L E T T E R from Jo – Note To Self
I know that change is happening always, it’s the only constant. I believe this, I feel it to be true […]
I know that change is happening always, it’s the only constant. I believe this, I feel it to be true […]
‘Misogi’ is a Japanese term meaning ‘eliminating the non essential’. Editing out what’s not important or relevant anymore. In the […]
In truth, this has been a really vulnerable time for me, I’ve shared more than before, heart of my sleeve, […]
The feeling of getting out of government quarantine was truly something else. I have truly realised how relative time is […]
Hands up who wants resilience? Hands up who also would prefer to not do the dirty work to get it? Resilience […]
We’ve all seen the illustration, the circle of comfort and the arrow of growth well outside and it’s likely we […]
I have found that trusting the universe is an easier task when things are ‘going my way’. I delight in […]
I thought I would share some of the beauty in what I am learning personally, and what I am learning […]
It’s interesting, I love to learn. I love the possibilities, the fresh thinking that stretch the boundaries of my mind […]
The Mother, Aurobindo’s teaching partner teaches beautifully on despair and it has been something I have really learnt into. Her […]
In a 1979 lecture by Ram Dass he says, ‘Just look at your life and think how many preferences you […]
One of our students forwarded this Letter that I wrote back in December of last year and I thought that […]
We all have teachers in our lives, that have helped us, taught us. It’s what I do for my living, […]
Trauma is such an interesting experience, the brain seeming to be sliced into multiple parts. You can go through the […]
Yes, we have power, always. Never forget this, ever. I do. Often and I need reminding again, often. I temporarily […]
I was in a situation recently where someone didn’t like what was being shared and even though there was compelling […]
Isn’t it an amazing time? In the thick of all the awfulness – all the paradigms and societal beliefs we […]
Have you noticed a truly sharp difference in how you consume and what you consume once in quarantine? Is it […]
There is a Jewish story, that is also told in many traditions with varying tones. The essence of it is […]
At the moment I can feel myself firming up, more grounded every day. Becoming stronger, more resilient, and I can […]
I woke up yesterday, and for a brief moment, forgot all that had been happening. I stretched, I listened to […]
When everyone around us is either panicking, or dismissing heavily everyone that is panicking, it’s hard to stay on solid […]
Once upon a time, I was all about collecting knowledge, being smart, knowing things, knowing lots of different things, more […]
My homeland of Australia is in a turbulent time. It’s not unique to Australia, many, many countries are in a turbulent time. It brings […]
I’m not sure exactly what happened a long time back, it was likely having a small child, being a single […]
Each of us has a unique set of codes within us, that are our little teachings, a personal gift from […]
Being a big fan of Nick Cave and his immensely creative processes, as well as his raw vulnerability and sharing […]
In December, we all get pretty full up in our Calendars. The other day I was trying to find time […]
I looked at my Calendar yesterday (you may or may not know how much I live by my Calendar!) and there were […]
I come back to the essence of this quote a lot in my life. Questioning, am I truly working with […]
We don’t need to wait until we feel better about ourselves to start meditating. Or wait until we are in […]
Tomorrow marks the day that I go away for 11 days on a self-led silent meditation Retreat. We are going […]
When I saw writer, poet and speaker David Whyte awhile back for a beautiful program, he described the art of […]
Our memories fail us all the time. Layer in that we miss things all the time also. We have deep attention […]
In nearly all ancient lineages of wisdom, being aligned with natural rhythms is the key. Harmony is created from being […]
I love learning new things, new facts, new ideas, new concepts – anything new! I like to be introduced to […]
You. There’s only one. In all of the time, forever in the whole universe, only one you. The Population Reference […]
When it comes to a meditation practice, I liken it often to anything else in your life, if you want […]
I wrote last Monday about some ways in which to reframe and approach your meditation practice, whatever the lineage and […]
Yes, I agree with this quote and inspiring words like bliss and divinity and beauty are often used in conjunction […]
Someone recently told me that resistance is only present in the face of movement, this resonated so strongly with me […]
When we are exhausted, we are cranky and we are definitely uncreative. A good flow of physical energy keeps us […]
Click HERE to read Part 1. Richard Whately said, ‘Lose an hour in the morning and you will spend all […]
I have always struggled with the energy of a city like New York. On one hand, I absolutely love it, […]
