The wonder of birds never ceases to amaze me. About a month ago, I walked out of my friends’ front door to find their cat devouring a baby bird. The cat had placed another baby bird in front of the door. I instantly scooped it up and held it. It was still warm, and it’s […]
Vulnerability and connection are at the foundation of cultivating authentic relationships. I spent the day with a family of old friends. Today, two of them broke an unspoken agreement to maintain their parents’ expectations for perfection, and they spoke the truth. They spoke about the pain of years of denial about a family member’s homosexuality, […]
When we practice clear seeing and become willing to see the truth of our lives, we may feel disappointed if what we see is not similar to what we desire. The important thing is that we are willing to see our lives as they are with nonjudgment, kindness, curiosity, and self-compassion. We can apply our […]
Healing in nature, healing ourselves and the natural world is an interdependent practice of healing. In the natural world, we encounter the ecology of place. We discoverthat creatures are linked to one another and to their surroundings. We discover a communion of subjects amongst the birds, trees, flowers, animals, bodies of water, and ourselves that […]
Seeing clearly can help us to have insights and open our hearts with greater compassion to whatever arises in our lives. I’ve come full circle back to the collage work. I tried to force something to be a photograph, but its deepest longing is to be collage. Last weekend’s yoga workshop in Asheville brought some […]
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 […]