Wise Attention Blog
Wise Attention includes 20 years of writing exploring what it means to practice Buddhism, mindfulness and ethics in the modern world. You’ll find reviews, talks, interviews, broadcasts and reflection on the arts as well as reflections on the Buddha and Buddhist teachings
Worldly Winds in the News
A man has risen to fame, riches and power, but things turn against him and he is facing disgrace. We must wait till the final act to discover if the fault’s his own or he’s a victim of injustice, but either is the material of tragedy. Strauss-Kahn, Gaddafi … This Thought for the Day reflects on the worldly winds as the news shows them blowing through the lives of those caught up in a maelstrom they never expected
Practising at Home
A reflection on practising at home, developing mindfulness in daily life and the influence of the worldly winds: praise and blame, gain and loss, pleasure and pain, fame and notoriety
Review: The Origin of Buddhist Meditation
What, if anything, do we ‘know’ about the Buddha? This recent book employs scholarly detective work to ‘prove’ that certain elements in the ancient Pali scriptures are true. It casts fresh light on the world the Buddha inhabited and the meditation practices he learned as a young man. More intriguing still, this suggests the changes he made when he came to teach meditation himself.
Thought for the Day Archive
Here is the text and audio of talks for Thought for the Day on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, where I have been the Buddhist contributor since 2006 commenting on the affairs of the day from the perspective of the Buddha’s teachings.
David Breuer Weil: Radical Visionary
David Breuer Weil is a powerful artistic presence: heir to London-based Jewish like Freud and Epstein. As a new book and exhibition showcase his work, I reflect on my own friendship with David and the significance of his monumental images
Research on Mindfulness & Meditation: Latest Findings
Around the world scientists are avidly researching the effects of mindfulness and meditation practice. The results are coming in and the are showing that they help you sleep better, avoid depression, make more rational decisions … and they change the shape of your brain. Here’s a roundup of important studies.
Understanding karma shows why we need justice for war crimes
Ratko Mladic is on trial for war crimes. Is this justice … or karma? This Thought for the Day talk explores the real meaning of karma and how this teaching fosters the ethical awareness we need to confront violence.
Rigid Beliefs Created the Economy Crashed. Now we need Buddhist Economics
The problems of the financial crisis stem from deep set beliefs. Try looking at money through a Buddhist lens … When Lehman Brothers Bank collapsed in October 2008, threatening to take the rest of the banking sector with it, Alan Greenspan, former Chairman of the US Federal Reserve, declared that he was “in a state of shock and disbelief”.
Review: An End to Suffering by Pankaj Mishra
A vivid account of the Buddha’s life and a vivid personal journey
Maha Ghosananda: an Appreciation
Maha Ghosananda escaped Cambodia’s Killing Fields and became an inspiring leader for his devastated country
Video: Seeking the Buddha in History
The Buddha of history is not the same as the archetypal Buddha, but we can come close to him through the words he left behind and though imagination. This was a keynote talk at the 2011 Triratna Buddhist Order Convention and reveals the Buddha to be a man of humour and intelligence with an uncanny gift for communication as well … and something more as well
As Riots Rage, an Act of Forgiveness
Thought for the Day. In the midst of the UK riots an act of forgiveness showed the way towards healing British society
Wise Decisions
How can we make wise decisions? Here’s the Buddha’s advice on how to ditch all the false authorities and doubtful reasoning that usually guide us and find a more authentic basis for deciding
Review of ‘Available Truth’ by Nyanasobhano
A collection of beautifully written reflections on Buddhism, nature and meditation by an American Buddhist monk
Buddhism in Pop Culture
Buddhism is in the ads, the movies and on TV. What’s happening and should we celebrate or despair? Surveying Buddhism in popular culture from Twin Peaks to the Golden Child, not forgetting the time the Dalai Lama edited Paris Vogue
About Wise Attention
Welcome to Wise Attention: exploring what it means to practice Buddhism, mindfulness and ethics in the modern world. You’ll find reviews, talks, Thought for the Day broadcasts, interviews and reflections on the arts and current events as well as background material to my book on the Buddha and discussions of mindfulness and Buddhism in the modern world.