I am digging deep inside these days to live with compassion. There are many experiencing suffering, including myself. ‘Being with’ in compassion can comfort and soothe this sense of distress. Deep listening is a practice I find particularly supportive. Being heard can reduce anxiety and stress. Knowing a person (or the inner worried concern in … Continue reading “Fierce Compassion: You Were Made for These Times”

https://youtu.be/WeEiicsBEp0 What a time of emerging possibilities we are living in! It is exciting, exhilarating, scary and uncertain all rolled into one simultaneous experience. How do I navigate, make sense, integrate, and embody this time of transformation in my experience of being human? How do I support my students and clients in their process of … Continue reading “Emerging Possibilities”

When you imagine an ideal world for human beings and all who inhabit the earth, what do you envision? I imagine a world …… Where every child born into the world is celebrated as a seed of awe and wonder. Each child’s gifts, talents, passions, and inherent uniqueness is honored and cultivated throughout childhood. All … Continue reading “Imagining Our Ideal World”

I have found myself more often lately in conversations with clients, students, friends, and family who are in fear and feeling ‘controlled’ by popular (often false) narratives. I lean in. I listen more deeply. I ask challenging questions inviting them into a discussion that is based on critical thinking about facts/opinions and their own reflection. … Continue reading “Empowering Courageous Conversations”

I have encountered various points of view about the human ego, my least favorite is that it is ‘bad and wrong’. Some beliefs state the ego needs dissolving and needs to ‘die’ to be an ‘enlightened’ human being. After multiple conversations with clients about the optimal function and relationship of the ego in our multidimensional … Continue reading “Exploring Ego: How is it like my tongue?”

Do random acts of kindness touch your heart? I recently read a heartwarming post on Nextdoor Neighborhood about a random act of kindness. A woman wrote: “My faith in humanity has been restored! On my way home today, I stopped at Cub Foods. So, as I try to bag my groceries wearing my mittens and … Continue reading “Kindness: A Positive Force”

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay  I am paying attention to how gosh darn often I find my thoughts judging “those people” who are bad and wrong. “They” do not share my perspective, “they” are irrelevant, “they” are a threat. Maybe you know “those other people” too. Othering occurs when I view or treat a person or group … Continue reading “Who are you “othering?””

Did you catch a glimpse or see pictures of the bright light appearing in the sky when Jupiter and Saturn aligned near December 21st? I have enjoyed star gazing my entire life. I feel a visceral connection to starlight and the vast cosmos. Scientists tell us stars give off photons, elementary particles of light, and … Continue reading “You are the Light: What are you illuminating?”

Sometimes I enter a new experience or encounter and prejudge how it is going to go. I have attached meaning and a story that is made up in my mind. I make assumptions and conjure up expectations before the moment even occurs. It is so automatic, so conditioned, and so limiting! As 2020 approaches a … Continue reading “Practicing Beginner’s Mind: Time for a Shift in Perspective”