Have you ever sat down to write and found that your mind has gone totally blank? Or you know what you want to say, but there are so many words bouncing around inside your head that you don’t know where to start? If I try to write without focusing it’s like stepping into an echo… Continue reading Free Your Pen: Mind Training for Writers
The writing of Free Your Pen was a long a convoluted journey and for a while I thought the book would never be finished. I had wanted to write it for years, but life had other ideas, as life usually does… The book is about how you can release yourself from the blocks that stop… Continue reading Abandon Hope and Other Crazy Advice for Writer’s Block
Don’t expect applause is about not expecting recognition or applause for the things you do. The original slogan is the same and it encourages you to let go of attachment to the outcome, in a similar way to slogan 28. Nobody in their right mind expects applause for practising mind training and meditation. You know… Continue reading Slogan 59: Don’t Expect Applause
Don’t be frivolous is about finding the right balance between joy and seriousness, and focusing on the things that really matter to you. The original lojong slogan is the same, and on face value, seems to be telling you to not have any fun. But thankfully, there’s more to it than that. This slogan is… Continue reading Slogan 58: Don’t Be Frivolous
Don’t be jealous is about remembering not to be jealous of others. The original slogan is the same and it encourages you to pay attention to how you compare yourself with others, especially when you feel insecure. Jealousy comes from a feeling of not having enough or not being good enough. The more you notice… Continue reading Slogan 57: Don’t Be Jealous
Don’t wallow is about not letting your darker feelings drag you under, especially when things don’t go your way or your meditation practice becomes more challenging. The original lojong slogan is: Don’t wallow in self-pity, which reminds you not to feel sorry for yourself, no matter what you’re going through. If you’ve been examining and… Continue reading Slogan 56: Don’t Wallow
Examine and analyse is about examining how you’re doing with your mind training and analysing how you can continue to improve. The original lojong slogan is: Liberate yourself by examining and analysing, and it turns the previous slogan on its head. Instead of dissolving your problems by opening your heart, this slogan asks you to… Continue reading Slogan 55: Examine and Analyse
Be wholehearted is about overcoming your defences and making a commitment to practice mind training wholeheartedly. The original lojong slogan is: Train wholeheartedly, which means you don’t hold back or avoid feelings or experiences that make you uncomfortable. When you commit to training your mind, you can’t make excuses or look for ways to avoid… Continue reading Slogan 54: Be Wholehearted
