3 Steps to a Purposeful Year
The beginning of the year often marks the possibility of fresh beginnings. We make resolutions to help things to change for the better. It may sound something like: "I don't love my job or where I live, so I'm going to make some changes." "As a coach, I'm happy when my people are ready for change," writes author Christine Carter. "But the best first move usually isn't an outer change to our circum... posted on Jan 08 2024, 3,569 reads

What Do You See?
A multitude of silent realities linger just under the surface of what we perceive as 'normal' human experiences. The intriguing phenomenon of seeing colors differently, brought into pop culture consciousness by "The Dress" internet debate in 2015, underpins how each person's individual perceptions differ dramatically. This mind-boggling reality has far-reaching implications that stretch beyond vir... posted on Dec 22 2023, 1,762 reads

Life as a Cup of Tea
"'The key to tasting tea,' she said, 'is to never judge it. Some teas open in the beginning and fade quickly, some teas take 6 cups to open and last longer,'" writes Mina Lee, as she steeps in her first experience with a tea ceremony and the words of Chan teacher, Mudeng. Lee observes, "The way the leaves are picked, the water used, the ceramic used, the tea pourer, how they hold the lid to steam ... posted on Dec 18 2023, 1,584 reads

Jacques Lusseryn: I Loved in a Stream of Light
French author and political activist Jacques Lusseyran (1924-1971) was blinded at the age of 7. In 1941, at the age of 17, he became a leader in the French resistance against Nazi Germany's occupation of France. Eventually, he was sent to Buchenwald concentration camp because of his involvement in the resistance. He was one of 30 out of 2000 inmates in his group to survive. Later, he wrote about h... posted on Dec 17 2023, 2,192 reads

Mizuko Kuyo: A Unique Japanese Grieving Ritual
When parents lose a child, there are rituals to mark their grief -- holding funerals, sitting shiva, bringing casseroles. But when that loss happens before birth, it often isn't marked. Sometimes, it's barely even mentioned. It's different in Japan, which has a traditional Buddhist ceremony that some US Americans are adopting as their own. Called 'mizuko kuyo', which could be translated to 'water ... posted on Oct 03 2021, 3,348 reads

Kolam: Ritual Art that Feeds a Thousand Souls Every Day
Each dawn, millions of Tamil women create intricate, geometric, ritual-art designs called 'kolams,' at the thresholds of their homes, as a tribute to Mother Earth and an offering to Goddess Lakshmi. A Tamil word that means beauty, form, play, disguise or ritual design-- a kolam is anchored in the Hindu belief that householders have a karmic obligation to "feed a thousand souls." By creating the k... posted on May 20 2021, 18,791 reads

In the Footsteps of Kabir
Possibly the most-quoted poet-saint of north India is Kabir, the illiterate, 15th century mystic who belonged to a class of weavers in the ancient city of Varanasi. Kabir was a 'nirguni', one who believes in a formless divinity that can be discovered both within and without. With whip-like wit, his poetry scorns outward rituals and displays of piety exhorting his listeners to seek the divine throu... posted on Nov 19 2018, 14,660 reads

Six Pillars of the Wholehearted Life
In what has been named as one of the best commencement speeches of all time, Parker Palmer, author, educator, and founder of the Center for Courage and Renewal, shares six pillars of a wholehearted life. The first, be reckless in matters of the heart: "Fall madly in love with life. Be passionate about some part of the natural and/or human worlds and take risks on its behalf, no matter how vulnerab... posted on Nov 03 2015, 60,683 reads

How Emotionally Intelligent Are You?
"What makes some people more successful in work and life than others? IQ and work ethic are important, but they don't tell the whole story. Our emotional intelligence -- the way we manage emotions, both our own and those of others -- can play a critical role in determining our happiness and success...The five components of emotional intelligence, as defined by Daniel Goleman, are self-awareness, s... posted on May 01 2014, 115,436 reads

Overcoming the Creative Block: Advice From Artists
""Inspiration is for amateurs -- the rest of us just show up and get to work," Chuck Close scoffed. "A self-respecting artist must not fold his hands on the pretext that he is not in the mood," Tchaikovsky admonished. "Show up, show up, show up, and after a while the muse shows up, too," Isabel Allende urged. But true as this general sentiment may be, it isn't always an easy or a livable truth --... posted on Apr 22 2014, 26,874 reads