There is joy, and there is woe (bliss and suffering can dance on the same stage), and we humans react to those opposites in many different ways. Of course, happiness is subjective, but when we choose it, we are actively creating inner peace, moving forward into authenticity and self-worth awareness. (Even a magic wand won’t automatically make […]
Tag Archives: Energy
We often exist in the superficial—choosing somewhat shallow lives rather than reaching inside and examining the core of our being. We get proficient at surface-dwelling. Sometimes we live on the surface because we’re afraid to take chances. Digging deeper requires examining your life to know yourself better, then possibly discovering that some beliefs you’ve clung to might need […]
Early this morning, I woke up thinking about our hurting world. I try to imagine how women in Afghanistan must feel right now, but having more freedom than most will ever experience, I can’t even touch that fear. I visualize the hateful signs I pass on fellow humans’ houses screaming F**K this or that, aware […]
My brother, Bob, diagnosed with his first brain tumor at sixteen, died when he was forty. He beat insurmountable odds. In the last years of his life, he was wheelchair-bound, and his brain lived in the past. Incredibly, through all the surgeries and pain, he never once complained or uttered, “why me?” A life that blessed many […]
Insight is critical. It’s the ability to understand humans and situations—deeply and intuitively—seeing through the lens of discernment and awareness, opening not only our minds but also our larger world consciousness. When we view life—both the minutiae and the giant, loud “can’t miss” thing—and then harness our awareness to see inward, our sensitivities are altered. […]
Sometimes we humans fly through our days, pretending we have it all together when, in reality, we’re merely going through the motions. Many of us have perfected the “my life is amazing” dance but never figured out who we truly are, maintaining the status quo—no matter how poorly it reflects what our hearts truly desire. Sadly, many […]
Balance is a state of equilibrium: stability, calmness, harmony, serenity. But, for many, that equilibrium is missing. My life has been unbalanced. I’ve often not spent as much time honoring and caring for the core of me as I’ve spent dealing with body and mind matters. (Have you experienced that?) Professional jugglers know the importance of balance in […]
I started a post then scrapped it—too serious (life feels serious enough right now). I started another one, but it felt too “minimal”—not strong enough for the times we’re living in. So, I decided that this would be a good day to post pieces from Poetry and Other Random Thoughts. All of these poems have […]
We’re familiar with the expression “thinking outside the box”— choosing to see things from a different perspective, perhaps more creatively or unconventionally, not boxed in. There’s value in “breathing outside the box,” too, taking the time to hear your breath, slowing down, consciously inhaling and exhaling, honoring and acknowledging what’s often taken for granted. Breathing sounds simple, but […]
Death Awareness In earlier posts, I’ve written about Maraṇasati—recognizing that as we’re living, we’re dying. I always hold the fragility of life somewhere in my frame of consciousness, but, right now, it takes center stage even more often. Rampant Pain racism hopelessness stress judgment being unseen fear shame hate with big capital letters psychological abuse marginalization brutality […]
In Margery Williams’ The Velveteen Rabbit, a stuffed toy is given to a boy as a Christmas gift, but soon forgotten, set aside in favor of other “more expensive” toys. The older and wiser, Skin Horse, befriends the rabbit, teaching him about love and becoming real. “Real…. is a thing that happens to you. When a […]
A while ago, I made pillow covers from delicate fabric with silk fibers of amazing colors. These different threads, woven together, make gorgeous patterns of free form flowers and leaves. The non-selvage edge of this fabric unravels easily and really looking at each strand, I was surprised by how much movement and beauty they had, […]
I am a journeyer, traveling through this life, looking and seeking, searching and learning. I pick up things as I journey— a book, a photograph, a postcard and put them in my backpack. Sometimes, I take those things out and look at them, mostly at night, mostly when I’m alone. I smile, I laugh. I […]
In the midst of COVID-19, it seems like many of us are in one of two camps. Camp 1 is overflowing with people who are overwhelmed, frustrated or exhausted. Camp 2 holds those who are at the other end of the spectrum and feel defeated, sad, bored, or lonely. How are you holding up? Which camp is […]
Who are you: when you’re alone, beyond what you do for a living, outside your relationships, in the dark when no one’s watching, when you question life, when you’re scared or tired or fed-up? Who are you…really? In the hustle and bustle of life, it can be easy to sometimes forget who we are at […]
The guy in a designer suit strolled right past the man sitting on the frayed, and very dirty, piece of blanket on a street corner. It wasn’t as if he didn’t visually see him, it was just that he believed that man wasn’t worth truly seeing. After all, he must be a loser or a drunk […]
Core Beliefs reflect the essence of self—what we consider absolute truths about ourselves, others and the world. (They’re very different from “on the surface” thoughts that change depending on what’s going on in your life.) Life/World Core Beliefs sound like: the world is a dangerous place (-) honesty is always best (+) people are fundamentally self-serving […]
Four years ago, when our granddaughter Lauren was nine, we were driving to a soccer tournament when she asked, from the backseat, if we wanted to use her “future telling app”. Of course, we said yes. After all, who can resist a future telling app? Lauren proceeded to ask for dates in the future. We […]
A “sunk cost” is an investment that can’t be recovered. What if…..you buy a ticket to a movie and, ten minutes into it, know it’s not going to be a film you’ll enjoy? The ticket was already purchased—it’s a sunk cost. Will you walk out or will you think, “I paid good money to see this, […]
When I was a child, my parents owned a black and white television. The three channels were ABC, CBS and NBC. By the time I was ten years old, we could watch shows like: My Three Sons, The Beverly Hillbillies, I Dream of Jeannie, The Mod Squad (I thought they were so cool) and, one of […]
Each day as I get out of bed I say, “Thank You God”. (Many of you already know that.) Then, in my more aware moments, I tack on some of the perfunctory—superficial, easy—“thank you items”: the sunshine, my health, my family, etcetera. Those aren’t insincere “thank yous”; it’s just that they’re so darned easy to […]
“Love people and use things, not love things, and use people.” This can’t be said enough. I’ve been working on an article for a local magazine, and my subject is “Organization and Feng Shui.” This is a topic that I could write a whole lot more about than the couple thousand words I’m limited to. […]
peace full home®—intentional living 