This article was first published in Religion News Wilmington on January 23, 2012 with the title “Mindfulness as a Spiritual and Secular Practice Increases Wellbeing.” Mindfulness for wellbeing is awareness of the present moment without judgment. It involves slowing down and focusing the attention on the body, feelings, and mind. It is an invitation to be […]
The power of intention is that it helps us to remain focused on what matters most. Yesterday there was something I needed to get done that I really didn’t want to do. I paused for a moment to become aware of my thoughts. “I’m tired,” I heard. “And it’s raining.” It’s raining? I smiled at […]
Creating New Year intentions keeps us grounded in what matters most. As the ending of this year approaches, we prepare to greet the coming of a New Year. It is a season of hope and a season of mindfully creating intentions for the New Year. Mindfully creating intentions is the first step toward opening to […]
Letting go of fear. What does this really mean? It’s more about feeling the fear and living our lives fully anyway. In North America, we are in the season of darkness. The hours of darkness continue to grow longer, and the hours of light decrease as we move toward the winter solstice, the darkest day […]
Eating mindfully during the holiday season takes effort and planning. The holidays are one of the most common times that mindless eating and overeating tend to occur. It’s easy to fall prey to the mind trap of convincing ourselves that it’s ok to go off of our eating plans just for the holidays. If you’re […]
Meditation and depression are two subjects we should be talking about more in the same sentence. Mindfulness meditation can help with depression. One of my favorite moments during a particularly challenging yoga class was when my teacher, while encouraging us to hold a very difficult pose for an extended period of time, laughed and also […]
Most creatives want to get better at overcoming creativity blocks. This has been another week bursting with creative energy. After living in Wilmington, NC for a year now, I’ve made a firm commitment to continue to stay here, to be here full-time, to create a life and community here. It really is true what they […]
Mindfulness of emotions practice can help us to enjoy a greater sense of inner stability. Most people think of meditation when they hear the word mindfulness, but mindfulness practice isn’t just about sitting. It can be practiced in any moment of the day and in relation to any act of doing or state of being. […]
When we make time to explore our creative longings, we feel more inspired. This week I walked on the beach for hours, searching for treasures that the sea had washed up. I walked slowly and allowed myself to be drawn to whatever I felt drawn to. I found an armful of driftwood and coral, along […]
Being courageous isn’t necessarily about skydiving or jumping off of a cliff. Or of taking the leap to self-employment or pursuing creative expression. I often hear clients, friends, and colleagues say things like, “I don’t have that kind of courage,” or “I’m not being courageous” as a reason for not moving toward doing something that […]