Spirituality | living in the question

Supporting my work – Julian Summerhayes

This is my main site. In time, I’ll update the content to reflect what I’m now doing and able to offer — both during the Covid19 pandemic and thereaf…

Beginner’s mind – Julian Summerhayes

“In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert’s there are few” ― Shunryu Suzuki, Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind: Informal Talks …

Workplace harmony – Julian Summerhayes

“We have the choice of two identities: the external mask which seems to be real…and the hidden, inner person who seems to us to be nothing, but who c…

Why are we here? – Julian Summerhayes

“Prefer to be defeated in the presence of the wise than to excel among fools.” ― Dogen Zenji I’ll keep this short. We consume more than we give. We h…

True self – Julian Summerhayes

“You do not need to know precisely what is happening, or exactly where it is all going. What you need is to recognize the possibilities and challenge…

Time to think – Julian Summerhayes

Imagine a place where you had time to think beyond life’s current vicissitudes. Sadly, too much else gets in the way. Perhaps you see it as a luxury …

Staying open to the moment – Julian Summerhayes

I know, it sounds so terribly contrived and not altogether a little woo-woo. But then again, do we have a choice? The moment that is. No. Now is now …

Sometimes – Julian Summerhayes

Sometimes there are no words. No feeling even. The world as we know it…is changing before our very eyes. Not incrementally but in a seismic way. And …

Small steps – Julian Summerhayes

Go big or go home. That’s the message of our time, surely. And look at the mess it’s caused. What if we were encouraged to leave a legacy that meant …

Making the most of life – Julian Summerhayes

“Wisdom is knowing I am nothing, Love is knowing I am everything, and between the two my life moves.” ― Nisargadatta Maharaj Do we ever make the most…

Love hurts – Julian Summerhayes

I wrote this last night. The title? It’s a Don McClean song (actually it was written by Boudleaux Bryant and first recorded by the Everly Brothers in…

Letting go – Julian Summerhayes

The world is awash in information but most of it — from my purview — adds f- all to what we already know. And we know, despite what we may think, one…

Finding peace – Julian Summerhayes

It’s not easy to be completely at one. Then again, the spiritual folk would say that that’s an oxymoron; namely, everything you seek you already are….

Connecting with life – Julian Summerhayes

In this week’s monologue I share a few more thoughts on true self. If you’re interested to know more about Zen Master Seung Sahn, here’s a wonderful …

Beyond imagination – Julian Summerhayes

“Imagination will often carry us to worlds that never were, but without it we go nowhere.” ― Carl Sagan Imagine a world: without hunger without greed…

Why are we here? – Julian Summerhayes

“The only way to find true happiness is to risk being completely cut open.” ― Chuck Palahniuk, Invisible Monsters We didn’t choose to be born. We arr…

Why are we here? – Julian Summerhayes

Nature doesn’t need us. We need it. Or rather we need the bits we can exploit. Forget all the ‘be all you can be’ crap for just one minute, and ask y…

Where did they go? – Julian Summerhayes

Silence is so accurate. ― Mark Rothko It may sound tautological, but we’re drowning in an absence of elders. I know they exist somewhere out there ac…

What’s wrong with now? – Julian Summerhayes

Everything it seems. Everything. If it were otherwise, we wouldn’t be seeking a better version of ourselves. Don’t tell me you think ‘me’ is in charg…

What is this? – Julian Summerhayes

It seems such a simple question but absent our conditioning, how would we know? And when I say conditioning, I include the fact that our supposed tho…

What do you think? – Julian Summerhayes

When it comes to praying in aid the words of other people — Gurus et al. — I’m as guilty as the next person. In fact, it’s more than I can do not to …

We don’t need much – Julian Summerhayes

In the end, and not because I say so (god forbid), we don’t need much to be happy. Me: my family — especially the laughs, food and stories; music; ar…

Walking our own path – Julian Summerhayes

“It’s not what you look at that matters, it’s what you see.” ― Henry David Thoreau Which path are you walking? Yours, mine or you simply don’t know? …

True self – Julian Summerhayes

“No tears in the writer, no tears in the reader. No surprise in the writer, no surprise in the reader.” ― Robert Frost Life is life but sometimes it …