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,
New Mind for the New Year: Reclaiming Our Scattered Attention Read More »
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
The Darkest Season of the Year: Notes on Difficult Family Gatherings Read More »
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
Death, Sex, and the Middle Passage Read More »
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
The Danger of Deep Listening Read More »
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
In Praise of Mortal Coil Read More »
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
The Misuses of Mindfulness Read More »
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.
Living a Beautiful Life: Habits for Mental Health Read More »
To begin again is to meet the day with fresh awareness. These birthday reflections explore aging, mortality and the quiet possibility in ordinary moments. The invitation to begin again There was a time when birthdays were about cakes, balloons, grainy photographs of toothless children. A while later, birthdays were about friends, campfires, beer-soaked nights at
Each Day I Begin Again Read More »
The middle passage of life can unsettle familiar sources of comfort and identity. This reflection explores possessions, mortality and the invitation to grow into maturity. Meeting the middle passage beyond possessions A man reaches middle age. Half his life is behind him. The slip of vanishing days catch him in panic. Not long ago a
Boys, Toys, and the Middle Passage Read More »
Perfect Days invites us to notice the quiet dignity of an ordinary life. Hirayama’s routines offer a reflection on contentment, care and the wonder within each day. What Perfect Days reveals about everyday life Hirayama is not a hero. He is not an allegorical figure who represents the plight of everyman. He is a plain
Living Our Perfect Days Read More »
DAVID CHANG COUNSELLING
David Chang Counselling is gratefully located on the territories of the the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations. David supports and celebrates diversity in race, gender, sexual orientation, language, culture, and neurological composition.
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