This is The Observing I, a newsletter about my journey in self-discovery, spirituality, and trying to be a better human being. Too stream of consciousness for a traditional blog. Hopefully helping others on the same road.
As a therapist and a Buddhist, I’m fascinated by how our mind works and how it can go out of it’s way to completely ruin us. Since a kid, probably about 4 feet tall (I promise I’m a fair bit taller than that now), I’ve been fascinated by eastern philosophy and the different angle it has compared to the Christian religions that I grew up with.
Spending my primary education being taught by Catholic nuns, I was entirely confused by the contradiction between what I was being told about a compassionate god on the one hand, whilst being regularly reminded of how, even as children, we were sinful little shits that had to constantly repent.
I found by pure chance, or by a deeply serendipitous and orchestrated event, depending on your point of view, an old book on Hatha Yoga. At 10 years old, it blew my mind. What’s all this about self compassion and breathing and increasing your awareness? The nuns never mentioned this.
That book opened the door to a long term exploration of trying to understand myself. There have been peaks and troughs in my travels, and it is not an easy road to walk.
So here I am. Talking about my experience in the past and the present and probably the future. What I’ve learned. What’s worked. What hasn’t. All of it, in it’s beautiful and grimy glory.
What I want from all of this, ignoring “desire is the root of all suffering”, is to help those on the same road. Ask me questions. Challenge your perspective. Challenge my perspective.
At the end of it, I hope we’ll both come away a little better than when we came in.
Much love
David