I wrote this post 3 weeks after Michael’s seizure so it really was “in the moment” type of posting. At the time I really struggled with keeping this blog going and maintaining my new-found position as the person in charge … Continue reading →
My Mother the Compulsive Hoarder – a Case Study
Hoarding affects approximately 2-5{2879bc8f2cf0c7badc0ba0b91bc88170008fa0b1cee68ceb4afb7fd46d4bfeb9} of the population and has previously been considered a symptom of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). But recent research has found that hoarding is an independent disorder. Worried you or a loved one might be a hoarder? Read the facts and symptoms in our piece on Hoarding Disorder. So what is it like …
Quotes of Wisdom: Alipili on Self-Knowledge
He that hath the knowledge of the microcosm, cannot long be ignorant of the knowledge of the macrocosm. This is that which the Egyptian industrious searchers of nature so often said and loudly proclaimed, that every one should know himself. This speech, their dull disciples, the Greeks, took in a moral sense, and in ignorance … Related posts: Quotes of Wisdom: David Cherubim on Alchemy in Practice Quotes of Wisdom: Liz Greene on Self-Discovery Quotes of Wisdom: Krishnamurti and Seneca on the Wisdom of Learning How to Die Quotes of Wisdom: G.I. Gurdjieff on Truth Quotes of Wisdom: Bruce Lee on the Lessons of Self-Knowledge
Find expression
“He who desires but acts not, breeds pestilence.” – William Blake The unborn work, the chance not taken; the life cocooned and bound in hesitation, in failure to act. You need not act on every whim and impulse, but you need to find expression, to break free of bonds, to give yourself space to explore. Take the time to pursue what’s important to you, to pursue possibility. – We’ve been working on a new website! Whenever we read these posts, we’re inspired to write our own private thoughts. Now you can write your own private thoughts at 130words.com. It’s easy. It’s private. It’s
Webinar Recording: Spiritual Tips for Facing Fear
Fear is a fundamental human emotion. It’s been built into our survival system to excite our bodies to fight or flee danger. But for most of us, it has gone haywire. We become easily afraid of a host of insignificant things, and when a significant event does come up, our fear generally causes us to react poorly, which often leads to greater problems.As such, the spiritual path must embrace and face fear to help us find liberation. But spiritual freedom isn’t about never feeling fear. Rather it is about being able to be at peace with it so that it comes and goes. With it’s passing, we work on maintaining mindfulness and consciously choosing our actions rather…
4/13 Check-in Post
How is everyone doing? Feel free to copy your last check in to this new post.
Get unstuck
“Small minds choose small pastures. Great minds choose the unknown.” – Hugh MacLeod You place yourself on a treadmill going nowhere special when you fail to look beyond where you are today. You play life seemingly safe. You stick to well-known comforts. You stay on the well-worn path. And then, one day, you realize you’re stuck. Get unstuck. There’s so much more waiting for you outside your comfort zone. Choose to live at a higher level, choose to discover the beautiful unknown. – We’ve been working on a new website! Whenever we read these posts, we’re…
3 Keys to Keeping the Joy in Your Relationship
How does a relationship that started out like a fairytale romance end up being a source of confusion and unhappiness? Is there anything you can do to safeguard that special bond that initially attracted you to one another? What is the quickest way to turn things around and rekindle those special feelings if they seem to …
A Brief Vanishing of Fear and the Power of Presence
From time to time, I have the lovely opportunity to witness someone's fear completely vanish. Poof! Like a wispy cloud, the fear evaporates, leaving nothing but the truth, love, and occasionally some giggles.Because what else can you do but laugh when you see how vacuous, vaporous, and insubstantial fear really is? Truly, fear is nothing. It does not exist. While we can momentarily put aside the biochemical aspect of fear when an old survival instinct is triggered (such…
Public Aloneness
So many parts of uncoupling are scary and sad. Part of the grief felt after a breakup is the idea of being alone during social events. You are ALONE and everyone can see that. The world seems different when we … Continue reading →
Stress vs Depression – Do You Know the Difference?
