Magazine A Solstice Celebration The Alchemy of Transformation Jun 16, 2024 The symbolism of the summer solstice points to our true nature. Extract | The Catalpa Bow: A Study of Shamanistic Practices in Japan... Book Extract Jun 18, 2023 When a Buddhist priest finds out that his kinsman has been reborn into an agonising hell, a yamabushi holds the key to helping his friend Curse of the Werewolf The Alchemy of Transformation Jan 22, 2023 Martin takes a look at how spiritual power can turn humans into monsters. Monkey | Chapter 15 Stories Retold: Journey to the West Jan 22, 2023 Everyone is blaming Monkey for their misfortune again but surely this time it isn’t his fault? Monkey | Chapter 14 Stories Retold: Journey to the West Jan 15, 2023 In this episode, the monk Tripitaka stumbles across a particular Monkey who has been trapped under a mountain… Monkey | Chapter 13 Stories Retold: Journey to the West Jan 8, 2023 In this episode the monk Tripitaka sets out on his long journey to retrieve the lost Buddhist texts but what will the naïve monk do when he comes face to face with the horrible dangers he was warned about? Monkey | Chapter 12 Stories Retold: Journey to the West Dec 23, 2022 In this chapter, the unfortunate couple Liu and his wife Blue lotus, who having being returned to the land of the living, finds that her soul has been placed in the recently deceased Princess Jade Bud's body. Monkey | Chapter 11 Stories Retold: Journey to the West Dec 17, 2022 In this Episode, the Emperor faces a trial by the Judges of Death for killing the Dragon King in his dream. Monkey | Chapter 10 Stories Retold: Journey to the West Dec 11, 2022 In this Episode, the Dragon King makes a bet with a fortune teller unaware that his bet is against Fate itself. Monkey | Chapter 9 Stories Retold: Journey to the West Dec 4, 2022 We take a break from the fantastical misadventures of Monkey to tell a story of love, betrayal and redemption. Monkey | Chapter 8 Stories Retold: Journey to the West Nov 20, 2022 Monkey has now been imprisoned under a mountain by the Buddha but a Bodhisattva who’s on a mission, may be able to get this monkey out of its cage. Extract | Joseph Campbell, Myths to Live By Book Extracts Nov 13, 2022 Religious scholar Joseph Campbell, on the power that myths have in shaping the individual and his or her place within society. Monkey | Chapter 7 Stories Retold: Journey to the West Nov 13, 2022 Although the God's have managed to capture Monkey but he has become so strong the Gods have no way of actually getting rid of him. With no one else left to turn to, the western Buddha is called. Monkey | Chapter 6 Journey to the West Retold Nov 5, 2022 With no one able to defeat the monkey king the great magician Erh-lang comes up with a cunning plan... Monkey | Chapter 5 Journey to the West Retold Oct 30, 2022 Monkey, now the Great Sage and Equal of Heaven, has become so powerful that even the emperor of heaven is scared of him, after all he’s still a monkey. Extract | The Shadow Book of Ji Yun - Imperial librarian and Investigator of... Book Extracts Oct 23, 2022 A strange dancing creature appears every night on a family's estate. Bewildered and afraid, the family investigates in this Book Extract. Monkey | Chapter 4 Journey to the West Retold Oct 23, 2022 In this Episode the Jade Emperor of heaven, the planet Venus and multi limbed transforming warriors all attempt to get the precocious monkey under control. Monkey | Chapter 3 Journey to the West Retold Oct 16, 2022 In this episode, Monkey ransoms one of the four dragons of creation and gets kidnapped and dragged down into the underworld. Monkey | Chapter 2 Journey to the West Retold Oct 1, 2022 Monkey learns the secrets of immortality from a Daoist mystic, but how long will his teacher’s patience last? Monkey | Chapter 1 Journey to the West Retold Sep 25, 2022 A precocious monkey seeks out the secrets to immortality in this retelling of the Chinese classic Journey to the West. Introduction to the Stories of Monkey | With illustrations by... Stories Retold Sep 17, 2022 Born from a rock, possessing magical powers to rival the Gods and imprisoned under a mountain by the Buddha, the Character of Monkey has been the subject of TV shows, films and Operas. The Water of Life The Alchemy of Transformation Sep 15, 2021 Martin examines the mythical imagery of water. From folk tales to Arthurian legends; we look at how water has been