Requiem

In memory of Tim Hetherington. He was not a "saint", he’s not a “martyr”. As some, too many others. He was and is a great reporter. A Man.

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Sunday Blessed Sunday

One sunny Sunday morning in Bangkok. In Suan Rot Fai park, people are strolling, cycling and sitting on benches around a lake. A short distance away lies the bustle of one of Asia’s largest markets, Chatuchak. On the edge of the lake, a modern building extends its columns into the water. This is the headquarters of the Buddhadasa Indapanyo Archives (BIA), a Buddhist studies centre.
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It takes its name from Buddhadhasa Bhikkhu (1906-1993), monk (Bhikkhu) and “servant of Buddha” (Buddhadhasa), who was “a Buddhist thinker for the modern world”. The essence of his doctrine is the idea that the secular and the spiritual are not in fact separate entities; economics, politics and social life no longer go against ethics. The monk’s teachings are based on the study of other religious doctrines and on the avoidance of rituals and symbols, which are replaced by meditation, so that each individual can become conscious of being part of a single universe and therefore of the need to live in harmony with it.
BIA is not just a centre for study, but also a mental and spiritual gymnasium where the anapanasti meditation technique can be practised. Visitors can also do courses of yoga and Tai Chi or simply relax the body and mind overlooking the lake in large open spaces dotted with stone-shaped cushions.
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It’s a serene, soothing place with a simple, structural modernity. People need places like this. To switch off and get away from the harsh realities of life, even if only for a short while.

Strong Max by Mindfulness with Sound

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