Dharma Reflections

In March, 2014, I posted a blog expressing concern about the very high fees that Eckhart Tolle charges to attend one of his public talks, workshops or retreats. …

Ekhart Tolle, Money and Kindergarten Spirituality. A response to emailsRead More »

Why go on an insight meditation (vipassana) retreat?

What are the benefits?

I received an email from a student of journalism asking me two questions about insight meditation retreats. Based in Sydney, Australia, the student wrote that she was preparing a feature article on meditation. …

Why go on an insight meditation (vipassana) retreat? What are the benefits?Read More »

“We have no choice” generally means “We don’t have the wisdom to act differently”. Most wars, including this one, are fought because of fear, insecurity, anger or revenge. But these are individual and national emotions, often stoked up by media and political leaders. The emotions create a national blindness, in which neighbours become demonised and labelled as ‘the enemy’. …

Do We Really “Have No Choice”? From Dr. Stephen Fulder, a senior Dharma teacher in IsraelRead More »

Sixteen Brahmins come to the Buddha with Questions.

How would you respond to such profound questions?

After I spent three years (early 1970’s) as a Buddhist monk in a Vipassana monastery near the city of Nakornsridhammaraj (City of the Kings of Dharma) in southern Thailand, I left to spend nine months in a cave on Ko Pha Nga island. Our teacher, Ajahn Dhammadharo rejected reading as a distraction to practice throughout the day from 4 am with the loud morning gong to 22.00, seven days a week. …

16 Brahmins come to the Buddha with Questions. How would you respond to such profound questions?Read More »