Spiritual Health
When Effort Becomes Effortless
“The best effort of a fine person is felt after we have left their presence.” —Ralph Waldo Emerson When I turned 75, I took up playing the guitar. I have found it is not an effortless endeavor. I have to make great effort to remember the notes, find the right chords, keep the beat, strum the right strings, and remember the words. And things don’t come as easily when your fingers are not as nimble Read More
Transcendence and Inclusion
“Are the mystics and sages insane? Because they all tell variations on the same story, don’t they? The story of awakening one morning and discovering you are one with the All, in a timeless and eternal and infinite fashion. Yes, maybe they are crazy, these divine fools. Maybe they are mumbling idiots in the face of the Abyss. Maybe they need a nice, understanding therapist. Yes, I’m sure that would help. But then, I wonder. Read More
Gritty Beginnings and Gracious Endings
“In Hinduism, Shiva is a deity who represents transformation. Through destruction and restoration, Shiva reminds us that endings are beginnings, and that our world is constantly undergoing a cycle of birth, death and rebirth.” —Karen Salmansohn A dear friend of almost 50 years recently shared with me that he was planning to retire soon. I responded, “It will be hard for you to let go of the decision making power you have enjoyed for so Read More
Erase and Replace
Being human means dealing with the reality of our own death. As mortal beings, we will all be erased from the earth one day and be replaced by a new generation. In less dramatic fashion, we all deal with the fear of being erased and replaced as a part of our day-to-day experience. Sometimes we don’t feel seen, heard, or respected. And we often feel angry, alienated, and alone in the face of not being noticed, Read More
Noise and Nihilism
“If we believe in nothing, if nothing has any meaning and if we can affirm no values whatsoever, then everything is possible and nothing has any importance.” —Albert Camus “The middle way is a view of life that avoids the extreme of misguided grasping and the despair and nihilism born from the mistaken belief that nothing matters, that all is meaningless.” —Sharon Salzberg “I think you can get to a point where nihilism, if that’s Read More
Who, Why, How
“Hmmm, what am I going to do today?” Isn’t that the question that pops into our head when we start each day—particularly after the first cup of coffee?
What if the first questions we asked were: Who am I? Why am I here? How do I want to relate to myself, my family, my friends and Nature today? If we were clear about our answers to those three questions, figuring out our action steps would not only be easier but we would also be more peaceful, productive and powerful.Read More
Desires and Delusions
“When you are discontent, you always want more, more, more. Your desire can never be satisfied. But when you practice contentment, you can say to yourself, ‘Oh yes – I already have everything that I really need.'”
―Dalai Lama
The critical difference between healthy and unhealthy desires and delusions rests in our ability to distinguish between noticing and needing. Read more
Harmony
“Chimpanzees, gorillas, and orangutans have been living for hundreds of thousands of years in their forest, living fantastic lives, never overpopulating, never destroying the forest. I would say that they have been in a way more successful than us as far as being in harmony with the environment.” —Jane Goodall I just finished reading the book, Lawrence in Arabia by Scott Anderson in which he describes the deceit and folly surrounding World War I resulting Read More
Inner and Outer Life
“Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass. It’s about learning how to dance in the rain.” ―Vivian Greene “Nothing can dim the light which shines from within.” ―Maya Angelou A standard principle in counseling is that you have to go down and in before you can come up and out, i.e. doing the inner work is a fundamental requirement of doing meaningful outer work. Taking time for introspection is not giving in to Read More
Powering and Empowering
In collaboration with Artie Vipperla, Founder, Energy’s Way Real leaders can step into big moments and make something big happen. They bring a personal power to critical moments that makes all the difference. The key is to recognize the key moments where extra power is needed and to bring total being into those moments before it is too late. Think Churchill. Think Martin Luther King. Where did they find the personal power to make such Read More
The Flame
Oh Leonard, how we miss you!! You lightened our days and emboldened our hearts. When I’m feeling dark and depressed after plowing through the New York Times every morning, I often call out to Alexa, “Please play Leonard Cohen.” Last week, when I made my repetitive request, Alexa started the shuffle with “You Want It Darker.” Here are the opening lyrics: If you are the dealer, I’m out of the game If you are the Read More
Gratitude and Humility
“I don’t have to chase extraordinary moments to find happiness – it’s right in front of me if I’m paying attention and practicing gratitude.” —Brené Brown “Only a person who has passed through the gate of humility can ascend to the heights of the spirit.” —Rudolf Steiner My Vietnam vet buddy turned spiritual guru, Artie Vipperla, recently taught me a simple exercise that has triggered several breakthroughs in my practice. It’s called the “Turtle and Peacock.” Read More