One of the simplest mindfulness meditations you can practice is that of putting your awareness down into your feet. It’s so calming and grounding to connect with awareness in this way. Walking meditation is one possibility for undertaking this mindfulness practice, but you can also do it sitting down. I’m lucky enough to [...]
Has all the buzz in recent years about gratitude practice got you wondering how to jump on the joy train? The benefits of having a gratitude practice have been written about extensively. Current studies reveal fabulous health and overall wellness benefits including lower blood pressure, stronger immune system, higher occurrences of positive emotions [...]
The power of soothing touch is something many of us have been fortunate enough to experience: a supportive hand on the shoulder, a gentle backrub, a comforting hug. When a child is hurt, a caring adult may reach out with a soothing touch and a soft voice to comfort that child. This soothing [...]
It seems as if the world is ending. Just when one disaster blows through, another one blasts down with fury and devastation. The earth has been pummeled by catastrophic weather events – hurricanes, floods, mudslides, and fires. We humans were trying to manage the news of unbearable suffering on a grand scale when [...]
Loving Kindness meditation is an English translation of the Pali word metta. Pali was the language in the time of the Buddha, 2,500 years ago. Metta means love, friendliness, benevolence, and goodwill. Metta meditation teaches us how to be better friends to ourselves. Metta means love, friendliness, benevolence, and goodwill. In [...]
When life’s whirlwind starts up, it’s nice to have something to grab hold of that reminds you to stay in your body, stay present and feel your feet on the ground. For me, the simplicity of a stone works wonders towards this end. I call it my “here-and-now stone.” Find a stone [...]
We’ve all got those voices in our heads that speak to us in not the nicest of tones. Those voices are our inner critics. They try to keep us safe, but not in the best of ways. These are usually the internalized voices of our primary caregivers from early childhood. NOTE: If your [...]
Today I asked where the fuel meter is on my 28’ Alerion. My husband told me to lift up one of the benches in the cockpit. I lifted the bench and peeked at the gage. The needle was pointing at the E, as in empty. I’ve never taken her to the fuel dock, [...]
It’s wild to think about, but it’s true: We can change our brain. It is the fundamental notion of experience-dependent neuroplasticity. Rick Hanson, a neuropsychologist and author of Buddha’s Brain and Hardwiring Happiness, says we can use the mind to change the brain to change the mind for the better. Our thoughts and [...]
How many couples will find out today that their partner is cheating on them? If you look at divorce statistics here in the United States, it adds up to plenty of heartbreak. According to the American Psychological Association, 90% of people marry for the first time by age fifty, and 40% to 50% [...]
