MINDFULNESS
For many, midlife happens around age 45. During this period, some adults may experience feelings of dissatisfaction with their lives, or a midlife crisis. This could be an opportunity to make big changes. Here are some ways you can grow during a midlife crisis. Transform Eating and Exercise Habits Middle age can be rough on the body. Instead of feeling…
Have you tried practices like meditation, journaling, and yoga, only to see little benefit for your mental health? It might be time to think outside the box. In combination with talking to a therapist, you can try a few of these unique methods from Rewire Me to improve your mental health! Try Forest Bathing VeryWellMind states that forest bathing simply…
In the frantic life of a modern entrepreneur, it’s easy to forget the basics, and self-care often gets pushed to the periphery but, according to studies, strong health management is linked to an improved immune system, increased productivity, and higher self-esteem — crucial attributes for business success. For the smartest among us, good work comes from first working on yourself.…
Have You Ever Heard of 3D Sound? Can you tell the difference between mono sound and stereo? If you were scanning through radio stations, would you be able to tell if you were listening to music in mono or stereo sound? More specific, and harder to identify, is the difference between high bitrate versus MP compressed files in the sound…
Plan ahead to get ahead for the new year. With the New Year upon us many are thinking about their resolutions for 2020. It’s a time for letting go of the things that we may be holding onto that no longer serve us to achieve our goals. At the same time, it’s also the perfect opportunity to bring in that…
When it comes to raising my children, my motto has been “Keep them busy to keep them out of trouble.” I was the champion of sports programs and after school activities. Now that they are respective teenagers I’m second guessing if that was the right decision. In our ever-evolving technical world my children struggle to find ways to wind down. While I don’t…
Parenting with mindfulness requires us first to do some work on ourselves
My work as a post-trauma coach means I study the brain and how to calm it, so I know all about how science has proven that the practice of paying deep, nonjudgmental attention to the present moment quiets the mind, quells emotions, and creates a neurophysiological environment (complete with reduced stress hormones) that reduces anxiety. I also hear firsthand from…
Incorporating art into your life benefits the heart and mind Art enjoys a long history as a therapeutic tool for your heart and mind. Painting, writing, music, theatre, dancing – there are many ways to express yourself with positive health benefits. It’s easy to get bogged down in your busy schedule and ignore this kind of self-care. But time to…
Give the gifts that gives back! ‘Tis the season of giving, and we’re getting into the spirit with a present for you: a curated selection of my favorite wellness-inspired picks for everyone on your list. What better gift to give your loved ones than a little helping hand in the wellness department? These gifts will leave everyone on your list…
Goldie Hawn shows us how to easily incorporate mindfulness into our day
You can practice anything with a 100 percent of your attention
As a mother and a writer who frequently covers child development issues, I’ve read countless parenting books filled with methods “guaranteed” to result in better-behaved children and a more peaceful, productive home. All of these titles are penned by experts who seem certain that their step-by-step strategies (and their strategies alone) are the key to raising happy, healthy kids—no matter…
6 tips to finding success by focusing on one task at a time Do you pride yourself on being a talented multi-tasker? Well, a new study says that may be an illusion. The study, conducted by Stanford University, says that multitasking may be detrimental to not only your brain, but also your ability to get things done faster and more…
It’s important to learn how to recognize how stress affects you, learn how to deal with it, and develop healthy habits to ease your stress. What is stressful to one person may not be to another. Stress can come from happy events (a new marriage, job promotion, new home) as well as unhappy events (illness, overwork, family problems). What is…
Behind me is infinite power, before me is endless possibility, around me is boundless opportunity
Face your fears as you approach obstacles There comes a time when many of us desire to make a fundamental shift in the way we approach life. Learning to embrace challenges is a fundamental part of changing our mindset. But knowing where to start can be overwhelming. Here are some concrete steps you can take to get yourself on the…
Move from the ‘can’t’ of the altered ego state into the possibilities that the soul is ready to embark upon. Sponsored Content by Expand with Julius It’s important to know that you probably won’t be able to teleport yourself into the next galaxy when you are not a very high consciousness being. It’s equally important to know that you won’t…
How to move more gracefully through a bad day From losing your keys or forgetting an appointment to missing out on an expected promotion, some days just don’t go your way. When your day gives you the blues, your mind can become your worst enemy. But with some focused thoughts and actions, you can get through it all with your…
