My two-year-old grandson was visiting with my mother on FaceTime. The phone was propped up on the kitchen table facing him as he was eating slices of apple. After his joyful, heartfelt “Hiya, Mommom!” she tried to engage him in conversation. “Did you go to school today?” she asked. “Apple is good!” he replied with… Read more »
Posts Categorized: self-awareness
Wisdom Comes in Strange Ways
Last week was tough for me. I had a lot of emotional stuff to wade through and I was at a loss on how to change things. I wanted to feel better but my mind had taken over and when my mind is at the helm, watch out! I was tense and anxious, my stomach… Read more »
What is a Woman?
It was a small gathering organized by my friend to bring her home back to life after a long and quiet hiatus. The table was overflowing with taco fillings, fresh fruit and whatever anyone wanted to contribute. Typical of Santa Fe people came dressed in bicycle shorts or summer dresses. Two people even brought their… Read more »
The Hero's Journey
Were you a hero today? Did you slay a dragon haunting you from inside your psyche? Maybe you did so without realizing the significance of your actions. Joseph Campbell, professor, author and philosopher, described “The Hero’s Journey” as a cycle that we go through over and over again as we delve deeper into our own… Read more »
Practice Being Human
There is a new word in the English language. You won’t find it in the dictionary because it is too new. It was created by Zhenevere Dao, the founder of MogaDao Institute, to explain the growing epidemic of technology-induced neuroses. The word is “info-colonization”, and it has already permeated much of our culture without giving… Read more »
Inviting Mara to Tea
In a calm voice of equanimity Nelson Mandela told of when he was sitting in a cafe and noticed a man at a neighboring table who was looking down and was very nervous. President Mandela asked the waiter to invite the man to come sit at his table. It turns out that when Mandela was… Read more »
Golden Joinery
The Japanese art form of Kintsugi, translated as “golden joinery”, has fascinating implications. First practiced in the 15th century, it is the art of repairing broken pottery by joining the breakage with lacquer mixed with powdered gold, silver or platinum adding value to the breakage rather than covering it up. The break becomes a part… Read more »
A Parent's Unlived Life
“Nothing has a stronger influence psychologically on their children than the unlived life of the parent.” A quote from Carl Jung. I understand this as a child and as a parent. It pains me to hear about my mother’s disappointments and in some ways lack of fulfillment. Huge and small decisions are constantly made… Read more »
Qigong and TaiJi: What's the Difference?
When I mention that I recently got certified to teach qigong, most people stare at me blankly. They are too shy to ask what it is. When I ask them if they know what it is, most confess that they have never heard of it. That’s when I say that it is like taiji (tai… Read more »
Intimacy
Let’s not make a list of what we have given up. We are all aware of how life is different. But there is one energy that I never thought would be more abundant now. It is intimacy. How can I say that with all of the physical distance and unnatural separation? From talking with friends… Read more »