Contemplation Archives - Page 2 of 4 - David Chang Counselling

How to Face Political Anxiety in a Time of Uncertainty

Reflection, Contemplation, Culture, Mental Health, Philosophy, Spirituality

Meeting political anxiety with steadiness Political anxiety can unsettle our sense of stability and leave us searching for perspective. We have entered a tumultuous time. The new US administration sends waves of uncertainty throughout the political and economic landscape. Talk of tariffs has frayed the trade relationship between the US and Canada. The US’ withdrawal from the Paris

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Reading: The Bread and Butter of Inner Life

Reflection, Contemplation, Culture, Mental Health, Philosophy

In a recent conversation, a friend asked me the difference between reading books and scrolling on a phone: “If you lament the bus riders with their eyes locked on their screens, might you not also bemoan the same absorption if everyone was reading books?” The question led me to ponder the qualitative difference between the

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The Zen of Rock and Roll: Life Lessons from Playing Guitar

Reflection, Contemplation, Culture, Mental Health, Philosophy

I picked up the guitar at the age of 17. As a teen, I loved hard-rock music: Bryan Adams, Steven Curtis Chapman, Eric Clapton, Metallica, and many more. The brawn and sizzle of an overdriven guitar was the soundtrack of my youth. My mother bought me my first guitar and amp: a black Squire Stratocaster, and a

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New Mind for the New Year: Reclaiming Our Scattered Attention

Reflection, Contemplation, Culture, Mental Health, Philosophy, Spirituality

Reclaiming attention in a world of screens When Bankei was preaching at Ryumon temple, a Shinshu priest, who believed in salvation through the repetition of the name of the Buddha of Love, was jealous of his large audience and wanted to debate with him. Bankei was in the midst of talk when the priest appeared,

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The Darkest Season of the Year: Notes on Difficult Family Gatherings

Reflection, Contemplation, Culture, Mental Health, Philosophy, Psychoanalysis

What difficult family gatherings reveal about us 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 down, and the chill of winter seeps into our bones. It’s hard to rise from bed. The holidays brim with stress: children’s activities and social occasions every week. The shopping spree

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Death, Sex, and the Middle Passage

Reflection, Contemplation, Culture, Philosophy, Psychoanalysis, Spirituality

Fear of death and the search for vitality A few summers ago, the plants on my rooftop patio wilted after a long heat-spell. I was busy preparing my dissertation defence and neglected to water them consistently. Baking in the sun, the plants struggled in the swelter – Delphinium, Hosta, Nepeta, and Euphorbia all. However, I noticed that instead

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The Danger of Deep Listening

Reflection, Contemplation, Culture, Mental Health, Philosophy, Spirituality

The challenge and possibility of deep listening As a counselling therapist, I listen to people everyday. It’s a demanding skill that requires constant practice. Listening is the crux of my profession, but it also feeds my soul and nourishes my mind. I hold a space for others to the best of my ability. Often this

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In Praise of Mortal Coil

Reflection, Contemplation, Culture, Mental Health, Philosophy, Spirituality

Finding meaning in mortality Shakespeare described the human form as a “mortal coil” that we shuffle off in death. For Hamlet, life is a dreary work that holds neither mirth nor meaning. To slip the mortal coil is to find release from the sorrows that batter us. Yet, there may be another view of mortality

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The Misuses of Mindfulness

Reflection, Contemplation, Culture, Mental Health

Keeping mindfulness practice grounded in awareness Mindfulness has enjoyed a stellar career in the last 30 years. Rooted in Buddhist meditation, mindfulness is now widely practiced in schools, hospitals, companies, and therapy offices across North America. This blooming popularity stems from its reputation as a portal to inner stillness, a balm that soothes the stress of modern

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Living a Beautiful Life: Habits for Mental Health

Reflection, Contemplation, Culture, Mental Health, Philosophy, Spirituality

Habits for mental health take shape in the ordinary choices of each day. These reflections explore movement, stillness and connection with nature as parts of a flourishing life. Habits for mental health in everyday life People come to counselling because they are hurting. Something has gone awry. A relationship ends, a career stalls, health declines.

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How to Face Political Anxiety in a Time of Uncertainty

Reading: The Bread and Butter of Inner Life

The Zen of Rock and Roll: Life Lessons from Playing Guitar

New Mind for the New Year: Reclaiming Our Scattered Attention

The Darkest Season of the Year: Notes on Difficult Family Gatherings

Death, Sex, and the Middle Passage

The Danger of Deep Listening

In Praise of Mortal Coil

The Misuses of Mindfulness

Living a Beautiful Life: Habits for Mental Health

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