Ditch the elevator pitch, business card swap, and other well-worn strategies Ditch your friends, colleagues and don’t hand out business cards if you want to be more successful at networking. Probably not what you expected to read, but sometimes you need to look beyond the tried and true networking practices to stand out. I read a great post from Undercover…
Back in the 1960s Dr. Paul D. Maclean devised the Triune Brain model as a way to explain the brain’s evolution while reconciling rational human behavior with more primal and violent outbursts. The Triune Model suggests three parts to the brain: Reptilian (posterior, brain stem): the source of instincts Paleommamalian (mid-brain): the source of emotions Neomammalian (cortex): the source of…
5 reasons we struggle to follow our true longings and how to honor them Throughout my 34 years of working, I’ve experienced one very chronic pattern. I’ve tended to wait far too long to do what I instinctively knew was right or deeply longed to do. Sometimes it was staying in the wrong business partnerships or relationships, or remaining in…
A transformative process for healing and empowerment with your subconscious mind
Why did I fight in the ring? Well, this gets kind of personal, but I’ll tell you anyway. Maybe I need to get it off my chest. In fact, I thought writing this piece was going to be easy. I thought I’d knock it out quickly, but that didn’t happen… it took me eleven drafts. Clearly, not as easy I…
How to channel your inner happiness warrior
Years ago in our family hedge fund business, we hired an assistant named Anne who was a terrific asset to the team and lots of fun to work with. We had a good time churning out projects. She was also very pretty (with gorgeous hair, electric blue eyes, and creamy skin) and maybe 50 pounds overweight. Anne wasn’t happy with…
Just as Zen became a buzzword in the ‘90s, mindfulness is traveling a similar route into our 21st-century vernacular. Madison Avenue and social media have discovered that we like our diets, our magazines, our businesses, our relationships, and even our fashion to be mindful. Oversaturation does not mean that mindfulness is a bad thing. It’s accessible, simple (although not always…
Try this mindfulness practice to connect you to your best leadership qualities.
Adult coloring books designed specifically to boost creativity and calm the mind
Your relationship with money may be in need of a conscious tune-up
Stay open to a future of possibilities
An introduction to meditation and its benefits The thing about meditation is: you become more and more you. David Lynch We’ve all undoubtedly heard that meditation is good for us. Meditating relaxes both our mind and body, and helps connect us to the present moment. It empowers us to become more aware, which leads us to become healthier and…
To beat back the Great Bleakness that is clinical depression takes a lot of falling sick. For the depressive, there is often no choice about sinking into despair—darkness so overpowering that it would shock the uninitiated. For us, it can be a daily occurrence. But to fall sick mindfully, to observe our experience of depression—that skulking trickster, part physical malady…
5 steps to prevent excessive worrying
From sick and stressed to healthy and happy
By Jason Drwal Kevin Schjerning, a 48-year-old film and video editor, doesn’t simply dislike social gatherings; he finds them overwhelming. “I basically feel claustrophobic,” he says. “I have to get out of there.” An estimated 22 million people in the U.S. have social anxiety disorder, an intense and disabling fear of being judged or humiliated in social situations. Living with…
When you own your power, you take responsibility for the situations and experiences you have in your in life. Taking responsibility is empowering and freeing. Of course, while we cannot control all that happens in the world (or to us), powerful affirmations help us create a more positive response to how we perceive and experience these challenging situations. According…
I AM ENOUGH. You don’t need to strive to become worthier, more accepted, or more loved. You are all of those things already – just as you are. There are things you may want to be more of. More open, more honest, more authentic, more limitless, or more purposeful. These, are not expressions of your “enough-ness.” On the contrary, they’re…
We need to feel safe in order to heal. I recently took a vacation to a little town in Mexico called Puebla. I’d never been there before, and as we walked the streets looking for a cafe con leche, I kept tripping on the uneven sidewalks, unable to take my eyes off the colorful architecture and tiny storefronts selling religious…
How you begin your day can change your life Starting the day with a great morning routine can change the feel of everything that follows. Healthy morning habits can prevent hormone spikes, increase your ability to handle stressful events, improve your digestion and make you feel empowered in life. Here are 7 ideas on how to start your day out…
