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What Do You Consume?
(Repost) A few years ago, I realized that I was consuming more than food: TV, internet news, billboards, video ads, webpage ads—it was all being absorbed by me and having an effect on me. You know what I did? I made it a point to stop looking at all of that stuff: When driving, I’d…
Food In the Yard
Over the years I’ve become familiar with plants that are edible, medicinal, useful, or just plain interesting to me. Part of the fun of moving to a new place is discovering what familiar plants grow in the area. I do this by observing plants through a cycle of their growing season. As an example, I recently…
What Killed Socrates? The Plant in the Alley!
Years ago I took a wild plants course and was taught that poison hemlock grew nearby. It looks very similar to some other plants that grew nearby, such as Queen Anne’s lace, osha, water hemlock, angelica and cow parsnip. After careful identification of all these plants using multiple plant guides (including a regional plant guide…
Mulberry Tree
A sidewalk that looks like this means that you’re probably standing under a mulberry tree! (botanical name is Morus sp.) These telltale sidewalk stains caught my eye yesterday as I zoomed past on my bike, and I went back today to confirm (and eat). 😉 Twice so far this month, I’ve come upon delicious ripe…
Thought is Power
(Repost) Thought is the most powerful tool that each of us possesses, though its constructive power is untapped by most people. Our thoughts shape how we feel, how much energy we have, what comes our way, and even how we look! (Try taking two selfies with neutral expressions: one when you’re thinking about your worst…
On Awakening – When the Veil is Lifted
(Repost) In 2009, I experienced an instantaneous awakening. Here is a little more about my experience: When it happened, I was sitting in an orange Naugahyde chair in a Japanese temple lodging facility on a cold winter night. I had just had a bath and was sitting there, not doing anything in particular when, from…
Fullness after Eating
It occurred to me this evening that when I eat a meal consisting of foods that agree with me, my stomach feels full internally and is not bloated. However when I eat foods that do not agree with me, I experience stomach bloating. I see now that stomach fullness and stomach bloating are two distinct events,…
The Breath of Life
Have you ever noticed that you can’t hold a negative thought while you’re focused on breathing, deeply?
On Pain
“Pain is just blocked energy, blocked qi.” I would say this to myself many days as I practiced the reverse prayer mudra (pictured above), looking up at the sky through the redbud tree overhead. This saying applies not only to physical pain but to emotional pain as well. There are many ways to unblock energy in…
Rose
I saw these beautiful roses recently on a trip to the desert. My favorite is the one in the front: The vibrant red color in the petals wouldn’t look as beautiful if it weren’t for the dark areas there too. It reminds me that it’s the same in life: it’s the contrast that makes it…
Your Appearance is Your Passport
Think of how easy it is to look at someone who’s nicely dressed, whose hair is neat and whose demeanor is pleasant. It’s a treat, isn’t it? You may feel inclined to exchange words with them. It’s easy to remain in their presence. For them, that presentation of self naturally leads to pleasant encounters with…
On Building a Better Life
Once you’ve cleared your heart of its gunk (see “On Beliefs”), and your heart has opened, then you can more clearly focus on creating a life that you truly want. For this, I point you to the master of manifestation, Abraham-Hicks.
But I Don’t Have Enough Time for Another Activity!
Incorporating a new element into your life can be a great opportunity to 1) embrace something new and potentially enriching, 2) look at what in your life doesn’t align with your ever-evolving goals and desires, and 3) cull that which is no longer needed or helpful. This third item, this culling, is by no means…
On Beliefs
For most humans, beliefs are all-pervading. They are not inborn, but rather developed, starting from very early in life. Only after an awakening experience was this crystal clear to me. Beliefs go deep, but they are absolutely “catchable” and addressable with practice. One way to do this is through a method of self-inquiry called The…
The COVID Awakening
This phrase came to me this morning—I referred to the period of the past year or so as the COVID Awakening. And that’s how I see it: It’s been a beautiful opportunity for many of us to go within, not only to address some of our fears but also to gently allow our true nature…