Mindfulness in the Pyrenees

21/05/2024

- Yesterday the International Court of Justice called for the arrest of Netanyahu and the leaders of Hamas for war crimes... Joe Biden was outraged, Netanyahu disgusted - which is kind of hilarious - they agree with court only when it suits them.
- So I went to Stand for Peace in la Place Capitole, as usual, between 12h and 13h. I took my posture, focused on my breathing, and practiced the Spectacular art of doing nothing for 10 minutes (thank you Martin Aylward for that this morning!).
- Then people started stopping, staring, taking photos, coming up to chat.
- I met Surya from India, A Kurdish man, some Spanish tourists, some young students....
- I realised that nearly all humans are Peace lovers. But we take it for granted. Of course all these people are happy that at the moment here in France for example we live in relative peace. But if it's taken away how we would miss it and yearn for the days of peace to come back. Much like our ability to walk, see, hear, we would only miss these incredible faculties if they were taken away.
- There really is no excuse to do nothing in a time of literal genocide.
- My last day of this action will be the 26th June which is the day my daughter Dixie Lu does her final exam at school here in Toulouse. This adventure will come to an end.
- Come Stand for Peace with me tomorrow in la Place Capitole, 12h - 13h.
LOVE AND PEACE for all.

08/05/2024

The last words of Gautama the Buddha on the earth were:
Be a light unto yourself.
Do not follow others, do not imitate, because imitation, following, creates stupidity.
You are born with a tremendous possibility of intelligence. You are born with a light within you.
Listen to the still, small voice within, and that will guide you. Nobody else can guide you, nobody else can become a model for your life, because you are unique. Nobody has there been ever who was exactly like you, and nobody is ever going to be there again who will be exactly like you.
This is your glory, your grandeur -- that you are utterly irreplaceable, that you are just yourself and nobody else.

09/01/2024

(ENGLISH BELOW)

Je me suis rendu compte que cette "Debout pour la paix" est aussi une sorte de 'performance de rue', c'est pourquoi j'ai porté aujourd'hui ma soutane de prêtre pour la 1ère fois. Je me suis tenu plus ou moins au milieu de la Place Capitole et j'ai eu des interactions formidables, notamment un 'group hug' avec des étudiants. Une femme m'a dit que ce que je faisais était comme une goutte d'eau, mais que l'océan était fait de gouttes d'eau. J'ai rencontré un journaliste photographe (qui a pris cette photo) et une foule d'autres personnes - certaines curieuses, d'autres désespérées de faire quelque chose pour la paix.
Demain, je suis en studio d'enregistrement et la prochaine "Debout pour la paix" aura lieu le jeudi 11/01/24 au centre de la Place Capitole. Cela fait maintenant partie de ma routine quotidienne ❤🙏☮️

I realised that this 'Standing for Peace' is also a kind of street performance so today I wore my priest's cassock for the first time - I realised I need to up my game! I stood more or less in the middle of la Place Capitole and had some great interactions including a group hug with a bunch of students. One woman said what I was doing was like a drop - but that the ocean is made of drops. I met a photo journalist (who took this photo), and a host of other people - some curious, some desperate to do something for peace.
Tomorrow I'm in the recording studio so the next 'Standing for Peace' will be Thursday 11/01/24 in the centre of Place Capitole. It's part of my daily routine now ❤🙏☮️

23/12/2023

May you have a canvatastic Crimble 🙏
Bonne fêtes à tous ! 🙏

After Xmas I'll be back Standing for Peace in the middle of the magnificent Place de Capitole ❤

Après Noël, je serai de retour Standing for Peace au milieu de la magnifique place du Capitole ❤

19/12/2023

(FRANÇAIS EN BAS)

Today Standing for Peace in the cold I practiced the art of being ignored for long periods - interestingly (ironically?) the closer we get to 'Christmas' the less time people have to contemplate or discuss peace. Then suddenly there was a rush of people - mainly women - who took flyer, gave me the thumbs up, whispered 'Je suis avec vous', stopped to chat even. I met guy called Antoine who is training to be an MBSR meditation teacher who agreed that there is a great need to cultivate interior peace: as the Dalai Lama said “Only through compassion and inner peace, can one spread peace in the world". Then I met an Irishman who speaks English with a French accent and is president of the Peace Foundation in Toulouse (definitely need to check him and that out !).
Then I went to record 3 songs in a recording studio by the Place Capitole with a lovely fella called Damien.
Tomorrow I go to Collioure near Perpignan to play a show on Thursday morning, so will next Stand for Peace Friday 22/12 from 12h to 13h.
STOP THE GENOCIDE.
PEACE.
❤

Aujourd'hui, en me tenant debout pour la paix dans le froid, j'ai pratiqué l'art d'être ignoré pendant de longues périodes - il est intéressant (ironique ?) de constater que plus nous nous rapprochons de "Noël", moins les gens ont le temps d'envisager ou de discuter de la paix. Puis, soudain, il y a eu une ruée de gens - principalement des femmes - qui ont pris le flyer, m'ont levé le pouce, ont chuchoté "Je suis avec vous", se sont même arrêtés pour discuter. J'ai rencontré un certain Antoine, qui suit une formation pour devenir prof de méditation MBSR. Il est d'accord pour dire qu'il y a un grand besoin de cultiver la paix intérieure : comme l'a dit le Dalaï Lama, "ce n'est que par la compassion et la paix intérieure que l'on peut répandre la paix dans le monde". J'ai ensuite rencontré un Irlandais qui parle anglais avec un accent français et qui est président de la Fondation pour la paix à Toulouse (il faut absolument que je l'appelle !).
J'ai ensuite enregistré trois chansons dans un studio d'enregistrement près de la place du Capitole avec un mec charmant qui s'appelle Damien.
Demain, je vais à Collioure près de Perpignan pour jouer un spectacle le jeudi matin, donc le prochain Stand for Peace aura lieu le vendredi 22/12 de 12h à 13h.
ARRÊTEZ LE GÉNOCIDE.
PAIX.
❤

15/08/2023

"Tension is you think you should be. Relaxation is who you are"
Old Chinese proverb.

05/03/2023

25/01/2023

Some places still available both the weeks of our Mindful Pilgrimage in France: the weeks of 14 - 21 May and 21 - 28 May.
See www.mindfulpilgrimage.fr for more details.