Reflections

If you're anything like me, the year's end carries mixed emotions. There's the good stuff, food, booze, family & friends.

God, I hated when people said that to me. My truth. My authentic self. I've been searching all my life for my authentic self. And I've been doing it authentically. Obviously.

For anyone navigating a midlife transition, this short story from Kahil Gibran may well resonate.

I've always loved this quote from Ray Bradbury, and I find it particularly poignant when thinking about midlife transitions and endings.

Many of the people who come on our Laughingheart retreats aren't looking to change something, they're looking to transition.

I used to see responsibility as something heavy—a burden I wanted to avoid. It felt restrictive, like it took away my freedom.

In a world where everyone is talking about AI, maybe humour is our last hope.

The Japanese character for freedom is built from two characters Kanji: Ji (oneself) and Kan (cause).

"I have no regrets." That was my motto. After all, you can’t change the past, can you? So why regret it?

I’ve always loved this quote from the pre-Socratic Greek philosopher Heraclitus, but it was only last weekend that its meaning became viscerally clear to me.

Any moment might be our last. Everything is more beautiful because we're doomed.

This doesn’t just apply to celebrating achievements. It’s just as true when receiving something positive.

I was jealous. I wanted to be him. Seemed so bloody cool!

Many years ago a wrote a note on a piece of paper. It said one day I will build a retreat on an island.

There are so many metaphors and interpretations of Homers Odyssey. It is probably one of the multitude of reasons why it has stood the test of time.

When I lived in Hong Kong I used to love Chinese new year. Apart from the long break and the good food and celebrations it also felt like a second chance to get clear on my intentions for the coming year.

Last week a dream became a reality. 11 beautiful people descended on the island of Aegina for our first LaughingHeart retreat, "the Odyssey of Intent".

In April 2019 I walked the 800km pilgrimage of the Camino de Santiago.

If we want a whole man – and to me a whole man is the only holy man – then Zorba has to be absorbed into Buddha.

When it comes to living the good life, we almost all have a certain idea how such a life should look like.

In the port of Aegina there is a huge derelict building next to the town carpark. It must be 400 meters in length, built of stone and with bars on most of the windows. Above the main entrance, that is no longer in use, are written the words "orfanotrofeío", the Greek word for Orphanage.