The word MIND in “mind-full-ness” is something to think about. Nobody– not even the sharpest knife in the drawer–knows what mind is, how it does what it does or can accurately measure “thought.” Just ask the greatest scholar: “What’s mind?” “What’s thought?” “Where does it live?” “Where are thoughts when you’re not thinking them?” “Is there […]
Even though he already knows the answer, my seven-year-old son asks, “What are we doing after church.” I reply, “Going to the trail. How far do you want to go?” His answer, “ONE STEP.” At this point in the conversation, I think “I should never take a kid hiking.” But then I remember what our family gains from […]
All of us have experienced the feeling of being overwhelmed at one time or another. And I’m certain we believe from time to time that “balance” is an unattainable oasis. But if we ignore the possibility entirely we are limiting our capacity to function. It’s like saying I can keep on driving on an empty […]
There’s something very freeing in honest transparency. Once you own a mistake, you’re able to let go of the guilt or shame associated with it and begin the process of learning from your mistake and moving beyond it. Of course this isn’t always easy. Especially when your mistake may have hurt others or made you […]
Eighteen years ago I remember what I was thinking when I started meditation: my mind is all over the place and I’ll never get it to stop. There is good news for us thinkers—I found out that the purpose of meditation does not include stopping our mind. We do gently redirect our minds towards our breath […]
We live in harmony when our energies are balanced. Whether it is at our workplace, the environment that surrounds us, or in our personal lives, we are constantly exposed to stress. As a result of these outside forces, we get unbalanced and unable to release the accumulated tension. That is why it’s important to take […]
In Buddhism, there is a philosophical view that everything depends on something else for its existence. All existence is viewed as relational, meaning all things arise through the co-working of many causes and conditions. The understanding of this principle, which is known as interdependent and interrelated, has as an aim the transformation of a person’s […]
As a Spinning instructor I find myself reflecting on how much the bike can be analogous to life. Here are some of my observations with regard to this Life/Cycle Connection. When reflecting on those who are hardworking and successful, I can’t help but think of a duck. Silly? Let me explain. When you see a […]
The way I see it, we all have an inherent capacity to care and connect with the world that surrounds us. It comes down to paying attention with intention. It means valuing our common humanity, appreciating our differences and acknowledging them from a place of humbleness and empathy for how others think and feel. That’s […]
It’s going to happen to all of us at one time or another. We have a bad day. Sometimes it’s just once in a while and at other times it feels like it’s turning into a week. Though the level of “bad” differs for everyone—a parking ticket versus an illness, or a negative comment on […]