Going vegan is good for the environment, society and your wallet You probably know that vegans do not consume any animal products. Some go beyond this and live a vegan lifestyle, which directly impacts the clothing a person wears and the personal care products they use. Many proponents of a vegan lifestyle say that it can make you not only…
Self-love and self-care aren’t about being self-centered, narcissistic, or pushing ourselves or our own agenda. It actually quite the opposite. Self-love and self-care are about loving yourself for who you are now and taking the time to care for yourself both emotionally and physically. It’s about quieting that little voice of self-doubt in your head and recognizing your own needs.…
Small changes can release you from the trap of stress and busyness so you can enjoy your life. From time to time, we all get consumed with our hectic schedule and demands of life. When that happens, we need to shift our thinking and adjust our expectations to reduce the stress of having “so much to do.” By making alterations…
Turn negative feedback into something positive
Spring, what a lovely time of year! The weather begins to warm, the sky becomes bluer, and the snow melts. We find grass that has laid dormant in the cold winter months and see the leaves and flowers begin to bloom again. Longer days, more sunshine and everything is green and fresh. It’s spring, and it’s time to get outside.…
You already possess everything you need for your personal adventure
When I first I learned about the importance of mindfulness practice in reducing stress and increasing health, I inwardly whined, Another thing for the to-do list! As a committed transcendental meditation disciple, I thought I was doing enough to train my brain for optimal functioning. Then I interviewed Dr. Ron Siegel, assistant clinical professor of psychology at Harvard Medical School…
Creating habits to help leave work behind Many of us struggle with a constant state of “take your work home” syndrome. When our brains can’t stop to relax, our quality of life pays the price. That’s when it’s time to create some good habits, allowing you to take a mental break from work. Here are seven tips to help you…
Take time to recharge your brain and body Your weekend contains precious hours to de-stress and recharge your spirit and body. Using simple tools like laughter, setting boundaries and meditation, you can stop the negative effects of unchecked stress. The most successful people know to work hard and relax hard. Outsource Coming home isn’t relaxing if you feel like your…
How to rewire your brain for a fruitful life We’re always looking for new ways to add prosperity to our lives – whether it’s financial security, career advancement or some type of personal fulfillment. Affirmations for abundance can advance this process, with their ability to rewire your brain and use the Law of Attraction to bring better things your way.…
How positive affirmations affect your brain and change your thoughts When you change your thinking process, everything in your life often changes as well. Doing positive affirmations is consciously choosing to think certain thoughts that will create positive results in the future. They create a focal point that will allow you to begin changing your thinking. Research shows that the…
Tips for heart-healthy sleep There have been times in my life where sleep was last on my list of priorities. I know I’m not alone in that experience. But maybe learning about how sleep affects your heart can be the motivation you need to get those extra, crucial hours of shut-eye. It has been for me. How sleep impacts your…
How to add abundance and joy into your life
Replace fear with faith
“Your relationship with yourself sets the tone for every other relationship you have.” —Robert Holden What To Do: Loving yourself is a conscious decision that needs to be made every day. How you begin your day can set the tone for how the rest of your day goes and the power lies in positive thinking. Start your day with…
Connect to this element for consistency and balance
Touch sadness and despair for the bliss to show up.
Learning how to rest our overactive brains for better sleep Getting a good night’s sleep is a challenge for many of us. I’ve lost track of the number of times I’ve laid awake tossing and turning at night – finding no sleep at all. Whether it’s work stress, anxiety about my kids or wondering if I remembered to feed the…
There’s a saying I love based on the writings of Ralph Waldo Emerson: “Who you are speaks so loudly I can’t hear what you’re saying.” Who you are being is your integrity. It isn’t our actions, words, and achievements that define our life or our integrity; our state of being defines our integrity, and our actions, words, and achievements are…
Specific steps to boost your brain power We’re all typically willing to invest in our greatest resources for success. That’s why we should take the time to invest in our minds, making sure it stays clear and focused. Knowing how important this is, it’s easy to prioritize taking care of our mental state without guilt or uncertainty. Let’s remind ourselves that…
Keep your unique strengths in mind when working on self-growth When you want to be successful, it’s easy to fall into the trap of comparing yourself to others. You think keeping up with those around you is a good way to boost your productivity. But comparison is not only the thief of joy, but can rob you of the unique…
Would we be happier and more productive if we avoided overload?
