We have addictions, unhealthy habits, because we’re filling needs. I eat sugar to feel loved!
If we want to quit an addiction, we first need to understand that addictions aren’t random. They don’t just descend on us by accident. We have them for a reason (or three).
Continue readingWhen I have a peak spiritual experience, it’s challenging to not try to recreate it. I can’t cross the same river twice, so it never works.
Continue readinghttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fKOexGhiEdc&t
Frustrated with your attempts to cure your insomnia with meditation? I realized that the frustration itself was keeping me awake! I also realized that if I could relax into being just 10% calmer (versus frustrated the I still wasn’t asleep!), that I’d sink 10% deeper, then 10% more… Eventually, I was 30% closer… Melting slowly. Melting slowly to sleep. If nothing else, melting, relaxing is a restful practice.
Things feel pretty chaotic to me, and practicing meditation would help. But I’m having a hard time motivating myself to sit for more than a few minutes. (Sit, stand, walk, move, whatever.) I just knocked off balance, and if I’d been practicing regularly, even for 10 minutes a day, I would have been able to stay more centered. Lesson re-learned: when things are getting hairy, pay attention to that inner voice that says, “You need to start meditating a bit everyday!” I didn’t, and now I’m regretting it. No time like the present to heed my own advice!
Continue readingThink of at least 3 solutions before deciding anything.
And take deep breaths, of course!
Mortal fear shifts us into a neurological state commonly called ‘fight, flight or freeze’. The autonomic nervous system takes over in milliseconds making significant bio-chemical shifts (dumping out cortisol, adrenaline, changing systemic blood flows, etc.) one of which is preferring the hind brain for instant decision making… this mental speed comes at the cost of complexity as it’s largely binary. It’s as intelligent as yes/no or more likely run/fight. This is perfect if the danger is an incoming train or a burning house, but not great for complex social, economic or political decisions.
Continue readingI know that you are, but how can YOU know whether that’s true if it isn’t your current experience?
Most modern humans only experience themselves as their mind (including emotions). Anyone telling them they they’re bigger than that just sounds like a crazy person!
Or at best like they are having a really different experience than you are… which isn’t so helpful.
Continue readingEver felt a bit lost or lonely or depressed?
(Ah, welcome to humanity circa… modern times.)
What about those times when you go into a spiral of lost, lonely or depressed that you can’t seem to get out of? Yuck!
That happened to me a few weeks ago, and I want to share with you how I got out of it!
Continue readingDo you have a friend that you can be honest with? That you feel safe enough with that you can give and receive truth from, even when it’s not so comfortable?
Most relationships are more surface, which is usually a good thing.
Most of us aren’t equipped to hear what everyone really thinks, and most of us think so many goofy things, that it’s not great to be sharing all that silliness anyway. Certainly my inner critic does not need to be given free rein to speak her mind to everyone all the time!
The biggest challenge to realizing that you’re more than your thoughts (as well as creating the new habit of thinking with more than your current limited set) – is NOT becoming enlightened, needing to sit in a cave, or clean yourself up.
Nope. None of that is necessary.
Actually, it’s your tricky mind that you need to work with. None of that other stuff is necessary. Whatever it is that you think you need to do, or be, or fix, or clean, or, or, or… Not necessary.
Really.
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