Tag Archives: Transformation
“Our most basic common link is that we all inhabit this planet, we all breathe the same air, we all cherish our children’s future, and we are all mortal.” John F. Kennedy I believe, as humans, we all carry the desire, however hidden it may be, to uplift and care for each other. After all, we’re all in the same boat here on Earth. We are all subject to suffering as well as joy. These days, as we are suddenly…..
The dawn of each new year reminds us of our freedom to release the baggage of the past, to make new choices, and to embrace in a new way whatever comes. It’s a time to set our intentions for what we want our lives to look like, and to work toward creating the best life we can envision. At the same, it’s wise to acknowledge that, ultimately, we are not in control. One thing we know for sure is…..
The temples we visited in India are infused with centuries of ritual—prayers, mantras, and fire ceremonies–performed by holy people. The power generated through continuous repetition of the rituals was palpable as we entered these sacred spaces. But we don’t have to go anywhere to access the benefit of ritual in our daily lives. Creating a personal altar is one way. Although our home altars have not been blessed by centuries of ceremonies, we can infuse them, on a daily basis,…..
Sitting in the sand one Saturday at Mesa Lane Beach, looking out over the ocean, I reflected on my work at hospice. I thought about how some things—the heartbreaks, the losses, our deepest wounds—can’t always be faced or felt directly. Sometimes we need to get at them sideways through the cracks in our surface lives. But we need to access them one way or another in order to heal and grow. Otherwise, our unfelt pain traps our life energy, our…..
One day on my lunch break I was at Shoreline Park watching a young seagull perched on a picnic table a few feet away. Perfectly still except for his soft, brown feathers ruffling in the breeze, he gazed at me for a long time. I thought about the Eastern concept of darshan—the sight of a holy person. Just being in the presence of a Master, a highly evolved being, we receive grace. When they open their eyes and their gaze…..
(Follow-up to last week’s post) During a conversation one evening, Stu (my partner and spiritual mentor) addressed my favorite topic–being present: “The Now rips away secrets. Unless we are present for the twists and turns of each moment, we are not authentic. The Now demands we be there for it. What matters is what we are feeling, experiencing in each moment. Am I the Now or the story I tell myself about the Now? Each moment demands a unique set…..
