh. And I manage to visit for an hour or two. The little French "hamlet" was overflowing with visitors on Bastille Day but what a serene and illuminating place. And I could feel Thây's presence in every spot. Especially the bamboo grove and the exquisite lotus pond. To be in a place overflowing with Dharma was magical.

My BBC colleague Ben picked a fabulously sunny day to visit Holy Isle and meet Zangpo and crew. The Island looks stunning of course. I hope it inspires lots of people to make the journey! The island part starts at 33'. https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m001rmhk(https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m001rmhk)