We live in a dysfunctional society. We have big problems that seem intractable. The well being of every person is not the priority of our global governments. So it is no wonder that many of us come from dysfunctional families. How can we survive the trauma that was normalized as children? How can we heal from the anxiety and PTSD we've developed? How can we unlearn the negative, critical voice…
Learning to let go is a lot harder when it's letting go of childhood trauma. When we're young, experiences will shape how we see the world for the rest of our lives. It becomes deeply engrained and becomes that much harder to heal from. But there are ways to do it. It is possible to reach deep into our psyche and pull out those weeds of trauma and plant beautiful…
I know it, and you know it. Terrible things happen to wonderful people and wonderful things happen to people who've done tremendous harm. If even a great man like Gandhi was assassinated, what chance do the rest of us have at a peaceful and good life?! So how can we understand the seeming unfairness in our world? How should we exist in, and respond to, an unfair world? Should we…
Is Pure Consciousness aware of change, suffering, etc., and if so, how is it that It does not change, and/or suffer?Phenomenal question. If a camera is shaking, stillness cannot be perceived. If a camera is still, both stillness and change can be perceived. So our consciousness must be changeless because we are able to perceive stillness. Consciousness is the witness of suffering, not the suffering. It is the witness of…
How to Get Rid of Bad Habits When There is Unprocessed TraumaAll addiction stems from unprocessed trauma. We feel some kind of pain, lack, discomfort or discontent in our body, and we seek out pleasures to provide relief. When we rely on that relief as a crutch to end those negative thoughts, it becomes an addiction.Every time we repeat a bad habit we strengthen those neural pathways in our brain,…
As you undoubtedly know, our society has become much more fragmented in recent years. All of America used to be able to connect at the office water cooler by joking about the most-watched show on TV the previous night. Today, people work remotely, live TV isn’t really a thing, and everyone is following the fake lives of strangers instead of their own friends and family. But! This fragmentation provides great…
Not every relationship will last forever. Not every person is meant to be in our life. But whether someone is in our life for a brief moment or for the rest of our life, every relationship has something to teach us. How we relate to ourselves, others, and the world around us is what determines the quality of our life. When we live in harmony, we feel peaceful. When our…
True enlightenment can never be lost. Many people, throughout many stages of their spiritual journey, may experience what feels like enlightenment. They have a moment of being, pure bliss, and free from thoughts, only to immediately have their clinging and grasping mind try to analyze and hold onto it, which of course instantly ruins the moment. This happens because they don’t fully understand their experience. With total enlightenment, we become…
How Can Beginners Start a Daily Meditation Practice Congratulations on taking the decision not to settle with having a stressful mind. Learning to meditate is about more than just learning to sit still with your eyes closed. It’s about learning to be present and to see things as they really are. Our constant thoughts, judgments, and opinions are like a fog that obscures our view of reality. The more we…
To be alive is to be on a lifelong mission of learning. That means that we will have regrets, mistakes, failures, setbacks and difficult challenges in our lives. While we think our past determines our present, it's actually how we relate to our past that matters. In this podcast, I talk about how we can change our relationship with a difficult past. I share ways we can reframe our pain,…
“I thought my biggest fear was growing old and dying in prison. In truth, my biggest fear was growing old and not knowing myself.”
- Rick Smith, Albama inmate
Path to Peace - A newsletter not just for your mental health but also for your spiritual health.
