I have been preparing to die for five years now. Not literally, exactly. I have no terminal disease that I know of—except for the fact that I’m breathing, which is at first gasp a death sentence—and I rarely get sick. But death and loss, and the grief that always comes with it, have been informing [...]
Sitting quietly, doing nothing, spring comes, and the grass grows by itself - Zen Saying In the pursuit of knowledge, something is added every day. In the pursuit of enlightenment, something is dropped every day. - Lao Tzu To a mind that is still, the whole universe surrenders. - Chuang-tzu
As a treat for my faithful blog readers and e-mail list subscribers, I have a very special code for you to receive a free copy of my latest edition of One Hand Killing. One Hand Killing is my first book in the Alex Sullivan Mystery Series, and I'm pleased to announce, the second edition, Killing [...]
“I am full of shit!” These are the five words I wrote in the middle of my shift at the hospital a few weeks ago, after conducting my first meditation/relaxation group in the Psych ward. On the way in that morning I listened to Pema Chodron talk about shenpa, which helped me to feel centered [...]
When the weather won't let up, stay warm by baking a delicious pumpkin bread! This delicious recipe comes at the perfect time for you to surprise your loved ones this Valentine's Day! Heat oven to 350º. Lightly oil (or butter) two large loaf pans or three small ones. 1 cup honey 1 cup maple syrup [...]
“If it has to be winter, it might as well snow.” This is something I say every year and I love it when the weather complies. We’ve had plenty of the white stuff and the forecasters say there is more on the way. And if the groundhog is right, we’ve got six more weeks before [...]
Sesshin—a silent meditation retreat—has always been a time of renewal and reflection for me. And, if I’m lucky, I’ll gain some new insight. The sesshin over this past weekend was the same, but different. There was more free time than I’m used to and I got more sleep than ever, which is quite unusual. But [...]
The journey of writing my first mystery novel One Hand Killing, about murder in a monastery—which I thought would be easier than any other work of fiction, Ha!—has been long and enlightening. I think I started writing it sometime back around the turn of this century (it’s so weird to think of it that way!) [...]
There’s nothing quite like a hot bowl of soup on a cold winter night. A warm wedge of cornbread to go with, and a salad on the side will make for a complete and easy meal. Maybe it’s the southern in me (my mom—and the cooking I grew up with—is from South Carolina) but I [...]
The beginning of each New Year is a perfect time for reflection and looking forward, whether or not we’ve made a New Year’s vow, so that we might return to the present moment with gratitude and peace. Here are a few short poems to contemplate and carry with us as we breathe each breath and [...]
