Prayer for Mindfulness
My foray into 2026 began with loss; three dear friends since October. I’ve felt the need for less activity, less noise and kindness. For me that led to more time on the cushion. I realized that the world-wide hunger for…
Category Meditation
Meditate:Medicate
Go placidly amid the noise and the haste and remember what peace there may be in silence. From Desiderata, A Survival Guide for Life, a poem by Max Ehrmann We’re making our final descent into the darkest part of winter.…
Slowing Down
“For fast-acting relief, try slowing down.” – Lily Tomlin, actress As “The Season” creeps up on us, I decided to revisit old newsletters from this time of year. I love the Lily quote I used in 2022. It seems even…
Listening With Stillness
You should not have your idea when you listen to someone . . . Then you will understand what they say. Shunryu Suzuki, Zen Buddhist monk, author Zen Mind Beginners Mind When I read this quote, I immediately smiled and…
Stillness and Silence
It is as important to cultivate your silence power as it is your word power. William James, psychologist, philosopher, writer Autumn is both the start of some things and the ends of others: holidays and harvest for some, the brilliant…
Colors
A genuinely happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery of a detour. Tara Brach, spiritual teacher, psychologist, author When we look for joy, it’s hard to find. Joy is made up of all the … colors that exist.…
August Riffing
In the jazz world musicians use the word riffing to describe a kind of improvising. The technique is also used by poets, dancers, painters, authors, composers, comedians, politicians, actors, and even trial lawyers, in any context when improvising or riffing…
Peace Is An Inside Job
If we are peaceful, if we are happy, we can smile and blossom like a flower, and everyone in our family, our entire society, will benefit from our peace. Thich Nhat Hanh, Zen Buddhist monk, activist, artist, writer Honoring independence…
It’s a beautiful day in my neighborhood.
It’s a beautiful day in the neighborhood. A beautiful day for a neighbor. Could you be mine? Would you be mine? Fred Rogers, TV Host Mr. Rogers Neighborhood Remember Mr. Rogers? I was a big fan often watching his program…
Everyday Mindfulness
Freedom is man’s capacity to take a hand in his own development. It is our ability to mold ourselves. Rollo May, psychologist, author As I get deeper into MBSR training, my understanding is that this idea of “molding ourselves” is…