Mindfulness significantly reduces feelings of depression
Practicing the simple art of tea
How to rewire your brain to meet this year’s goals During January, resolutions top many people’s to-do lists. Yet, by early February, gyms start thinning out, discipline dissolves and willpower seems to fly out the window. But, studies show that sometimes it’s more about the old cues and triggers pulling us into our old routines than a lack of willpower or knowledge.…
Prevent serious physical and mental effects of chronic stress Stress: we all deal with it. Yet we know how much better off we’d be, both physically and mentally, if we could only get it under control. We need stress relievers that really work. We know stress can be a positive, motivating factor at times such as when you’re under pressure…
Science supports health benefits of breaks between eating Fasting is something that most of us already do: it’s called sleeping. For those of us with regular sleep schedules, we go without eating for the hours we snooze. We usually tack on some hours before and after bed too. Intermittent fasting is similar. But it’s sharply defined as going between…
It’s the little things that can move you forward I know all too well that feeling of being stuck; a sense of inertia can come over even the most productive of us. Stressful events, illness, lack of self-care or just plain old exhaustion can creep in and stop us in our tracks. But when the obstacles in our life loom…
7 Ways to Help Kids Unplug from Technology
My childhood unfolded in the last few years BC (Before Computers). However, my own children and my students have lived their entire lives with bleeps and buzzes and signals from multiple channels of information. Parents and teachers alike worry about the impact that constant multitasking is having on children’s developing brains. Kids—digital natives—swim comfortably in the floods of information and…
Changing lifestyle rituals for better quality rest You may call yourself a night owl, or think you’ve achieved so much more the past year by working long into the midnight hours. If so, you are falling behind on your science and your productivity. Cognitive function can be damaged by even a little lost sleep, and it can affect our overall…
Most people probably envision meditation as something done while sitting motionless and in silence. But meditation doesn’t have to be a retreat. You can meditate while walking, doing chores, even during vigorous exercise like running, swimming, or any other athletic pursuit. Meditation Can Help Change the “No Pain, No Gain” Equation Thinking too much while exercising—especially during workouts requiring a…
How the Law of Least Effort can help you be the most successful “Acceptance looks like a passive state, but in reality, it brings something entirely new into this world. That peace, a subtle energy vibration, is consciousness.” —Eckhart Tolle How much of your energy did you feel you spent fighting or struggling last year? In our culture, it’s actually…
5 tips to enjoying the true spirit of the holiday season For many of us, the holidays are a stressful time. There are gifts to buy, dishes to cook and parties to attend. Instead of focusing on the busyness of the holiday season, look for ways to bring your own feelings about the meaning of the holidays into your life…
Use technology for better nutrition, exercise and overall well-being Wellness is becoming more important to people. From making sure that you exercise to eating right, there are many ways to stay healthy. Today, technology and wellness are merging to form trendy techniques to help you manage your health and make it easier for you to take care of yourself. Here…
Practical solutions to get your work life back on track You basically love your life, but your career isn’t providing the kind of fulfillment you had hoped. To discover the problem, you’ll want to consider the conditions of your career environment, which are so important. Research shows people are more engaged and productive in a positive work environment. If your…
By Americ Azevedo We are born with true wealth, but constantly forget to realize the wealth we already have. Failing to acknowledge our true wealth we keep grasping for more, like hungry ghosts who are never satisfied while constantly eating! Thus, we go about despoiling the earth, corrupting relationships, and twisting societies into grotesque forms that promote needless suffering for…
Science proves you can enjoy more effects of exercise Have you ever felt that even when you worked out harder, you didn’t feel any better afterward? After all the talk about how exercising should help you balance your stress hormones, how is it possible that you still don’t feel less stressed afterward? A new study seems to have answered this…
Find inner peace by changing pessimism into optimism We all have a tendency to doubt ourselves. From worrying that we’re not good parents to questioning our relationships, it’s easy to become a victim of negative thinking. The problem arises when you allow the negativity to take over your thoughts, it can drain your energy and ultimately, prevent you from being…
How to learn best in the age of information available everywhere We are creatures of habit, but at the same time, we’re constantly learning new things. And there’s proof: every minute of our young lives our brains add 250,000 neurons, and our brains spend the subsequent years properly wiring them together. And as adults, contrary to popular belief, neurons…
What are you grateful for?
How letting go creates a more productive, fulfilling environment
Find inner peace
Refocus and react to life’s challenges
Book Review: Miraculous Silence by Mitra Rahbar
Start your own path toward positive change
How to find inner peace in a noisy world
Make 2016 the best year yet
What to do when feeling depressed
Small changes and shifts make a difference
A 15-year old activist speaks to the UN General Assembly about climate change
The key to inner freedom, wellness, and joy
Teaching kids how to alleviate stress and build resilience
When you cultivate a deep connection with your inner self, your relationships flourish
Abridged excerpt from Alka Dhillon’s new book
Breathing meditation is a powerful ally for veterans with PTSD
How to find peace of mind at work
In the wake of a second earthquake in Nepal, please consider donating whatever you can to the relief effort.
