Breath Balm, Get Calm, Carry On
Breath balm is a thing, a type of vapor rub that can help you breathe easier when you have some congestion. Kind of like the old Vicks Vaporub mom used to slather on your chest when you had a cough, … Continued
Life’s Simple Pleasures
When life is complicated, when it’s loud and obnoxious, I tend to get overwhelmed easily. I thrive in a simple, quiet, harmonious environment. The trick to finding the peace amid the chaos, is to create my own harmony and simplicity. … Continued
Life In Sync
I grew up in Southern California, near the beach. We didn’t have much in the way of seasons. Then, at seventeen, I moved to the Central Sierra Nevada mountains, and I learned what seasons were all about. With an eight … Continued
A Labyrinth Experience
A friend recently asked me for more information about one of my favorite topics, labyrinths. So, I searched this blog for articles I had written in the past to send to him. Weirdly, there weren’t any. Labyrinths have come up … Continued
The Gift of Radical Kindness (to yourself)
If you’ve ever listened to or read anything from Dr. Kristin Neff, you know something about self-compassion. A professor at University of Texas, Austin, Dr. Neff is one of the leading experts on the topic. It’s often easy for us … Continued
The What, Why, and How of Guided Imagery Meditation
As someone who meditates everyday and also leads group meditations, one of my most powerful tools is guided imagery. It works as an object of focus, similar to the breath, helping to guide your thoughts. This means there’s no focusing … Continued
For the Love of Books
I love books. I’m an avid reader, between 50 and 75 a year, and most of those are digital downloads from the library. It saves both paper and money, so win-win. It’s not that I prefer digital over printed – … Continued
How a 30-day Challenge Leads to Self-Acceptance
Today, I am halfway through a 30-day fitness challenge. I like this one. It covers all the important points – stretching, resistance, light cardio and mindfulness – no equipment needed. For example, instead of weights, I use my own body … Continued
Back to Basics: Distractions
I’ve been doing this whole meditation gig for a while now. You’d think it would be easy for me to stay focused. You’d think I wouldn’t be lured by distractions. Yet here I am, in the midst of my weekly … Continued
Staying Centered in an Off-kilter World
To say these are challenging times is an understatement. World events, assaults to the environment, human rights violations, division, violence, many would say this is a difficult time to witness. I’ve struggled a bit lately with my own place amidst … Continued