Anxiety
You can access calmness any time you choose. I realize this is a pretty bold statement considering how challenging our lives, inner and outer, and our world are right now. Yet it is true and not only can you do it, you can learn to sustain it. You don’t need any classes (although an MBSR…
Read MoreHave you been feeling frustrated lately? See if this sounds familiar: Things aren’t going according to your plans and you don’t like it. Your head feels like it is going to explode. Your shoulders are tight and your belly is clenched. You want to act out in a not very nice way, and it doesn’t matter towards whom. Even…
Read MoreThe holidays give us plenty of chances to work with difficult emotions. In the heat of the moment, we may believe we have few options of what to do. If we can catch ourselves, we might realize we are stuck because we are trying to answer the wrong questions. Someone said something to me a while…
Read MoreChange your life? Sounds crazy, huh? Stick with me, this will make sense, I promise. Some recent work in my kitchen required that I empty out the cupboards and move the table and chairs out of the room. Afterwards, everything was dirty and dusty so I set about cleaning and putting things away. As I…
Read MoreDan Harris, who wrote “10% Happier” gives such a clear explanation of the benefits of meditation and how to practice mindfulness, that I wanted to share it with you here. Even though many of us think that we don’t have time to practice, he asserts that even 5-10 minutes a day can make a big…
Read MoreThe one thing you can always count on during the holiday season is that there will be plenty of opportunities to observe your stress reactions and practice mindfulness. Our overly busy schedules become fuller, we burn the candle at both ends to try to keep up with it all, our normal routines are disrupted and…
Read MoreIf you find yourself in the midst of a conflict between what you had expected/planned and what is actually happening, you might be feeling pretty miserable. The quickest way to feel better is to find acceptance of what is already here and give up the struggle. Here is an example of what I mean: …
Read MoreI am just returning from a short retreat with my favorite mindfulness master. Every eight weeks or so, I travel to spend time with this ancient and wise being, immersing myself in the calm, understated energy that emanates from him. I let go of my life’s agendas and practice just being, opening up to whatever is…
Read MoreAll it takes to turn “nowhere” into “now here” is a pause. It may seem an inconsequential change, and I’d like to suggest it is anything but. The simple act of pausing can turn an ordinary, unconscious moment into the moment of a lifetime. By inserting a break in the action, we can radically change…
Read MoreMy son got married last month and I had a front row seat. As I sat there taking it all in, my ex-husband had his smart phone out and took pictures throughout the ceremony. I found myself wondering how much of the wedding he was actually experiencing. Taking photos of every big and small life…
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