How to fit meditation into your busy schedule
Janice Marturano tells us how to pay attention to our daily calendars
Control is one of humankind’s greatest illusions
Take a moment to consciously reflect on your relationships with this practice from Eve Hogan
Pathbreaking work by Dr. Davidson is tapping the power of meditation and mindfulness for greater wellness
Interest is growing in practicing mindfulness and meditation in medical schools and other health institutions
Four new studies point toward three benefits to cultivating moment-to-moment awareness in the workplace
Enhance our relationships with others
We think of kindness as something we do for others. But Rick Hanson says kindness is a two-way street
It’s a New Year! Make a resolution to exercise your Kindness Muscle in 2015. Here are 15 ideas to get you started.
“Mommy can’t play with you anymore,” my husband told my one-year-old daughter. In 2010, I was half alive and lying on the couch. Though the words hurt to hear, they were true. I was exhausted and in pain. I’d get dizzy just from being exposed to the sun walking to my car. I couldn’t play outside with my daughter, I…
For veterans afflicted with the mind-numbing, high-anxiety realities of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), it’s hard to consider Veteran’s Day a holiday. And while it has evolved from “shell shock” in World Wars I and II, to “Post-Vietnam Syndrome” in the 1970s, to what is now known as PTSD, the condition in all its forms has severely affected millions of soldiers and…
Is it just me or do comfort foods start calling your name, too, this time of year? It’s easy for me to eat right in the summer. I’ve got that easy feeling from the warm sunshine that seems to permeate every cell in my body, and there are fresh vegetables to nourish me everywhere I turn. But once we have…
To stop fear, you have to cut off the fuel. Turn off the news, walk away, and let the healing begin
Two of the things I’m most passionate about are veteran’s issues and yoga, so you can imagine how excited I was to receive a copy of Beryl Bender Birch’s new book, Yoga for Warriors: Basic Training in Strength, Resilience, and Peace of Mind (Sounds True). I was impressed from the very first page. As much a “why” as a “how…
A centerpiece of the Wisdom 2.0 movement, Wisdom 2.0 Business is an annual conference dedicated to exploring innovation and mindfulness in the workplace. This two-day event, helmed by business leaders and changemakers from across the country, took place this week in New York City. Wisdom 2.0’s founder, Soren Gordhamer, opened the conference by asking the central question that highlighted the…
It is a whisper of feeling, almost intangible. Yet it is powerful. Suddenly you are in a different space. You feel almost weightless. The air is still, your breathing is slow, but what you are experiencing is clean and clear. You have been touched by a moment of pure grace. One recent summer evening I was eating dinner with my…
What happens when we experience the world through our screens?
By Mallory Bulman and Kaitlin Vogel Though dark clouds hovered ominously, the parade of yoga-mat-toting festivalgoers trekking from the subway to Brooklyn’s Prospect Park proved that rain or shine, Wanderlust 108 was not to be missed. And they were right. The event was nothing short of uplifting: a day of live music, yoga, guided meditation, inspiring speakers, and a 5K run for those…
“Good writing isn’t a science. It’s an art, and the horizon is infinite. You can always get better.” That’s a quote from an article about David Foster Wallace that was published last week on one of my favorite websites: Brain Pickings. I love it because the implications go far beyond writing—to so many aspects of our lives. It also reminded…
Readers of Rewire Me know how much I admire Congressman Tim Ryan, author of A Mindful Nation, so of course I was excited to read Molly Ball’s article about him in the most recent issue of The Atlantic. I was especially struck by his comment on how he travels a two-way street—not only does he work hard to convince people…
I have some great news: Rewire Me was mentioned on iHeartRadio’s The Melting Pot last week! Inspired by our suggestions for a digital detox, the hosts, Tim Mihalsky and Ashleigh Speidel, and their guests talked about the importance of unplugging from their phones, social media apps, online alarms, and other assorted gadgetry. “Let’s face it: Technology is an integral part of our…
I go back about 35 years in the do-good PR and communications field and have spent much of the last decade working to build awareness of specific ways contemplative practice can facilitate deep social and environmental change. So I’m heartened by the surge of mainstream media coverage of mindfulness in the past year or so—and at the same time concerned…
By Anneli Rufus In a recent study, people were asked to choose between winning a small prize immediately and larger prizes they would have to wait several weeks to claim. Perhaps unsurprisingly, 70 percent chose the smaller-sooner prize. But follow-up questioning revealed that those who chose to wait treasured their rewards more highly than those who claimed their prize immediately—even…
