Finding the Lotus in the Mud
You are the witness of your own heart and mind. You are the infinite witnessing the finite. You are boundless love witnessing anger. You are pure bliss witnessing sorrow. Love what you are going through. […]
For Katherine: The Dharma in a Pop Song
This post is dedicated to my first born. Katherine is brilliant and creative – a budding actress with many talents including writing and photography (she took the photo for my banner above). She is the artist to my scientist. Her flare for the dramatic sometimes clashes with my love of peace and calm and she […]
Hope & Doubt
hope |hōp| – a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen: I hope this new medication works; a person or thing that may help or save someone: This new medication is our only hope; grounds for believing that something good may happen: The medical evidence gives us some hope that this medication will help. doubt |dout| – a feeling of uncertainty or lack of conviction: Some doubts exist regarding the effectiveness of this medication; feel uncertain about: I doubt we’ll see an […]
A Superstitious Atheist?
Many atheists, myself included, not only lack belief in a God or gods, but also reject the idea of other supernatural phenomena such as ghosts, psychics, or fairies. We are skeptical that certain rituals such as prayer or laying on of hands can bring about some hoped for outcome by calling on the favor of […]
The Highest Expression of Human Evolution
Let’s talk about something a bit more upbeat than special needs parenting for a change! About two years ago, my younger sister decided to get married. She and her partner had been together for over a decade and with same-sex marriage becoming legal in more states, they decided it was about time. My uncle and […]
Worldly Winds and Second Arrows
“Monks, these eight worldly conditions spin after the world, and the world spins after these eight worldly conditions. Which eight? Gain, loss, status, disgrace, censure, praise, pleasure, & pain. These are the eight worldly conditions that spin after the world, and the world spins after these eight worldly conditions.” […]
Kindfulness
I was fortunate enough to get away recently for a 3 day silent meditation retreat at the Margaret Austin Center near Houston, Texas. A few words about meditation retreats for my non-meditating friends: In the Vipassana tradition, practitioners come together and follow a schedule of alternating periods of sitting and walking meditation interspersed with meals. Sitting meditation […]
March 26: Purple Day for Epilepsy Awareness
Today’s blog is dedicated to Purple Day, a day to wear purple and raise awareness about epilepsy. Purple Day was started by a young girl from Nova Scotia, Cassidy Megan, in 2008. Within only a few years, Cassidy’s dream to “bring people from around the world together to teach others about epilepsy” became […]
You yourself, as much as anybody…
You can search throughout the entire universe for someone who is more deserving of your love and affection than you are yourself, and that person is not to be found anywhere. You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe deserve your love and affection. […]
“I see you, Mara”
Meeting life’s frustrations with grace and humility, and maybe a little humor. THE GUEST HOUSE This being human is a guest house. Every morning a new arrival. A joy, a depression, a meanness, some momentary awareness comes as an unexpected visitor. Welcome and entertain them all! Even if they are a crowd of sorrows, who […]