My personal world view and beliefs are constantly evolving, I reserve the right to change my mind and develop deeper […]
Imagine any teachings that teach you independence. That don’t ask anything of you after learning. That allows you to be […]
It’s so tempting to prioritise other things over our meditation practices. Let’s face it, our ego’s do NOT want us […]
The lure of people pleasing is that it gives you a clear goal and a way forward. You literally do […]
I have something I remind myself of constantly; there are no accidents and there are no coincidences. Everything is happening […]
A student went to his meditation teacher and said, “My meditation is horrible! I feel so distracted, or my legs […]
Coming across a monk praying while circumambulating a holy building, Geshe Tenpa said, “How pleasant to walk around sacred places, […]
We kind of feel like we have control of our life most of the time, like we are the ones […]
A Morning Routine is a vital step in setting yourself up for success for the day. I have found it […]
Easter is this weekend, and I’m personally taking time out to heal and nourish myself. My dear friend and fellow […]
After studying meditation in various lineages for a decade, something dawned on me. I was looking for this experience of […]
We can ask, how can I bring myself, to the fullest, to this moment? It will require presence. Fullness is […]
Part of our Integrated Meditation program is encouraging 1% of the day dedicated to learning. It’s just 15 minutes. Reading […]
Isn’t this a brilliant sentence, ‘When the well is dry, we know the worth of water’?. I teach so many […]
Imagine you are holding a container – it can be as big as you like, any shape you like and […]
In Ayurveda, there are three dosha’s and the Vata dosha, when out of balance, can cause anxiety, sleeplessness and restlessness. Which is […]
In an age whereby ‘you can be anyone’, being just you, can seem boring and unappealing I have found. When […]
I’m going to start experimenting with Tuesday’s being dedicated to a particular study, involving physical health, or a recipe, or […]
Not all meditation techniques are the same, so I want to preface this with saying if you practice a technique […]
When you have a technique that allows the mind to gently settle and guide you to deep restful transcendence, your […]
I’m sure that every generation has seen themselves in a time of political turmoil in one way or another, I […]
I personally dislike the constant messaging in the self-development and entrepreneurial spaces of rise and grind. Of own the day. […]
When I first heard this it gripped my heart with a big fat YES! Tomorrow is too much day for […]
With our upcoming move to London, Arran and I have been working with a lot of fear. That’s the thing […]
In life, there is sometimes universal support, and sometimes too many roadblocks. Discerning which is which simply takes years of […]
How many of us have tried to be shapeshifters, fitting some kind of mould to be more liked, loved, and […]
If you ever find yourself knee-deep in self-righteousness (Coo-ee!) or complaining/whining/elegantly demonstrating the shortcomings of others, situations or experiences (who […]
We are in a constant collaboration with the universe. Are we holding up our end of the collab? Or are […]
Morning everyone! As a new chapter opens for The Broad Place I wanted to take the time to put the […]
I would like to spend some time this week (within the gift to me, that is these Letters, as I […]
Introducing Jo Simpson, The Broad Place’s new resident Integrated Meditation Teacher! Jo will be teaching in Sydney and in New […]
There is a system within the Vedic lineages called ‘tapasya’ which is essentially the renunciation of something we enjoy, in […]
“Dust settles, I don’t” – Anita Kopacz I was listening to a podcast (Ancient Wisdom Today) a few days ago, […]
Life is this strange sequencing of events, isn’t it? And when we look at a year, it is like 12 […]
Even the crap bits, shit bits all the bits in between. It’s funny how in hindsight we understand that everything […]
Gah how I love this quote! I wanted to end the week with it. When we don’t know what our […]
I have an immense amount to speak to on this topic, but I thought I would start with sharing with […]
I am so grateful for my lowest of lows. They formed and shaped me in ways I couldn’t ever possibly […]
“The oak sleeps in the acornThe giant sequoia tree sleeps in its tiny seedThe bird waits in the eggGod waits […]
It’s a worthwhile question, isn’t it? Sometimes, it’s lots of life. I love material things and I get great joy from […]
The Buddha spoke that every being has the capacity for enlightenment and as everything is connected, every single being has […]
Today is Letter 300. There are so many Letters behind these when I wasn’t tallying them up. But 300 feels […]
This reminds me of something my friend Sam from Cloud Hidden Tea told me about tea ceremonies; work with the […]
The other day in London, we discovered a street cart outside a mosque, where Kaz the owner makes some of […]