Underneath all of the societal, cultural, familial, and national programming, I suspect there’s an eternal core. It’s a kind of energy that powers us. Like the core of a nuclear reactor perhaps. I honestly don’t know. But, every now and then, in the stillness of a moment, I sense its presence. And I feel a kind of yearning, a calling, a voice saying “come home.” And then there’s a frustration that aches in my throat and a sadness that descends into my abdomen. I can feel how far away I am fro...

Underneath all of the societal, cultural, familial, and national programming, I suspect there’s an eternal core. It’s a kind of energy that powers us. Like the core of a nuclear reactor perhaps. I honestly don’t know. But, every now and then, in the stillness of a moment, I sense its presence. And I feel a kind of yearning, a calling, a voice saying “come home.” And then there’s a frustration that aches in my throat and a sadness that descends into my abdomen. I can feel how far away I am fro...

“When things have become strong, they then become old…and soon end.” -Lao TzuThis isn’t to say that you shouldn’t be physically strong or competent. It’s about mental complacency. One of the core values of my family (and if you ask any of my kids, they will cite them) is “Never Stop Marketing,” the name of my former consulting firm. The name came from my observation that many companies generate sales and then turn their attention to delivering to those clients (which makes sense). However, it...

“When things have become strong, they then become old…and soon end.” -Lao TzuThis isn’t to say that you shouldn’t be physically strong or competent. It’s about mental complacency. One of the core values of my family (and if you ask any of my kids, they will cite them) is “Never Stop Marketing,” the name of my former consulting firm. The name came from my observation that many companies generate sales and then turn their attention to delivering to those clients (which makes sense). However, it...

The first day of school. The first day of a new job. The first day of marriage. There are moments in life when we are aware we are doing something for the very first time. Soon, they become familiar and routine, which is fine. That’s the flow. Things emerge, mature, and then wither. Sometimes the “first” is thrust upon us. Sometimes, though, we have the opportunity to manufacture firsts. Then, that feeling of newness, of adventure, of a fresh start is present, giving us an opportunity to reco...

The first day of school. The first day of a new job. The first day of marriage. There are moments in life when we are aware we are doing something for the very first time. Soon, they become familiar and routine, which is fine. That’s the flow. Things emerge, mature, and then wither. Sometimes the “first” is thrust upon us. Sometimes, though, we have the opportunity to manufacture firsts. Then, that feeling of newness, of adventure, of a fresh start is present, giving us an opportunity to reco...

I got out of the cab at the Budapest airport. I’d had a pleasant ride and laughed a bit, via the language barrier, with the driver. He seemed nice enough. It had been a long day. Very long. I handed him my credit card, paid, and he drove off. Seconds later, a text comes in from the bank asking if I charged $733 for a taxi ride. Ugh. After all these years, I should know better. A rookie mistake. My first thought was to beat myself up, but I took a deep breath and said, “ok, this is just the ne...

I got out of the cab at the Budapest airport. I’d had a pleasant ride and laughed a bit, via the language barrier, with the driver. He seemed nice enough. It had been a long day. Very long. I handed him my credit card, paid, and he drove off. Seconds later, a text comes in from the bank asking if I charged $733 for a taxi ride. Ugh. After all these years, I should know better. A rookie mistake. My first thought was to beat myself up, but I took a deep breath and said, “ok, this is just the ne...

There are times when I feel very close to myself. Then, there are times when I’m not even aware of how far away from myself I am. Only later do I realize that I was out of alignment. At first, I was frustrated with the fact that I had let myself drift. But, I now believe that the drift is necessary. It’s the recognition of the drift that is the skill. Then, armed with the perspective of distance, the return to the self can begin anew.

There are times when I feel very close to myself. Then, there are times when I’m not even aware of how far away from myself I am. Only later do I realize that I was out of alignment. At first, I was frustrated with the fact that I had let myself drift. But, I now believe that the drift is necessary. It’s the recognition of the drift that is the skill. Then, armed with the perspective of distance, the return to the self can begin anew.

We’re conditioned to hustle and grind for grades, for college diplomas, for jobs, for raises…for money. What if we hustled just as much for spiritual growth? It’s the same skill set. You just have to want it…really want it…and then orient your mindset and your daily activities around the pursuit. Build the habits. I know I’m trying. But I don’t know if I’m trying hard enough. But I do know that trying hard enough on this quest doesn’t look or feel the same way as “trying hard enough” on the p...

