I feel it coming on, like a storm gathering in the summer sky. It arises and the sensations spread through my body. My shoulders tense up. My stomach feels hollow. The blood pressure starts to rise. It’s a problem. Or at least something I consider to be a problem. Perhaps it’s an external fact. I have just driven the car over a pothole and now I hear a rattling. Or it’s an internal perception. “Should I have said that to him?” And an instant, I feel the gears of the rational, logical brain co...

I feel it coming on, like a storm gathering in the summer sky. It arises and the sensations spread through my body. My shoulders tense up. My stomach feels hollow. The blood pressure starts to rise. It’s a problem. Or at least something I consider to be a problem. Perhaps it’s an external fact. I have just driven the car over a pothole and now I hear a rattling. Or it’s an internal perception. “Should I have said that to him?” And an instant, I feel the gears of the rational, logical brain co...

With time, wants fade. Even needs morph and sometimes wither. Yet, despite efforts to not let wants or needs exert control or undue influence, they sometimes do. A persistent, nagging sense of desire, of non-fulfillment. An emptiness in the belly. A pulsing in the arms. A heaviness in the shoulders or the eyebrows. A shooting pain that radiates to the fingertips. Regret. Fear. A life not lived “fully.” I tell myself that that’s the point. That feeling of non-fulfillment? That’s the proof of e...

With time, wants fade. Even needs morph and sometimes wither. Yet, despite efforts to not let wants or needs exert control or undue influence, they sometimes do. A persistent, nagging sense of desire, of non-fulfillment. An emptiness in the belly. A pulsing in the arms. A heaviness in the shoulders or the eyebrows. A shooting pain that radiates to the fingertips. Regret. Fear. A life not lived “fully.” I tell myself that that’s the point. That feeling of non-fulfillment? That’s the proof of e...

There are problems and pains which even those closest to you don’t want to hear. Either they don’t care or they are dismissed as “not really problems.” It feels isolating. Lonely. Exhausting. Looking outward doesn’t work. Like grasping for a life preserver that will never come. But looking inward might. Deep. Deeper than you thought possible. Deeper than you’ve ever looked before. Back to a place that has long been forgotten. I suspect, I hope, that’s where the tranquility lies. I wonder if t...

There are problems and pains which even those closest to you don’t want to hear. Either they don’t care or they are dismissed as “not really problems.” It feels isolating. Lonely. Exhausting. Looking outward doesn’t work. Like grasping for a life preserver that will never come. But looking inward might. Deep. Deeper than you thought possible. Deeper than you’ve ever looked before. Back to a place that has long been forgotten. I suspect, I hope, that’s where the tranquility lies. I wonder if t...

When climbing a mountain or taking on any other challenges, a wise course of action is to “gear up” appropriately. Getting the right shoes, sleeping bag, backpack, snacks…whatever. It’s helpful to have them or, in some cases, pick them up along the way. But when that challenge is complete, it’s no longer necessary to wear the hiking shoes or carry the sleeping bag. They have served their purposes. Look at them with gratitude and then let them go. It might feel good to say or think, “ah, this ...

When climbing a mountain or taking on any other challenges, a wise course of action is to “gear up” appropriately. Getting the right shoes, sleeping bag, backpack, snacks…whatever. It’s helpful to have them or, in some cases, pick them up along the way. But when that challenge is complete, it’s no longer necessary to wear the hiking shoes or carry the sleeping bag. They have served their purposes. Look at them with gratitude and then let them go. It might feel good to say or think, “ah, this ...

I notice something and I change. But it also changes. All exists only within my Mind. What my Mind senses, determines what is the possible. But what I observe of what my Mind senses, determines what is “real.” There is an “I” who knows that the act of observation changes “reality.” But there’s an observer of the “I” who knows that knowing that makes “reality” unreal.

I notice something and I change. But it also changes. All exists only within my Mind. What my Mind senses, determines what is the possible. But what I observe of what my Mind senses, determines what is “real.” There is an “I” who knows that the act of observation changes “reality.” But there’s an observer of the “I” who knows that knowing that makes “reality” unreal.

There’s a tightness in my shoulders, the small of my back, and in my jaw when things don’t manifest as they are “supposed to.” But what is “supposed to?” Why should I or do I feel like the universe owes me anything? It doesn’t. What I feel is my ego trying to preserve itself by willing reality to bend to its needs. But reality doesn’t work that way. Reality can manifest in millions of possible ways. And my ego’s needs aren’t needs in the sense that food and water are. They are the constructed...

