By Peter Townshend "Be here now", we are told. "This moment is all that exists". "Be fully present in the now". These are modern spirituality's takes on ancient wisdom. And, as is so often the case with modern interpretation of ancient wisdom, the meaning gets altered to resonate with an audience not versed in the culture and times in which the thought emerged. I look at this from a deeply personal ledge (which is, of course, a central problem). I'm not entirely convinced that the present...

By Peter Townshend The old adage about never discussing politics and religion in polite company, holds true. Running a yoga teacher training at a wellness centre, this is an adage I try my best to adhere to. Today, I failed. Thankfully, I suppressed my real passion for the issue, and I was in the company of intelligent, thoughtful, and moderate students, so things never escalated. But, the experience got me thinking. How should we approach this conflict, and indeed the broadening war, from...