Language is a living, evolving entity, but doesn’t it need nurturing and protection like any other living thing? We seek to preserve species, geographical sites and places of historical interest – what about the tools with which we convey our deepest instincts, fears and truths – the essence of what it is to be human? Continue reading
Problems occur when we attach too much importance to mental commentary. We treat a stream of ideas as fact, and they crystallize into negative thoughts that become difficult to step back from. This session looks at ways of having a different relationship with our thoughts – how we can observe them from a distance and learn from them… Continue reading
As Raheel welcomed the audience and the cameras clicked and flashed, I glanced around the auditorium; half an hour in people continued to arrive. There were no hijabs or “Islamic” beards, no segregated seating… Continue reading
As Malala Yousefzai lies in a Pakistani hospital recovering from a gunshot to the head, the Taliban have once again grabbed the headlines.But who are they? Once we start down the road of believing extremism to be a more devout form of Islam where does that leave the peaceful Muslim majority? Where does that leave Malala? Continue reading
Next time I find myself exasperated on a Toronto sidewalk with moaning children and and an absent sense of direction, I’ll try to remember the beauty that surrounds me when viewed from a different angle and remind myself that I’m one small part of a living, breathing bigger picture… Continue reading
Today T brought a Unity button home from school. The button (or badge as we call them in Britain) is a circle divided into black, white, red and yellow quarters. It’s a reminder of the teachings related to the Medicine Wheel… Continue reading
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