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, […]
Challenges
How to Create New Emotional & Spiritual Energy for 2023
The beginning of a new year can start a new chapter in our lives
Why is it so difficult to follow through with our New Year’s resolutions despite our best intentions?
From a therapeutic perspective, for a resolution to work, it is crucial to bring self-awareness and honest self-reflection into the process.
We can design real and permanent change if we take some time to look back, assess and reflect on what worked and what did not work in our lives. […]
The Art of Acceptance
Sometimes, the only choice we have is to surrender, to stop fighting the inevitable, and to accept our lack of control. How we inhabit our vulnerability will determine the quality of our experience.
On Friday, August 31, 2015, I woke up at 4:00 am to my cell phone ringing on my nightstand. Distressing news from Argentina. My mom had just had a stroke, had been rushed to the hospital and was in the Intensive Care Unit. […]
How to work with anger
Monica explores how to meet anger with conscious awareness
This article was first published on Lion’s Roar on June 28, 2022.
While I don’t consider myself an angry person, I have always had an open curiosity about anger. As a child, I remember experiencing deep fear in the chaotic moments of my mother’s angry spells. I felt helpless and anxious, but I suppressed these emotions because of my fear of adding more intensity to my mom’s outbursts, […]
The Art & Power of Listening
Every act of communication is an act of tremendous courage in which we give ourselves over to two parallel possibilities.
First, the possibility of being seen and understood, and of being accepted.
At the same time we are planting into another mind a seed sprouted in ours, and watching it blossom into a breathtaking flower of mutual understanding says Ursula Kroeber Le Guin in her book The Wave in the Mind
Feeling understood brings along a sense of validation that connects us to the other, […]
Processing Anger with an Open Heart
Anger is an intense and primal expression of the life force.
It is a burning flame that cannot be ignored
Anger is the psyche’s alarm system, demanding attention to a boundary of ours that is being invaded, to an injury or pain that is being denied.
The function of anger is similar to the function of a fever. It helps to burn out unwanted, incompatible elements in our innermost Self.
Anger may also be protecting our vulnerability from what we perceive as an external threat. […]
Four Mindful Steps to Working with Your Challenging Emotions
The RAIN Practice
Many of us are striving to lead a healthy lifestyle making sure to avoid processed foods, eating veggies and fruit, and incorporating some vitamins, supplements and exercise in our daily routine.
However, in spite of all that care, many people still do not feel at the top of their wellbeing scale.
On the other hand, many other people are not careful with their diets, do not exercise and yet they experience joy and enjoy perfect health. […]
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, […]
Making Friends with Yourself
Making Friends with Yourself is the Art of Self-Compassion
Life offers us so many opportunities for great joy and pleasure but it is our sorrow that can undoubtedly have a detrimental effect on our confidence and on our ability to trust who we are. It is in moments like these that we need to make friends with ourselves by cultivating self-compassion.
Challenging times are often accompanied by anxiety, impatience and a deep sense of uncertainty. […]
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. […]