This New Year’s Eve will be the sixty-third I’ve logged in my life so far. I still feel a spark of excitement every time the calendar turns, but for my four- and eight-year-old grandsons, it’s nothing short of momentous—like a birthday, but one that the whole world celebrates together.
Read MoreWhile I treasure spending lots of time with family and friends during the holiday season, I can quickly become overstimulated and knocked off center. Socializing, travel, and constant activity—even when filled with great joy—can be overwhelming for the nervous system.
Read MoreMy life has been shaped in profound ways by the act of writing. I began putting my thoughts on paper thirteen years ago, at a writing workshop at Esalen led by bestselling author Laura Davis. It took place less than two months after my father died, when the loss was fresh and the grief was deep. It was there that I discovered how enlightening and healing writing could be.
Read MoreI celebrated my 62nd birthday on Wednesday, which marked five years of taking every Sunday offline. I started this practice on my birthday in 2020—during the peak of COVID fears and isolation—motivated by my desperation for a break from all the alarming news for just one day. Now, I’m always eager for Sunday to arrive.
Read MoreIn a world that often seems to shift beneath our feet, it can be deeply comforting to remember that no matter what’s going on, the Earth is always right beneath us, holding us close through the strength of gravity.
Read MoreAn essential life skill I know I need to work on is being a good listener. Staying quiet while someone shares at their own pace is often challenging for me, and I frequently find myself interrupting to finish their thought or to share an idea that I’m too excited to contain.
Read MoreMy qigong teacher often says, “Where the mind goes, energy flows.” When we turn our attention toward what brings us delight, our energy naturally lightens, opens, and expands. We feel buoyant, spacious, and connected. In contrast, when we focus on something negative, our energy draws inward, tightens, and contracts.
Read MoreToday, I’m happy to share an article I wrote for Spirituality & Health magazine featuring the deep wisdom of my writing mentor of more than twelve years—best-selling author Laura Davis. I hope it inspires you to join our free writing workshop on Saturday, November 15, Writing as a Pathway to Resilience & Joy.
Read MoreWhen we visualize ourselves as a tree, we’re engaging one of the most powerful tools of the human mind—our imagination. Research confirms that visualization can calm the nervous system and help rewire neural pathways toward greater peace and resilience.
Read MoreI pitched this article to “Spirituality & Health” magazine after hearing psychotherapist Nicole Sachs on a podcast and being captivated by her compelling theory that most chronic pain and many other physical health issues stem from the nervous system’s way of handling repressed emotions.
Read MoreIn today’s micro-meditation, “Sense Your Body,” mindfulness teacher and therapist Katie Dutcher guides us to feel into our entire body—starting from the bottom of our feet, and moving all the way up to the crown of our head.
Read MoreMy sweet, quirky fox-colored lab Leo turned six last week, which means it’s time for my annual report on the wisdom he’s been dispensing. The lessons I learn from Leo feel extra important to me because he embodies so many of the qualities that made my father extraordinary.
Read MoreEach year, the international ZWO Astronomy Photographer of the Year competition gathers the world’s most amazing images of the cosmos—galaxies, nebulae, and skies crowded with shimmering stars so beautiful, they almost defy belief—and they recently landed in my inbox. When I opened them, the vastness and beauty left me breathless.
Read MoreIn last week’s blog, I shared a little about a workshop I recently attended at Esalen Institute that focused on the Tibetan Buddhist perspective on how to take a graceful exit from this world. The teacher, Andrew Holecek, talked about how preparing for a good death is as much about how to live well as it is about how to die well.
Read MoreLast month, I attended a fascinating workshop at Esalen Institute called, “Graceful Exit: Preparing for a Good Death.” When the participants first gathered, Andrew Holecek—the workshop leader whose work centers around Tibetan Buddhist practices and cosmology—congratulated us on being there.
Read MoreAs the autumn equinox approaches, nature reminds us that life is always turning in cycles. Just as the length of days and nights come into balance, we are invited to find balance within ourselves.
Read MoreWhen I was 45, I had a life-altering experience during a powerful shamanic healing session: I met my 90-year-old self. I can still feel her profound equanimity. She emanated deep calm, peace, and steadiness—qualities I’m familiar with now, but that were largely foreign to me sixteen years ago, when I was living in an anxious frenzy.
Read MoreThe world we perceive is greatly shaped by the state of our nervous system. It affects what we notice, how we interpret events, and how safe or threatened we feel. That’s why learning to harness our breath to activate our body’s built-in relaxation response is such a powerful skill to help us move through life with more joy, peace and ease.
Read MoreThis week, I’m happy to share an article I wrote for Spirituality & Health magazine that features the wisdom of my beloved cousin, Trudy Goodman. It explores how a vow has the power to help free us from our projections and open our hearts to a deeper love—for ourselves, others, and the entire world.
Read MoreI made a very important discovery in my personal healing journey years ago: that I don’t need to try to contain my intense emotions within the confines of my own being. I can feel them, breathe and exhale deeply, and let those emotions expand, dilute, and dissolve into the infinite universe.
Read More
