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“Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?” Mary Oliver [caption id="attachment_699" align="alignright" width="584"] Every moment is precious...[/caption] Since practicing mindfulness, I'm more aware of my surrounding. I find myself focusing on and attuning to the natural world; experiencing the poignant beauty of life. I'm not talking about the aesthetically pleasing, although that can be...[ read more ]

“The main affliction of our modern civilization is that we don’t know how to handle the suffering inside us and we try to cover it up with all kinds of consumption.” ― Thích Nhất Hạnh, No Mud, No Lotus: The Art of Transforming Suffering     The lotus is symbolic of awakening. It's what Thich Nhat Hanh talks about when he says...[ read more ]

'For someone deeply trapped in a prison of thought, how good it can feel to meet a mind that hears, a heart that reassures.' Ram Dass and Paul Gorman Going away on a spiritual retreat is an act of courage and kindness.  When we enter Noble Silence, we take a vow to keep silent for a certain period of time....[ read more ]

"It’s not life that causes suffering, it’s our story about life—our interpretation—that causes so much distress." Pema Chodron The practice of Mindfulness helps us wake up out of our stories about life. As Pema Chodron, an American Buddhist Nun, tells us, it's not life/what is happening in life that creates suffering, it's our interpretation about it. This is great news! It means...[ read more ]

“The source of love is deep in us and we can help others realize a lot of happiness. One word, one action, one thought can reduce another person’s suffering and bring that person joy.” ― Thich Nhat Hanh [caption id="attachment_1483" align="alignleft" width="201"] A moment of joy can awaken compassion[/caption] One word, one action, one thought can bring us into direct...[ read more ]

How easily do you get triggered? We are so easily triggered by our environment. It could be something said, a gesture, a look or a behavior. It doesn't even have to be a person! We can get triggered by the weather or by traffic and we're off and running into a full blown reaction! I experienced that today and I...[ read more ]

What is Mindfulness? “Mindfulness is the awareness that emerges through paying attention on purpose and non-judgmentally to the unfolding of moment to moment experience. We train in mindfulness by establishing an embodied presence and learning to see clearly and feel fully the changing flow of sensations, feelings (pleasantness and unpleasantness), emotions and sounds. Imagine your awareness as a great wheel....[ read more ]

Sometimes we can get so caught up in doing things, running errands, planning, etc. Other times we get so caught up in the routine of our day that we just coast through life in survival mode and are not thriving. We put emphasis on being busy and soon we begin to lose sight of our own identity and what's important...[ read more ]