In today’s post, Myra shares a quote from Ajahn Chah about the peace that comes through loosening our grip, as well a favorite “Take A Moment” micro-meditation “Breathe Like the Ocean.” This two-minute calming practice will help you slow down and reconnect with the natural world.
Read MoreI first discovered the practice of self-havening more than four years ago, while working with psychotherapist Andrea Wachter on an article for Spirituality & Health magazine about tools to ease anxiety. Since then, it has become a staple of my self-care—both to calm my nervous system, and to foster a kinder and more nurturing relationship with myself.
Read MoreMy only memory from kindergarten is playing musical chairs during a class party. Two rows of chairs had been placed back-to-back down the middle of the classroom. Dozens of parents stood against the walls, encircling the chairs.
Read MoreToday’s two-minute guided meditation, “Attentive Listening,” is more than just an opportunity to slow down and be present—it’s also an attention training technique from metacognitive therapy that’s helpful for rumination and anxiety.
Read MoreGuilt is a tricky emotion. On one hand, there is adaptive guilt—the uncomfortable emotional signal that arises when we believe we’ve stepped out of alignment with our values. It can nudge us to extend more kindness and generosity, as well as make repairs when we’ve caused harm or fallen short in our relationships.
Read MoreWith Mother’s Day weekend upon us, I’m sharing selected excerpts and writing prompts from an article Laura Davis and I wrote for Spirituality & Health magazine four years ago. These prompts—whether written out or simply reflected upon—are a great way to vividly access deep or forgotten memories.
Read MoreOn the rare occasions when my father, Mendek Rubin, spoke about the three years he was imprisoned in Nazi forced labor camps during WWII, he only shared stories about how he managed to stay alive.
Read MoreToday, I’m happy to share one of my favorite meditations from our “Take a Moment” micro-meditations series, “Rest as a Lake.” It feels almost miraculous how calm and relaxed I become in just two short minutes when I’m guided to imagine a lake and embody its serene energy.
Read MoreI don’t believe I ever threw a tantrum while I was growing up. According to my mother, I was a “good” child, perfectly behaved, which she said made me easy to love.
Read MoreOne of the most profound gifts of my qigong practice is how it has helped me become more aware of my breath. This awareness is incredibly empowering, because how we breathe has a dramatic impact on how we feel—and we can change our breathing pattern in an instant.
Read MoreMy clearest memories of growing up in Brooklyn in the late 1960s and early 1970s revolve around food and fear. Looking back, I can see how much they influenced the direction of my life, guiding me to devote myself to endeavors that promote health and healing.
Read MoreDuring our recent Quest workshop, “Write Your Life Open,” we explored these simple but important questions: Where do you draw your strength from? Where do you find resilience?
Read MoreI got to know my cousin Mel Black better after he died than I ever had while he was alive. When he passed suddenly last December, stories began pouring in—stories that revealed dimensions of him I had only glimpsed. Mel had been married to my husband’s first cousin, Joni Goodman, for forty-five years, but we lived on opposite sides of the country.
Read MoreThe sage Buddhist nun Pema Chödrön often reminds people that the reason we meditate is not to become good meditators—it’s to become more awake in our lives. She says, “One of the main discoveries of meditation is seeing how we continually run away from the present moment, how we avoid being here just as we are.”
Read MoreToday I’m happy to share an article I wrote for Spirituality & Health magazine featuring some of the deep wisdom and powerful practices I learned from Andrew Holecek at a workshop at Esalen Institute in Big Sur, California.
Read MoreLast week’s blog, Loving-Kindness for the Body, talked about how profoundly our bodies (and our entire being!) respond to love and acceptance. It ended with a quote from physician and meditation teacher Jan Chozen Bays: “Do loving-kindness practice for your body at least once a day, every day. It’s the best alternative medicine.”
Read MoreIn January, I participated in Suleika Jaouad’s 30-day New Year’s journaling project where she sent out a new writing prompt every morning. Some I pondered for a minute or so, while others inspired me to start writing right away.
Read MoreWhen I was fresh out of college, my husband Drew and I moved onto a small two-acre heirloom raspberry farm in Carmel Valley, California. What was meant to be a one-year pause while I applied to graduate programs in international relations unexpectedly turned into something much bigger.
Read MoreWe all carry stories that are the “greatest hits” of our personal history—narratives about our family, major events we experienced, and pivotal choices that changed the trajectory of our lives. Some empower us with confidence and optimism, while others haunt us, stifle our growth, or prevent us from pursuing what would bring us great joy.
Read MoreThe human mind is truly extraordinary. A single image, sound, or scent can instantly transport us across time and place—back to a cherished memory, a moment of beauty, or toward a felt sense of ease and comfort. We experience this all the time without even trying…
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