There’s a tightness in my shoulders, the small of my back, and in my jaw when things don’t manifest as they are “supposed to.” But what is “supposed to?” Why should I or do I feel like the universe owes me anything? It doesn’t. What I feel is my ego trying to preserve itself by willing reality to bend to its needs. But reality doesn’t work that way. Reality can manifest in millions of possible ways. And my ego’s needs aren’t needs in the sense that food and water are. They are the constructed...

The rush that comes from the moment of insight. The feeling of “oh yeah, NOW I get it.” It rushes over and through the body, bringing a slight smile to the face and relaxing the jaw. For a second, I feel lighter. I feel like I see things that others don’t. Maybe even, dare I say it, “superior?” But the feeling fades and the mind begins its wrestling again, searching for another shot of “brilliance” and a rush of supposed genius euphoria. And that feeling of “superiority” where I’m elevated, a...

The rush that comes from the moment of insight. The feeling of “oh yeah, NOW I get it.” It rushes over and through the body, bringing a slight smile to the face and relaxing the jaw. For a second, I feel lighter. I feel like I see things that others don’t. Maybe even, dare I say it, “superior?” But the feeling fades and the mind begins its wrestling again, searching for another shot of “brilliance” and a rush of supposed genius euphoria. And that feeling of “superiority” where I’m elevated, a...

We see, but we don’t understand. So we dismiss. Yet some things defy understanding. They exist before and outside our rational minds. Our rational minds are wonderful tools. But they aren’t all-knowing. Do they know that? Do they understand that? If they re

We see, but we don’t understand. So we dismiss. Yet some things defy understanding. They exist before and outside our rational minds. Our rational minds are wonderful tools. But they aren’t all-knowing. Do they know that? Do they understand that? If they re

I feel a need come on. Unmet, it becomes a focus. Over time, still unmet, it becomes an obsession, a desperation. Eventually, it seems like it is all-consuming. It’s not I can still function, but it feels like it takes up a disproportionate amount of mental energy. Not only that, but it leads me to discount all the things I do have. It’s the reverse of gratitude. And the feeling? It’s like a plaster cast around my torso, constricting me, leading me down a path of bitterness, resentment, frust...

I feel a need come on. Unmet, it becomes a focus. Over time, still unmet, it becomes an obsession, a desperation. Eventually, it seems like it is all-consuming. It’s not I can still function, but it feels like it takes up a disproportionate amount of mental energy. Not only that, but it leads me to discount all the things I do have. It’s the reverse of gratitude. And the feeling? It’s like a plaster cast around my torso, constricting me, leading me down a path of bitterness, resentment, frust...

“Some people move. Some people flow. And I suspect the difference has something to do with patience.” My yoga teacher just kind of said this during the middle of pigeon pose yesterday. It really landed. It led me first to think about the difference between movement and flow. But then, later, it occurred to me that something else she had brought up during class was a somatic clue-for me, at least- as to when I’m moving versus flowing. At the beginning of class, she had asked us to put our hand...

“Some people move. Some people flow. And I suspect the difference has something to do with patience.” My yoga teacher just kind of said this during the middle of pigeon pose yesterday. It really landed. It led me first to think about the difference between movement and flow. But then, later, it occurred to me that something else she had brought up during class was a somatic clue-for me, at least- as to when I’m moving versus flowing. At the beginning of class, she had asked us to put our hand...

I wonder why humans seem to always need something to worry about. Perhaps it’s evolutionary. If we’re not afraid of something or concerned about something, we’re worried about the fact that we’re not worried about something. It’s like we can’t be comfortable in our own skin unless we’re uncomfortable about…something. Maybe that’s a good thing. Without the fear, we lack the intrinsic motivation to make change, to create something that we think is “better.” But maybe there’s something else. May...

I wonder why humans seem to always need something to worry about. Perhaps it’s evolutionary. If we’re not afraid of something or concerned about something, we’re worried about the fact that we’re not worried about something. It’s like we can’t be comfortable in our own skin unless we’re uncomfortable about…something. Maybe that’s a good thing. Without the fear, we lack the intrinsic motivation to make change, to create something that we think is “better.” But maybe there’s something else. May...

Rejection is the opposite of acceptance. One can accept rejection. One can reject acceptance. One can also reject rejection. Does one need to accept acceptance as well? And what-exactly-is being rejected? Often, it’s ego. I suspect-and I don’t know-that whatever it is, it’s different than what is presented. The answer

Rejection is the opposite of acceptance. One can accept rejection. One can reject acceptance. One can also reject rejection. Does one need to accept acceptance as well? And what-exactly-is being rejected? Often, it’s ego. I suspect-and I don’t know-that whatever it is, it’s different than what is presented. The answer