Have you ever experienced a time when you’ve been thinking about a friend, and then they call you “out of the blue?” Perhaps you find yourself somewhere you’ve never been before and realize that this location has been presented multiple times (e.g. you overheard it described; your best friend mentioned it; or perhaps you had a very detailed dream …
Labels, Barriers and Shoes
There is a saying that to understand another person you need to walk a mile in their shoes.
Be Your Best Friend
“Oh, you’re my best friend…” The lyrics of that song by Queen have been running through my mind lately. Which is a much better choice than what usually cycles and recycles through my monkey mind at times. I heard the song a few days ago, and it caused me to ponder: what if we truly were a best friend to …
Demand the Ball!
Late spring is the time of graduation ceremonies. A time when people come together to acknowledge an important rite of passage. Moving across a platform to signify saying goodbye to one stage of life and hello to another. I like these ceremonies because they typically have speakers who offer sage advice and/or worthwhile questions to ponder. I happened across the …
It’s All About Perspective
He has a brain tumor!!! My first thought as I examined the lump behind his left ear. “Did you bump into anything? Hit your head on a cabinet door? Is it tender?” I peppered him with questions, trying to identify a logical explanation for the bulge. My husband had been experiencing sharp intermittent pains in his left ear for a …
Mind-Rut Thoughts
Most of us are oblivious to our repetitive thoughts until we experience the consequences of our actions.
The Walk of Life
We spend our days, walking on the beach, lazing about, reading, watching and listening to the ocean, snorkeling, and relaxing. Our one and only goal is to completely relax and enjoy our time together. One morning we take a new direction on our walk. We strolled past ancient fishing ponds and through an area filled with washed up pieces of …
Start Small
I was on a padded table, head on a pillow, a cushion beneath my knees. Soothing music played in the background, and the lights were dim. The woman with smiling eyes began by lifting my ankles and holding them gently. After a few moments she moved up to my spine, placing her hands underneath my backbone, making very subtle movements. …
What Makes You Laugh?
What makes you laugh? Is it a joke about a man who walks into a bar, a knock-knock joke, an unexpected occurrence or a prat-fall? Psychologists tells us that laughter serves as a type of super glue in that it helps keep us connected. Laughter is universal, but humor is culturally specific. Laughter is a natural behavior of humans and some …
How Does the Environment Affect You?
I entered the garden through a metal gate within a gray concrete brick wall. Straight ahead was a walkway and a three-story chorten (stupa) that looked like a large white and gold vase. Instead of flowers, there was a pyramid-like pillar topped by a crescent moon and sun. Each tier was encompassed by a white wrought-iron fence that looked like …