Have you ever noticed how in life, all pleasurable experiences are temporary? Have you ever noticed the futile effort we make to prolong happy experiences, and yet they are always followed by more longing and craving for those same good times? This may be why meditation is making a comeback. So just what are the benefits to meditation?It seems we spend our whole lives seeking pleasure and avoiding pain as…
When we grow up unaccepted, unliked, and under appreciated, it’s a totally normal reaction to internalize those feelings. This is our way of making sense of the world — if people keep taking their anger and hurt out on us, we will begin to think that we are the problem and that we deserve it.If left unnoticed and untended to, this belief system can cause us to accept mistreatment and abuse…
Q: Dear Todd, When I feel the separation between us, I become angry. When I feel I am being judged, my subconscious becomes hostile and temporarily loses my normal peace & serenity. Any thoughts?Todd Answers: It can be difficult when dealing with others as two colliding realities clash. But the separateness is still only an illusion and the best and quickest way to regain serenity is to look closer and…
Q: Dear Todd, there are distractions like the war in Ukraine or famine in a neighboring country, in my case Afghanistan, and people who are just trying to own more and more. I have a family to support and a job that I need just to survive. I understand that those are external stuff but they affect my relationships - I am becoming very distant from everybody, and my productivity…
When we’re young, everything is new. Children are open to everything and that is why we protect them from some of the scarier realities of our planet. But adults at some point and on some level are able to handle scary news headlines (more on that in my podcast on “How to Accept What Is When There Is Real Danger and Evil in the World?”). We grownups know the way…
Is it possible to show love and forgiveness to those who have committed the most hateful and unforgivable sins? We've seen it time and time again, when the pope washes the feet of criminals. When victims forgive their perpetrators. And when brutal war gives way to peace. If all of these people deserve a chance at happiness, surely we do too. In this podcast episode, I talk about the real…
When the Toxic Person is Your KidThere is no secret recipe for raising perfect kids. There are countless influences in the world and not all of them are positive. A parent can not control everything a child hears, sees, and experiences.Sometimes, despite our best efforts, kids can fall into drugs, a bad crowd, disrespect, and a refusal to listen. Parents are not robots, and it’s normal to get frustrated and…
Whenever you feel like the world is bad, whenever people are cruel, or whenever you’re just really fed up with people, I want you to look deeper at this problem than ever before. I want you to get to the core of this rot until you realize its source and its true nature. Look until understanding arises instead of frustration and shock. What you will find is that it is…
Just the other day, I had a ton of work to do and my mind went, “Ugh, work.” Immediately, my head slumped down, my shoulders slouched, and heavy emotions started to come over me.Thank goodness I noticed that thought. Because I was paying attention, I witnessed the thought and emotions, observed my resistance to the workload, and I saw how the resistance was causing me stress, not the work. I was…
It is Mental Health Awareness Month, and this year let’s remember that true mental health is not just the absence of illness. It is the presence of Mental Wealth, which comes from tapping into the infinite abundance of joy and peace within. At times we may feel like we are in a bliss deficit, but there is a surplus inside every single one of us. Yes, it may be covered up…
“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.
