Q: Dear Todd, I am mentally ill, widowed, and my toddler died too. So, I raised four other kids alone. I have been in a hospital once for depression after hurricanes Irma and Maria hit the island, just three years ago. With an empty nest, retirement, and a p/t job in a garden center I stay busy. But, coming back to the USA and our old town is so painful.…
Q: Dear Todd, not every moment is pleasurable, in my opinion. When your car slides off the edge of an icy logging road and time slows down, you're going to feel instinctual, epigenetic fear coursing through your body. Maybe there's a yogi who experiences bliss during traumatic events, but I would guess that at that point, you're ready for Nirvana. And is that really Nirvana if you experience trauma, fear,…
If grief is love unexpressed, then express that love to yourself so the healing can take place. When we relinquish our attempt to control or suppress our grief and simply allow it to exist, we grant it the freedom to unfold naturally. Understanding impermanence on a deep level, and being aware of it rids the mind of any ability to experience loss, grief, sorrow, and detachment. Only the nonmaterial, empty…
1. It’s so important that we take time to heal. That means not just physically, but mentally, emotionally and spiritually too. Others may think that’s selfish and we may feel guilty, but it’s the most thoughtful, considerate, and compassionate thing we can do. 2. As long as you learn from a mistake, there is no mistake. 3. Nobody is perfect. No matter what, no matter how rich they are, no…
From Path to Peace With Todd Perelmuter NewsletterHope is a funny thing. We like it, we crave it, and we feel we need it. But when things don’t go as we hoped, we suffer. Getting our hopes up and to have them crushed, over and over again, can be agonizing. So, what are we to do?The problem with hope is that wanting it causes our feelings of hopelessness. When we…
Q: Dear Todd, my wife was the closest person to me and she died last year, and now I'm stuck on this hell rock of a planet. I'm not that close to a lot of my family. This woman I know who is a widow who I was getting close to, is now showing her true colors, and it's not in a good way. I'm really tired and waiting to…
The present moment is never bad. It just is. Life just happens. Our mind is what is doing all the suffering. It is our negative thoughts, our negative emotions (which we create negative thoughts about), and our desire to escape the present situation that make situations intolerable. When we are present, we are at peace, no matter what is happening around us. When we are thinking, especially when we are…
Grief is so much more than a personal journey. It's how we show our love for those we've lost to our friends and family. It's communal and it's one of the ways we all come together to heal. But, we also all heal in our own way. Because there is no one right or wrong way to grieve, we may feel guilty if we don't conform in how we grieve.…
We always have two choices in life: face or fester. You can either face your fears and overcome them, or you can let them fester underneath the surface.I have a dear friend who was the walking embodiment of fear. She was afraid of everything: ghosts, the water, even dogs. She told me she had “zero interest in spirituality,” but she let me teach her a simple meditation. She resisted a…
Losing a beloved pet is a profound and emotional experience, and it's entirely normal to feel a range of emotions, including grief and guilt. The bond between a pet and its owner is a unique and profound connection, often transcending the boundaries of words. When a beloved pet passes away, the resulting grief can be overwhelming, compounded by the often-persistent presence of guilt.It's important to recognize that animals, much like…
“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.