We’re conditioned to hustle and grind for grades, for college diplomas, for jobs, for raises…for money. What if we hustled just as much for spiritual growth? It’s the same skill set. You just have to want it…really want it…and then orient your mindset and your daily activities around the pursuit. Build the habits. I know I’m trying. But I don’t know if I’m trying hard enough. But I do know that trying hard enough on this quest doesn’t look or feel the same way as “trying hard enough” on the p...

“It’s obvious that Church and State should be separate.” “It’s obvious that we need to protect freedom of speech.” Once upon a time, these things-and many, many others- were NOT obvious. What’s true at the macro level is also true at the micro level. Over the course of our lives, things that were not obvious become obvious. The question is: if it’s obvious or “self-evident,” then why all the friction and lag in changing our behavior and our outlook? Even better, if it’s going to be obvious in...

“It’s obvious that Church and State should be separate.” “It’s obvious that we need to protect freedom of speech.” Once upon a time, these things-and many, many others- were NOT obvious. What’s true at the macro level is also true at the micro level. Over the course of our lives, things that were not obvious become obvious. The question is: if it’s obvious or “self-evident,” then why all the friction and lag in changing our behavior and our outlook? Even better, if it’s going to be obvious in...

There are how we want things to be. And there are how things are. For me, the physical manifestation of my unwillingness or difficulty in reconciling the two sits in my forehead. It’s as if someone is sticking their finger or placing their palm against me and all of the force of their effort, like some martial arts master, is concentrated on that one location. This is a force that is holding my progress back. But, that force is imaginary. It’s not really there. Which means that just like I im...

There are how we want things to be. And there are how things are. For me, the physical manifestation of my unwillingness or difficulty in reconciling the two sits in my forehead. It’s as if someone is sticking their finger or placing their palm against me and all of the force of their effort, like some martial arts master, is concentrated on that one location. This is a force that is holding my progress back. But, that force is imaginary. It’s not really there. Which means that just like I im...

I have a yoga teacher who is fond of saying “Eyebrow Check.” She knows that we unconsciously carry around a lot of stress there. Or at least I do. When I check on them, I wonder, “how can something that is so small and so seemingly insignificant be so damn heavy?” I understand now that they are the carriers of some part of my ego, my defenses. Which part? I am not sure. But it’s something that is seeking to protect me from some imagined emotional pain. Maybe it’s the fear of getting caught of...

I have a yoga teacher who is fond of saying “Eyebrow Check.” She knows that we unconsciously carry around a lot of stress there. Or at least I do. When I check on them, I wonder, “how can something that is so small and so seemingly insignificant be so damn heavy?” I understand now that they are the carriers of some part of my ego, my defenses. Which part? I am not sure. But it’s something that is seeking to protect me from some imagined emotional pain. Maybe it’s the fear of getting caught of...

For most of my life until now, I had a need to be “right.” But it wasn’t just being “right,” it was almost like a compulsion to be thoroughly and completely “right.” Like a domination of the intellectual argument, of sorts. Where that came from and why is a different matter. But now, in addition to recognizing how it has not only served me, but harmed me in terms of growth, I can feel its effects. There’s a weight in my jaw, almost like a stone attached to it, that I’m now really tired of car...

For most of my life until now, I had a need to be “right.” But it wasn’t just being “right,” it was almost like a compulsion to be thoroughly and completely “right.” Like a domination of the intellectual argument, of sorts. Where that came from and why is a different matter. But now, in addition to recognizing how it has not only served me, but harmed me in terms of growth, I can feel its effects. There’s a weight in my jaw, almost like a stone attached to it, that I’m now really tired of car...

Most of my life, I’ve focused entirely on how others have, or might, offend me. That was a flaw. The focus should be on how I might offend others. And not taking offense at anything myself.

Most of my life, I’ve focused entirely on how others have, or might, offend me. That was a flaw. The focus should be on how I might offend others. And not taking offense at anything myself.

It’s the law of nature that things change. We may not want them to. We may feel a deep longing for the way things were, once upon a time, whether real or imagined. We may deeply hope and crave for a return to that state of being. And, it may happen. But, it also may not…at least not for a long time, longer than we’ll be around. Our lenses are narrowly focused on the here and now, but when we zoom out, we recognize that we are simply blips in a much, much longer pattern of growth, maturation, ...

It’s the law of nature that things change. We may not want them to. We may feel a deep longing for the way things were, once upon a time, whether real or imagined. We may deeply hope and crave for a return to that state of being. And, it may happen. But, it also may not…at least not for a long time, longer than we’ll be around. Our lenses are narrowly focused on the here and now, but when we zoom out, we recognize that we are simply blips in a much, much longer pattern of growth, maturation, ...