Elementary

I reckon it is fast-approaching time to move on from mythic lands, and instead focus the next pieces on some more immediately obviously practical stuff. I have amassed a bit of a backlog there of things I would like to share, mainly as a result of cross-referencing my own experience with that of others, whoContinue reading “Elementary”

Hercules and the Mystery of the Disappearing Detective. And a Dog

Through a considerable effort of will and sacrifice, I have determined to try to wrap up my exploration of the relevance of classic myth and story to our personal journeys out of our destructive habits of body and mind. For the time being at least – I am certainly not swearing that I will notContinue reading “Hercules and the Mystery of the Disappearing Detective. And a Dog”

(S)crappy New Year – a seasonal sermon

Well, I enjoyed my Christmas Eve foray into vicaring and sermonising so much, that I think I’ll do it again. Blessings and compliments of the season to you. I’m saying “the season” rather than “Happy New Year”, because this time of year has always seemed more like a trajectory to me, than a series ofContinue reading “(S)crappy New Year – a seasonal sermon”

Peas be with You

As a reverend gentleman of the cloth hailing from the leafy and undramatic Home Counties of England [non-Brits, think: “The Shire”], in an unscheduled departure from usual programming, I have decided to exercise for the first time, my God & Queen-given right to compose a cozy Christmas homily. Were I to do this in lineContinue reading “Peas be with You”

More Fun Than a Treefull of Monkeys

I devoted much of the previous post to underlining the rather large amount of failure, destruction, and death that attend a problem like chronic addiction, and then enumerating and discussing some powerful forces which are aligned against us when we embark on a quest for freedom. Things with catchy names like “despair”, and “self-pity”. SoContinue reading “More Fun Than a Treefull of Monkeys”

Tree – mend us

So, it took me nearly 6 months of procrastination deep reflection and research to come up with the last blog post, in which I then rashly gave myself a fortnight to come up with this one. I have decided that deadlines and structures are good for me (much as I resist them), while “getting aroundContinue reading “Tree – mend us”

The Devil made me do it…

Hello! So, after a hiatus of several months, I’m back on the blog. Why? When I first put these pieces up online, in early 2021, my initial motivation was: After nearly a year of travel restrictions, we had seen hardly any non-Thai patients at the detox in Thamkrabok monastery. Speaking to old friends back inContinue reading “The Devil made me do it…”

Ask a Philostipher (again) ‘n See What He’s Saying Now

Part V, second instalment: nb: If you’re newly arrived here, this won’t make a lot of sense without reading the previous article. If you have read that, a quick up-to-speed reminder: we were discussing what interposes itself between a person’s stated beliefs and values (armchair/”bloodless” philosophy) and what actually happens, or even what is perceived.Continue reading “Ask a Philostipher (again) ‘n See What He’s Saying Now”