Why I left the Buddhist Order – A Spiritual Rennaisance

Someone was just asking me why I left the Buddhist Order that I was dedicated to for so many years.  The person was commenting on my article – Try a Little Tenderness – published on the wonderful Wildmind Buddhist meditation website – www.wildmind.org

The questioner was also asking if I follow any particular spiritual tradition now.  The answer is no, I don’t.  I don’t even consider myself to be ‘just’ a Buddhist anymore.  I love the teachings of the Buddha and am so grateful for the years that I spent immersed in this tradition (anyone who’s heard me teach will know there’s nearly always a story from the Buddha illustrating what I’m saying!) but it just doesn’t feel right to define my spirituality that way anymore.

These days, I find that many of my friends and colleagues share this ‘universal’ approach to spirituality.  Like me they recognise that there seems to be some sort of perennial wisdom that runs through the pure heart of all spiritual traditions – and that it is wonderful to be open to it all, whatever form it takes.

I was reminded that I recorded a video answering this very question about 3 years ago.  I’m talking about what I experienced as a spiritual rennaisance when I first moved from London to Devon and met my now husband, Pat.  The fruit of this time was my resignation from the Buddhist Order and the birth of my first coaching practice, Thrivecraft.  So far this video has not been published on my website, so I thought I’d do so and let you see it.  Here it is!