Have you been hard on yourself for feeling tired & unmotivated? Have you judged yourself for not achieving your goals? Well…. there is a reason why you are feeling that way: you may have been living in survival mode.
May be just getting through each day has taken everything you have. Dealing with stress, difficulties, and the constant pressure of getting it all done may have left you with nothing in the tank. It’s exhausting. […]
Busy Mind
The Tigers & The Strawberry
Someone I know brought up his fear of old age and death. It made me think of a Zen Parable I had read a long time ago. I always carry it close to my heart and it has been a source of inspiration for me.
Have you ever heard about the Zen Parables? They are called a Koans, a Japanese term that dates from the 7th century. These parables were used to produce doubt, […]
Two Components to Freedom
Indispensable elements for our Self-liberation
In the Buddhist tradition, there are two essential components to our freedom. The first one is awareness. It is the wisdom that comes from training your mind to see clearly and the second one is compassion for yourself and for others.
These components are compared to the two wings of a bird, without which the bird would be unable to fly and be free.
Awareness
The first wing is our conscious awareness that allows us to recognize what is really happening in our moment-to-moment experience. […]
Why am I Feeling Unsatisfied with my Life?
Believe me, you do have more control than you think over how you feel
An old friend I had not seen for over 20 years called me last week. It was wonderful to catch up and share the different paths our lives have taken.
Unfortunately, the turmoil he has experienced regarding his relationships has sunk him into deep anxiety and depression.
He has not spoken to one of his siblings for over 3 years, […]
Live Like The Roar In A Lion’s Throat
Do you live in your days like a forgotten ticket stub in someone’s jacket? As if the show were behind you? As if you went out one evening to watch your life, and decided halfway through that it wasn’t worth the price of admission.
Other things more interesting stole your attention, even though we’ve been told and told that all that glitters is not gold, we are so easily seduced by sparkle and the kind of food that fills our mouths but not our stomachs and never our souls. […]
Dealing with Our Own Difficult Emotions
The end of June wrapped Annapolis with a blanket of deep sadness as we could feel so close to us, what the seed of hatred, resentment and violence could be capable of. This was right in our neighborhood. It happened to people whose names were familiar to the Capital Gazette readers. We feel deep compassion for them and their families, and even for the perpetrator who is obviously seriously sick to commit such a horrendous act. […]
Falling below and rising above thought
When you are very tired, you may become more peaceful, more relaxed, than in your usual state. This is because thinking is subsiding, and so you can’t remember your mind-made problematic self anymore. You are moving toward sleep. You are moving below thought.
When you drink alcohol or take certain drugs (provided they don’t trigger your pain-body), you may also feel more relaxed, more carefree, and perhaps more alive for a while. You may start singing and dancing, […]
Why Is Mindfulness a Superpower?
Practicing mindfulness is one of the single most powerful and kind things you can do for your wellbeing. Dan Harris, anchor for Nightline, the weekend edition of Good Morning America, and the author of “10% Happier,” found out about the power of mindfulness when he, after having a panic attack in television, set out in a journey of exploration of mega churches, gurus and brain researchers for the key to wellbeing. What he discovered was that this simple, […]
Overwhelmed? Simple Steps to Come Back to Balance
When we feel overwhelmed the first thing we need to do is to give ourselves the gift of a pause. Listen to the soft, calming voice of Amandla Stenberg, the American actress best known for her portrayal of Rue in The Hunger Games, showing you exactly what you can do to regain a sense of balance and come back to your true self. Here is the 2 + minute video.
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Taming the Tyranny of the Busy Mind
This morning, like most mornings, it didn’t take long after I awoke for the to-do list to set up shop in my mind. I got going with some left-over cleaning from last night, some list-making for the day, getting that invoice sitting on the kitchen table into an envelope (not because it was so urgent, but because it was sitting right there on the kitchen table…). The momentum of Doing began to carry me into the day. […]