Smartphones are like refrigerators on steroids. Remember the old days? We’d go to the fridge, open the door, and be so overwhelmed with all of the stuff inside that we forgot why we went to the fridge in the first place. Who hasn’t spent 5 minutes staring at the inside of a fridge, completely lost in a daze?With smartphones, instead of 30 food items we have 50 notifications, 60 apps,…
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…
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…
Sometimes in our lives we can feel like there is nobody there to care about us. Other times, the people who are supposed to care about us are trying to take advantage of us. So what can we do when we just need a hug, when we need the love and support of the outside world, and when we find ourselves lost in loneliness. Here are two essential things that…
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…
Isn’t life a funny thing? We’re all striving, working hard in business and on ourselves. We’re all on a journey to succeed and grow. And yet, so many of us are ashamed of where we are right now on our journey. We’re jealous of other people who insecurely show off. We’re all growing, and yet we’re all embarrassed about it. The fact is, wherever we are on our path in…
For the better part of nine years, I lived in monasteries, ashrams, tribes and forests. I even spent months in silent meditation retreats. During all this time, I was trying to figure out who had the best methods and teachings. Some retreats were very strict, where we’d meditate in tiny prison-like cells for 14 hours a day. 3am wakeup times, total silence, and nothing but meditating and eating two meals. Some places…
A few years ago I moved to a new neighborhood in New York. I didn’t know anyone in the area, but I was excited to explore and make new friends. One day on a walk, I ran into a dear old friend who I used to be very close with and found out he was practically my next door neighbor! We made plans to have dinner later that week and…
All fear stems from the same cause — our mind is trying to protect us from danger. But today, that mental relic is rearing its head even when we are not in any real physical danger. When we’re afraid of disappointing people, it tends to come from some experience in our past that left an indelible mark on our psyche. Someone at some time hurt us, made us feel worthless, and…
“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.