used to convey the mystical workings of the inner world, it’s powers for healing and what it can tell us about our own practice. A Plague on Both Your Houses The Alchemy of Transformation Apr 21, 2021 It has been over a year since the start of the COVID19 pandemic. At the time we published a series of articles around the spiritual implications of 'disease', 'contagion' and 'lockdown' exploring themes this time has evoked. As we now see light at the end of this tunnel and begin to... Epiphany: The Cult of the 3 Magi The Alchemy of Transformation Jan 6, 2021 The Feast of Epiphany in the Christian calendar celebrates the arrival of the 3 Kings to the nativity. The idea of the spiritual journey is also found in Buddhism, this article looks at some of the reasons why a person may undertake such a journey. William Blake and the Mind-made Worlds of Mahayana Buddhism The Alchemy of Transformation Dec 27, 2020 Parallels to the Yogacara teaching on 'Mind-only' or 'consciousness-only' as the basis of reality exist in the writings of William Blake as well as in some of the 'New Thought' movement; although directed to quite different ends. Images of Truth: Bodhisattva - Central Tibet 13th/early 14th century Nov 11, 2020 Tibet became a refuge for Tantric teachings once persecution took hold in India. Bodhisattvas came to represent the function of the Buddha nature in the world and devotional images began to be formed in this Himalayan kingdom. From Familiars to Zombies: The Horror of Bodily Invasion in Folklore and Films Oct 22, 2020 From the archive - The stronger the sense of a separate self, the greater the horror of bodily invasion. An Illustrated Jātaka:Mahāmora-jātaka (part 1) The Tale of the Golden Peacock illustrated by Roberta Mansell Oct 13, 2020 These tales tell of the previous births of Shakyamuni Buddha and appear throughout the scriptures. They tell how the Great Being (Bodhisattva), developed the virtues which in turn led to his final re-birth and attainment of Complete and Perfect Enlightenment. Series The Illustrated Jātakas or Stories of the Buddha's Former Births Illustrated by Roberta Mansell Oct 13, 2020 These stories tell the tales of how the Great Bodhisattva, who would one day become Shakyamuni Buddha, developed the virtues that would lead to his Complete and Perfect Enlightenment. Series The Zen Gateway Blog Dharma, Culture, Philosophy & Life-ways Sep 23, 2020 Here you will find blogs, curated videos and podcasts, books, musings and resources for new ways of living and relating in and through the world. Atlantis Aug 25, 2020 The myth of Atlantis, the city that sank beneath the waves, is a tale of pride before a fall. A civilisation that grew so strong that the gods feared them and destroyed the city overnight sending it to the bottom of the ocean that still bears its name. A Crooked Heart Misses the Target Jul 22, 2020 The contrasted effects of a calculating versus a non-grasping attitude are demonstrated in Eugen Herrigel’s book, Zen in the Art of Archery. Buddhism & Folklore - The Naive Heart Jul 22, 2020 We begin a series of articles looking at the transformative process of individual psychology through folk stories and look at how the motifs contained therein shed a light on those described by Buddhist practice formulae Spiritual Medicine Begins as Poison Jul 22, 2020 The restraint of behaviour whilst suffering out the energies of the passions in the body leads to a lasting change and old outmoded forms of behaviour are purged. The Blindness of the Calculating Self Jul 22, 2020 A classic motif that appears across folkloric stories can help us discover a more open way of being. The Stoppered Vessel Jul 22, 2020 The transformation of energies from poison to medicine takes place using containment a magical process that is mirrored in the uses of the magic vessel. Series The Alchemy of Transformation | Martin Goodson Jun 1, 2020 Martin Goodson takes a fascinating look at the parallels between western Alchemy and the Buddhist tradition. Topics AUDIO COURSES BLOG BOOK BOOK EXTRACTS BOOK REVIEWS BOOKS BUDDHISM AND THE ARTS DAILY LIFE PRACTICE EXERCISES IN MINDFULNESS FILM REVIEWS FOLKLORE IN LIGHT OF ASIA INTERVIEWS NEWS PEOPLE PSYCHOLOGY REVIEWS STORIES NEW! Dharma Centre We have just launched our online Dharma Centre. All are welcome... Join our Community! Donate The virtue of generosity, charity or giving. Your donations are welcomed. Learn more
