SPIRITUALITY
-
Remembering Pandit Nikhil Banerjee: Pioneer of the sitar
Although he is not as well known in the western world as Ravi Shankar, any Kolkata citizen will know the name of Pandit Nikhil Banerjee and his legendary status in Hindustani classical music. As I write this piece, in a few hours, 27th January 2014 will mark his 28th death anniversary.
-
My religion is: What suits me
“What religion are you?” a man on the high street asks me, whilst holding a wad of leaflets promoting Islam. “I don’t belong to any religion,” I reply.
-
Never ask a child what they want to be when they grow up
“Where has the year gone?!” exclaim many of us, as Christmas decorations twinkle at us from high street shop windows (okay, they’ve actually been there since August) and we start reflecting on 10 fleeting months. But for many people, especially university and college students, this is just the beginning of the rest of their lives.…
-
Dalai Lama at the University of Westminster, London
There are many people who are able to draw and hold attention, but very few that can also command peace. The moment the jovial Dalai Lama stepped onto the modest stage at the University of Westminster in London, the entire audience sighed with joy and then silence fell on us all.
-
Who would you be with right now?
If you could be with anyone, anywhere right this moment, who and where would you choose? Maybe you would pick a celebrity you have always admired, or maybe the face of a loved one, past or present, springs to mind. After still reeling from the effects of the Sit in Peace mass meditation event in…
-
Falun Gong: Peace or pandemonium?
The Falun Gong 24-hour peaceful protest has continued for almost 13 years outside the Chinese Embassy in London.
-
Thich Nhat Hanh: “Life is available only in the present moment”
Whilst romantic couples exchange roses and gifts in the hub of Piccadilly Circus, another group of people celebrate Valentine’s Day with a different display of affection.
-
Why should we know Thich Nhat Hanh?
“I do not personally know of anyone more worthy of the Nobel Peace Prize than this gentle Buddhist monk from Vietnam,” said Martin Luther King, Jr speaking of Thich Nhat Hanh, the most influential Zen Buddhist of our time, alongside the Dalai Lama.
-
Misunderstanding understanding
AS WE BEGIN the first day of 2012, the year just gone isn’t that easy to let lie. Among the highs and lows of the Royal Wedding, Europe’s debt crisis and the host of natural disasters, ordinary civilians across the world took a dramatic stand for their human rights.
-
Writer’s Blank: The relationship between meditation and writing
WRITER’S BLOCK IS A condition that can become a frustrating obstacle for anyone who attempts to write. In fact, many writers have been known to abandon their craft for years, or even put an end to their careers altogether.
Monica Sarkar 