Some stress, caused by regular life challenges, is unavoidable. And while feeling nervous about a work presentation or frustrated by a parent teacher meeting gone wrong is not fun, nobody would compare it to the challenge that is depression. Severe stress, however, is a different story. As anyone who has suffered chronic stress knows, with …
Pick your goal and get focused
“Success is only inevitable in hindsight.” – Jeff Haden You’ll know later, but not today. Today, the vision isn’t quite clear, the plan, imperfect, the path, littered with obstacles. Yet you know that tomorrow it will look different. You’re persistent, willing to adjust direction when it makes sense. You’re committed to your future. You’re committed to creating value for …
10 Things To Know About Real Love
Psychology Today post: https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/getting-back-out-there/201504/10-things-know-about-real-love/
The golden rule got it wrong
“The golden rule got it wrong.” It’s not about treating people the way you would have them treat you. It’s about treating people the way they would like to be treated. People care about how they want to be treated. They’re less concerned with your needs, your ego. It’s not about you, it’s about them. Drop the ego. Seek to understand. Seek to step into…
5 Ego Defenses and Traps You Need to Know
The truth is so simple, yet we find so many issues with it. Why? Because our ego-self knows its days are limited, and the spiritual path is going to take us into a whole new world of the unknown. Of course, the world has always been unknown. It is constantly unfolding before us in surprising ways, but for the most part, we try to avoid this truth. We try to find safety through routine and making things as regular to us as possible. That familiarity is known, and what is familiar is often considered to be safe–even if it actually isn't (such as the woman staying with an abusive husband or vice versus).Along the way, we have a whole…
Workbook Sale/BETA TEST
I am trying out a new “instant download” option for the workbook so that you don’t have to wait until I get to send the file to you. I don’t know if it works, so if you order the workbook … Continue reading →
What Does Your Life Smell Like? Think About It.
What does your life smell like? At first it may seem like an unusual question. On the second thought, the question will probably reveal to you some things you may have overlooked. If you were to take a whiff of your life, which response mechanism would be activated? A gag reflex? The laugh button? A sigh of relief? Or unspeakable joy? If you were passing by your life, what would you smell? A bed of…
PTSD in Children – Does Your Child Have Symptoms?
It was once thought that children suffered less than adults from PTSD due to a natural ‘resilience’. But it is now recognised that children are very vulnerable to PTSD, and new methods of diagnosis mean that more children are receiving the support they need. There is no recent survey in England that offers statistics on how many …
Think critically
“Think critically about the worst that can happen.” – Jeff Haden Because most of the time your fears and frets are groundless. Everything new and wonderful involves risk. Yet when you evaluate the likelihood of the world falling apart when you step forward and try something new, the probability of …
Everything Changes When You See Challenges as Blessings
Have you ever noticed how often the challenges we face also contains a blessing in disguise? If not, perhaps you haven’t been looking closely enough! Granted, life’s challenges usually seem like inconveniences when they interrupt our schedules, or get in the way of something we want to do. Isn’t that part of the reason we call them challenges? When we’re working toward an important…
Half Measures Get You Nowhere
This started out as a comment to Lima who asked me what happened when I found the love letter to my husband from his coworker. It turned into this so I decided to make it a post instead of a … Continue reading →
Spiritual Awakening Stages
Anyone who has been reading this spiritual awakening blog for some time knows that I avoid overly linear, goal-oriented language. Too many people are way too stuck in their egos, and they want to turn spirituality into a race to the finish line replete with awards and high-fives. But there is no finish line. There's just this moment, and that's more than enough to find our happiness and love. It's the only place to find it too, and fortunately, it's always where we are.But our egos have learned how to piece together life events and time into linear mental stories. Think of a lot of what you think as a kind…
Struggle to Manage Anxiety? 5 Apps That Help
We all experience stress in life that can throw us off balance and trigger our ‘fight or flight’ response. But for a growing number of us, our modern lifestyles see us experiencing anxiety in a way that is far from normal or healthy. In the last decade and a half, studies carried out by the …
It’s not about the failures
“Never let the fear of striking out get in your way.” – Babe Ruth Babe Ruth had 714 home runs in his career – a record that stood for thirty-nine years. But he also had 1330 strikeouts – he even led the American League in strikeouts for 5 seasons. But The Babe never defined himself within the limits of strikeouts. He recognized that in the larger scheme of things his batting average – and amazing number of home runs – carried far more weight than the strike outs. What about you? Do you allow failure to define you or motivate you? Are you willing to risk the noes in…