Q: Dear Todd, “All suffering exists in the mind” leaves out the heart and the intuition part. Any thoughts?TODD ANSWERS: The heart and the gut (intuition) are essential to empathy and healthy emotions. From my experience, suffering most often starts in the mind and then our heart begins to ache. Emotions are where we feel our thoughts. Occasionally, like as in physical pain, our brain receives the pain signals and…
The distinction between a sensory pleasure being hedonistic and a beautiful experience lies in the depth and nature of the encounter. While both involve a heightened sense of enjoyment, they diverge in their underlying qualities and the impact they have on one's well-being.A sensory pleasure is often hedonistic when it prioritizes immediate gratification and indulgence in sensory stimuli. This could include the enjoyment derived from taste, touch, sight, sound, or…
Q: Dear Todd, how to experience moments of bliss in what would otherwise be described as dark circumstances?TODD ANSWERS: By replacing negative thinking such as anger, greed, hatred and fear with the positive characteristics of love, compassion, generosity, gratitude and #kindness, we become happier and more peaceful. As we train the mind to focus rather than react unconsciously, we can create whatever reality we wish. Path to Peace with Todd…
Q: Dear Todd, how to take life seriously?TODD ANSWERS: When we wonder whether we are taking life too seriously or not enough, we are stuck in the middle of two polarities. The key to breaking free is to not take life at all. That's right. Just leave it be. None of us are so powerful as to be able to control the many forces of the universe that were set…
Human beings need social connection in order to live full, happy, safe and protected lives. It's hardwired into our DNA. No human was brought into this world without the love and nurturing of someone else. But too often in our modern society, we find there is no tribe, no village, and no community to offer that safety and comfort. In this podcast I talk about the two types of actions…
The idea that everything outside of oneself is a projection can be a complex concept to grapple with, especially when faced with the harsh realities of crime, suffering, and cruelty in the world. It's essential to approach this perspective with nuance and recognize the interplay of various factors.Q: Dear Todd, if everything outside of me is a projection of myself, then what does it mean when I see the crime…
There was a Buddhist mandala that was hanging on the wall at the first Buddhist monastery I lived at. I was captivated by the details and craftsmanship. Really, the whole monastery had this level of detail and beauty. It was quite exquisite. Mandalas are symbolic representations of the universe, designed to transform ordinary minds into enlightened ones. They can be an object of meditation for Buddhists to focus on, either…
Overcoming the Failure Life TrapQ: I am currently struggling with a terrible sense of fear around the point at which I find myself in life right now… I have always been my harshest judge but that was what drove me on… now it is tearing me down. I am struggling to find the motivation or meaning in anything… I have read the books, done the classes, had the therapy, listened…
Q: Dear Todd, I am chaos, and I create it in everything I do and I want to stop it. I feel like a phony when I let my emotions take over.TODD ANSWERS: Don't be afraid of being a phony when your genuine emotions take over. Clearly you are trying to communicate something that is important to you. The more we practice not losing ourselves to these emotions (mindfulness), the…
Q: Dear Todd, what if you are in so much physical discomfort and have been for years and the only thing that seems like it will end this discomfort is death. How do you reconcile that? Take comfort in knowing that your discomfort will end when you die?TODD ANSWERS: That is unfortunately just life sometimes. You can try to find comfort in some possible tomorrow, but you can also find…
“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.
