Nature

“New beginnings are often disguised as painful endings.” ~Lao Tzu Sailing on a beautiful day in calm seas can feel like a spiritual experience and can convince your senses that life should always be like this. My family life was smooth sailing for many years. My husband and I were committed to our family and […]

“Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom.” ~Aristotle Over the past few years, I began to feel a shift in my career. Despite spending years earning certifications and degrees and building skills, my work no longer felt meaningful. As I contemplated a change, a persistent thought echoed in my mind: “Why can’t you just

“To stay with that shakiness—to stay with a broken heart, with a rumbling stomach, with the feeling of hopelessness—that is the path of true awakening. Sticking with that uncertainty, getting the knack of relaxing in the midst of chaos, learning not to panic—that is the spiritual path.” ~Pema Chödrön Sixteen years ago, when everything familiar

“Uncertainty is the only certainty there is, and knowing how to live with insecurity is the only security.” ~John Allen Paulos Uncertainty has always been a fact of life, but I think we can all agree that its looming presence seems to be more potent than ever. As if the uncertainties of personal matters—finding love,

“This being human is a guest house. Every morning a new arrival.” ~Rumi When people start out with mindfulness, they want to feel better. They want all the worried, angry, or regretful thoughts to pipe down a little and stop making them feel so bad. That’s great, as far as it goes, and mindfulness can

“The ego is not master in its own house.” ~Sigmund Freud What does that mean? If the ego is not in charge, who is? Before diving deeper, let me tell you this story. That Little Voice Again My jaw tightened, and I couldn’t sit still. Anyone could see that the conversation was heading south. As

“Humbleness, forgiveness, clarity, and love are the dynamics of freedom. They are the foundations of authentic power.” ~Gary Zukav Last July, my mother was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer and began chemotherapy. She asked if I could stay and help her through the treatments. Our relationship had always been strained—she was judgmental of my nomadic

“We all have two lives. The second one starts when we realize that we only have one.” ~Confucius According to Gettysburg College, the average person will spend 90,000 hours working in their lifetime. For many of us, it seems that the answer to Mary Oliver’s famous question, “What is it you plan to do with

“If you do not have needs, you once did.” ~ Marshall Rosenberg When I was born, my mother did not want me. In the northern part of India, there is still a very strong preference for having a male child. A female child is often seen as a burden because of the social and economic