Say Yes to Yourself, Then Others
“Living is not breathing. Breathing is only the possession of a possibility. Or of all possibilities.” Antonio Gala, La soledad sonora You can find me on a solitary journey somewhere between the great metropolitan city and the coast, a long and winding highway that passes through perfectly distributed olive trees that dot the swooping orange […]
Posture or Posturing?
This morning I walked to a quiet and lovely section of Madrid. There I contemplated big topics like purpose and identity while trying to address the practical concern of where I’d like to live. When you’re navigating a huge life change such as the loss of a spouse, critical illness, retirement or children leaving—your whole […]
La Petite Mort
When I was giving birth to my son, I remember feeling that in my pain I understood famine, war and death. It was as if my mind-spirit left me and traveled to all of history. I experienced human suffering. I shared this feeling afterwards but in the telling it was impossible to communicate what I […]
How To Be Alone
The sun burns your skin and you are alone. Turn toward the mountain and you are alone. Turn toward the sea and you are alone. Say, this being alone is me. Watch the seagull fly high in the sky. In that flight, remember the story of a man. Think about fear and courage and making […]
Creating Oasis
In the center of loud, bustling Madrid, I meditate on the meaning of oasis. I wonder how to find a peaceful spring in the middle of all this noise. I wonder if I’m capable enough to focus, to direct my antennae to receive whatever signal arises in the midst of so much change and static […]
How Mind Works, How Love Works
My mind is empty and there is emptiness today. It’s one big void. I find pleasure in this emptiness because it’s rare and refreshing. Yet, I also feel sadness. Who am I and where am I going? So, I float wondering. An empty mind is unusual. Often, the mind is filled up with words and […]
The Air We Breathe
Today is a terribly stifling day. The air feels thick and slimy on my skin and in my nostrils. Everybody’s face is frowning; thin lipped and frozen in that typical endurance grip. If today’s air quality is any indication of the future, we should be worried. I’m standing at an intersection. I watch the row […]
Clearing Space
There are three teachings that I aim to apply to my daily life and work that are especially complicated when I’m stressed and dealing with trauma. I put them under the headings: Love, Loss and Letting Go but they are all interrelated. Love is about authentic presence. It’s learning to be in alignment body, mind […]
Nature’s Intention is Always New Life
Spring is here! From my window, I see tree tops blooming. Delicate white blooms that are simple and white, bursting buds from within. There’s green and other soft colors adorning the once gray street. The air is warmer now and moist on my skin. There’s a ripeness and a rightness and I gulp it all […]
Minding Love a Simple Pleasure
I’ve learned through my practice of meditation that joy and inner peace are usually wrapped up in the simplest things and we have a choice. Sometimes we get caught up in the spirit of wanting to our detriment. We think that if we’d just hit the lottery, for example, we would find joy and peace. […]