About

Hello, I’m Mark.

I’m an editor and writer living in Devon, in the UK. I’m interested in meditation and Buddhism, and have a soft spot for the stoics when properly understood.

The title of this blog, Almost Composed, is a pun on the ancient Pali word samādhi—which is sometimes understood as “composure” in Buddhist meditative traditions—and the act of writing composition. A similar kind of composure and mental tranquility was understood to be the highest good by stoic philosophers. So the purpose of this blog is to write about ideas that I’ve found helpful, and to explore places where ancient wisdom meets modern life, including parenting, work, literature, and geeky things like gaming.

I have a Masters degree in Creative Writing and have written a lot of poetry about nature and mythology. My poems have been published in journals, and shortlisted in UK competitions. I’ve also published a trilogy of pamphlets: The Inner Sea, The Tide Clock, and The Chalk Path. In recent years, I’ve enjoyed writing haiku.

Note: I am not a meditation teacher and my understanding of meditation is unfolding over time. What you read here represents my experiences and opinions, not instruction.