Around this time of year we hear a lot about generosity. ‘Tis the season to give, right? Nothing says I love you like vying for a parking space at the mall and maxing out your credit card. What would...
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If you are reading this, you are most likely a horse person. Maybe you grew up with horses. Or maybe like me you stumbled upon them without a clue of what you were doing and were humbled by their...
Well, will it? That is exactly what I asked myself after my 2 year-old spilled orange juice on my laptop! If you are a parent, Non-Violent Communication is a great addition to your parenting tool kit. For those unfamiliar...
I just turned 40, and wanted to do something to acknowledge and celebrate this milestone. I decided to go on a meditation retreat held at the Esalen Institute in Big Sur, CA. There isn't a spot on the property...
What is Trauma? Trauma is any experience that overwhelms our normal coping mechanisms. Some examples of trauma include: parental abuse, parental neglect, emotional abuse, bullying, domestic violence, addiction, war, rape, incest, personal injury, and loss. This of course is...
In the wake of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings we are all struggling to find a solution to the violence in our country. This article takes a different perspective and asks that instead of looking outward for the answer, we look within.
Does self-hate create insanity? I'd argue yes, to varying degrees. Most of us are dealing with what I'd call an average amount of self-hate. It's manageable, and tends to show up as dysfunctional relationships, addictions, depression, anxiety, and a whole lot of other ways of suffering. When self-hate gets to be too much, and it can no longer be managed internally, it gets projected out on to others. Sometimes it looks like yelling- sometimes like hitting, and sometimes, like killing.
We all want to be confident. Yet, at times confidence alludes us all. Confidence is tied to our relationship with our emotions. Confidence is the ability to: 1) feel a wide range of emotions 2) be compassionate towards yourself regardless of your emotions 3) express yourself in a skillful way that honors one’s experience as well as the other person’s experience – aka- be compassionate towards others.
My horse Hermano died on March 2nd, 2012. Here are the 3 most important things he taught me: 1) The most healing thing you can offer another being is your complete attention and presence. 2) Health is unique to...
“You have to feel to heal.” ~ Julia Butterfly Hill Most of us have bought into the notion that it’s not ok to cry, especially in front of other people. In reality there are social, emotional, and physical benefits...