Mental Health, Mindfulness and Life Reflections
Lessons in Wholeness from the Land
It’s Earth Day. Outside my window, the leaves of oaks and maples are unfurling from buds. The air carries fragrance.…
Falling in Love With What Is: Acceptance in the Face of the Unacceptable
We are living in a modern iteration of the Book of Revelations. Housing affordability, economic uncertainty, political turmoil, war, inequality…
Wisdom for Difficult Times: Reflections from Marcus Aurelius
Marcus Aurelius (121 CE – 180CE) was a Roman Emperor and follower of the Stoicism, a philosophical tradition that prizes…
How to Face Political Anxiety in a Time of Uncertainty
We have entered a tumultuous time. The new US administration sends waves of uncertainty throughout the political and economic landscape. Talk of…
Reading: The Bread and Butter of Inner Life
In a recent conversation, a friend asked me the difference between reading books and scrolling on a phone: “If you…
The Zen of Rock and Roll: Life Lessons from Playing Guitar
I picked up the guitar at the age of 17. As a teen, I loved hard-rock music: Bryan Adams, Steven…
New Mind for the New Year: Reclaiming Our Scattered Attention
When Bankei was preaching at Ryumon temple, a Shinshu priest, who believed in salvation through the repetition of the name…
The Darkest Season of the Year: Notes on Difficult Family Gatherings
It’s the most wonderful time of the year, so goes the carol. But is it really? December days are dreary and dark. Rain presses…
Death, Sex, and the Middle Passage
A few summers ago, the plants on my rooftop patio wilted after a long heat-spell. I was busy preparing my dissertation…