If you asked my college roommate to rate my neatness on a scale of 1 to 10, she’d probably say 12. I was Felix Unger to her Oscar Madison, and as much as she drove me crazy with her messiness, I’m sure my extreme tidiness drove her even crazier. So she would’ve been shocked if she’d seen the state of…
Balancing spirituality and science, the lineup for last week’s FACES conference in Washington, D.C., was remarkable: Roshi Joan Halifax, Emiliana Simon-Thomas, Kristin Neff, Barbara Fredrickson, Frank Ostaseski, Christine Courtois, Tara Brach, John Briere, and Chris Germer. I was worried that mindfulness had been talked about a bit too much of late, but the speakers brought fresh insights and research to…
The value of mindfulness for promoting compassion for others and ourselves has drawn a lot of attention in recent years. And few have done more to help people bring self-compassion into their lives than Christopher Germer, Ph.D. A founding member of the Institute for Meditation and Psychotherapy, Dr. Germer has led countless mindfulness workshops and is the author of one…
An acclaimed yoga teacher and leader of kirtan, or call-and-response devotional chanting, Snatam Kaur sings with the intent of uplifting, healing, and transforming her listeners. A longtime social activist, the California-born vocalist often performs in prisons, hospices, and schools in low-income communities. Kaur’s music “is just pure spirit,” says fan Oprah Winfrey. “There’s no part of it that doesn’t feel…
Against the serene backdrop of the Berkshire Mountains and glistening Lake Mahkeenac in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, I recently attended a three-day workshop on mindful self-compassion at the Kripalu yoga retreat center. I was there to learn how to tame my inner critic, under the tutelage of one of the foremost experts on the topic: Christopher Germer, Ph.D., author of The Mindful…
Now in his seventies, Robert Trivers is no longer a prodigy but still acts the enfant terrible. He taught himself calculus when he was 14 and wrote and published a series of papers that revolutionized evolutionary theory when he was still a graduate student at Harvard. He was awarded the Crafoord Prize in Biosciences by the Royal Swedish Academy of…
It had been a while since I’d visited the Rubin Museum of Art and I’d forgotten how beautiful it was. From the moment I walked in after a hectic day, I felt myself relax, almost back to where I’d been after my morning meditation. I’d come for an event on Mindfulness at Work, hosted by the Garrison Institute. The speakers…
As a middle school teacher, I try to be aware of the big picture—the curriculum—as well as the tiny shifting reactions of my students. I have to be conscious of how each child grows and changes over time so I can help all of them stay motivated and engaged. By the end of most days, my mind is tired yet…
When I first I learned about the importance of mindfulness practice in reducing stress and improving health, I inwardly whined, Another thing for the to-do list! As a committed transcendental meditation disciple, I thought I was doing enough to train my brain for optimal functioning. Then I interviewed Dr. Ron Siegel, assistant clinical professor of psychology at Harvard Medical School…
The room was stark white. Huge black-and-white photographs of elephants covered the walls. On tables between the white chairs and big colorful cushions, votive candles flickered, creating an air of tranquility. As I walked in I immediately felt like I was visiting old friends—and to my surprise I was greeted by a dear friend, Barbara Biziou. And then I made a…
When I start to get overwhelmed and anxious, I have found that stepping out of my overscheduled life for a “haiku walk” can rewire my day. Traditionally, Japanese haiku walks are called gingkos, named after the tree, and are held in a place of historical or cultural significance or in an area of natural beauty. I live in Moscow, Russia,…
Shorter and narrower in focus than The Art of Flourishing, and written more for his professional peers, perhaps, than prospective patients, Jeffrey Rubin’s Meditative Psychotherapy: The Marriage of East and West, available as an e-book from Amazon, is nevertheless required reading for anyone pursuing transformation and growth, whether spiritual, emotional, or both. Though Buddhism and psychoanalysis foster mindfulness and personal transformation,…
Dr. Jeffrey Rubin combines the tools of psychoanalysis, Buddhism, and yoga in his therapeutic practice. The ideal he fosters, for his patients, his readers, and himself, is mastery of the “art of flourishing”—a mode of being in which we are “engaging our life wholeheartedly and thriving; living well and completely; leading a meaningful and rewarding life.” This isn’t transcendental bliss…
I just finished rereading A Heart Full of Peace, a wonderful book on Buddhism and the spiritual life written by Joseph Goldstein, one of the premier meditation teachers in the United States. Goldstein, along with Jack Kornfield and Sharon Salzberg, was instrumental in bringing classical Buddhism from the East to the West in the last several decades of the twentieth…
