“The proper response to a work of art is joy, even hilarity.” When I read this on page thirteen of Ted Kooser’s The Poetry Home Repair Manual, and saw that there was a chapter called Don’t Worry About the Rules, I knew I could not only read this book, I could write a poem or [...]
If You Think You Already Spend Too Much Time Alone There’s a thin line between solitude and isolation, between solitude and loneliness. The quality of the time spent alone separates the one from the other. We are social animals. We need the company of other people. Too much time spent unconnected can be unhealthy, especially [...]
You might wonder why there’s a section here on play. This probably seems like one area of your life where you don’t need help. This is where you know how to be present, mindful, happy, and serene. This is where, whether it be during a tennis or Monopoly game, while running or bowling, you’ve experienced [...]
Discovery 1:8 – The First Step: Understanding & Acceptance …continued from 7 Steps to Loving What You Do – Discovery 1:7 – Blaming You are not separate from your life. Life and the way you live it are not two different things. You do not stand outside your life and watch it happen to you. [...]
Lately I have been playing with drawing and painting, and it’s all I want to do now. I don’t know what I’m doing and I rather like it that way. I hope I don’t “learn” too much and can continue to have fun. I love what Dievenkorn said about painting; I think his words can [...]
The end of each year is an auspicious time to pause, reflect and renew. Which is exactly what I will be doing for the next couple weeks. I hope you are able to take some time to be with family, friends and loved ones. And to take some quiet time for yourself during the transition [...]
My heart is heavy with sadness today about what we humans do to each other. Here is some ancient wisdom from Buddha that I hope will inspire all of us to be kinder. TWIN VERSES Our life is shaped by our mind; we become what we think. Suffering follows an evil thought as the wheels [...]
Find the Time Desire is the only requirement necessary to find the time. But find the time we must. Otherwise, all intention of finding a quiet corner will remain in our heads as just another good idea. Probably one-quarter of my memory bank was filled with such notions—creative ideas that sat idly by waiting for [...]
This is another truly delightful mindfulness practice. In the Zen Buddhist tradition, meals are ritualized and taken in silence. Chants that invite mindfulness and gratitude are recited, and no one begins eating until everyone is served. Only as much as can be eaten is taken. No one goes hungry. No one overeats. During the meal, [...]
