Meditation for Political Times: Dedicated to All Sides
Breathe in divisiveness; breathe out…
The Word for Today is “Temporocentrism”
The word for today is "temporocentrism", which can be translated as…
A Ritual Blessing: From Doubt to Joy
Several nights ago while entertaining friends at home here in Northern Portugal, Linda and I received an unexpected doorbell ring. When we approached the entrance gate of our home, we encountered…
Who are You?: The Paradoxical Nature of Ego Identity
The ego does not exist as an objective entity. It functions as a…
Nourish the Seeds of Intention with Lovingkindness
Lovingkindness or loving-friendliness can be described as the aspiration to offer happiness to self and others. This is an expression of love. Love in this context is about…
Fear is Not the Enemy: Five Steps Toward Healing and Wellbeing
FEAR is not the enemy. The emotion of fear has served an evolutionary purpose for the survival of the human species. When fear becomes the enemy, we’re less likely to see it within ourselves and more likely to project it onto other people and external situations or encounter it within our dreams.
An extreme persistent fear can be associated with…
Releasing Emotional Pain: A Mindful Non-Solution
I was standing in a hotel elevator talking to a couple of friends about a workshop on the topic of death and dying when a stranger interrupted with, “Why would anybody want to go to a workshop like that?” I explained how being…
Defining Mindfulness: Ancient and Contemporary Perspectives
Several decades ago, when I first encountered the term "mindfulness", I quickly learned that different teachers used varying definitions of the term. It's important for teachers and practitioners of mindfulness to…
Forget the Monkey Mind: Remember this Instead
As I was making my way through a jungle of thoughts while running on a treadmill at the gym, I mused about a metaphor that’s often applied to the human mind. In meditation circles, the constant chatter of a restless mind is…
Self-criticism and Distress: Remember—Everything is Impermanent
Self-criticism and self-praise are two sides of the same egoic coin that creates identity. What happens when you remove the “self” from the process? The feelings associated with criticism and praise eventually move on without a trace, like passing clouds across a clear sky. Whatever you’re thinking, feeling, or sensing is impermanent. It’s easy to forget that when you’re feeling buoyant and joyful. The trick is to remember…
There is No Better Place: Three Keys to Creating Freedom From Judgments
As I was taking in the beauty and tranquility of Drake Bay in Costa Rica—an idyllic place that rivals the biodiversity of the Amazon Jungle, I overheard a tourist making…
The Three Poisons Café
The barista at the 3 Poisons Café says to a new customer, “I serve just 3 beverages—greed, hatred, and ignorance. Their effects are…
Acceptance, Pain, Suffering, and Healing
Acceptance and present-centered awareness are two key elements of mindfulness practice. Acceptance, however, is not the same as liking something, nor is it passive resignation or mere tolerance. Acceptance receives reality as it is, and not how you would like it to be. A lack of acceptance can contribute to suffering when you resist a painful experience. I’m reminded of an old story about…
The Benefits of Nitpicking in a Relationship
The other day, as my wife Linda was giving me a haircut, she said, “It’s important for couples to groom one another; it’s a form of connection and sensuality.” She also expressed appreciation for how…
Mindful Movement for Self-Regulation, Health, and Wellness
Somewhere on the path of being a clinical psychologist who is also a Tai Chi instructor, these two seemingly disconnected roles intersected. I began to see the limitations of…
Stopping, Calming, Resting, and Healing
For healing to occur, the conditions for healing need to be present. What are these conditions for healing? The teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh tell us that healing requires…
Forget the Vacation: Now is the Time to...
In the field of perceptual psychology, there is a concept called "habituation", which refers to the process of becoming less sensitive and responsive when being repetitively exposed to a constant stimulus. A simple example of this phenomenon is seen when we…
Transforming your Mind: From Garbage to Flowers
During a recent mindfulness meditation retreat, many participants found much humor and encouragement in the following quote, which keenly reflects upon what is often discovered in the process of sitting still and observing the mind…
Meditation Can Be Like This
You walk into a crowded party. There are people laughing, dancing, and carrying on—swept away by the spirit of their interactions. A quiet man sits alone at a table, silently judging a very loud and boisterous party participant. All of a sudden…