Another extraordinary experience this summer was the gift of silence. I went for a nine-day silent retreat (which I have done every year for the last several years). There was no cell phone, email or any other contact with the outer world and minimal eye contact with others on the retreat. It was a rigorous schedule …
I gifted myself some time off from teaching mindfulness this summer. It was a summer to learn, grow and smile. I spent a few weeks with my parents in India. Perhaps you know that my mother lives with advanced Alzheimer’s at home, with my father as her primary caregiver. I try to go and spend 3-4 …
Cultivating wisdom and insight and a tender heart Read More »
I hope you are doing well on this brand new day. And I have a little gift for you. As you may know, I used to work at the University of Texas at Austin. During that time, I met incredible people from across the campus who were dedicated to making the world a more equal, …
Hello dear friend, Last week I wrote about Spring and encouraged you to observe what is awakening in you. Today, I want to ask another important question, “What do you want to let go of?” As Winter has passed, many things are changing. Last week I took my camera along for an afternoon of exploring this one question with kindness and …
As I stop to look around me, I become aware of the incredible signs of Spring. Flowers are blooming, the air is becoming more humid and heavy, the wind blows branches and leaves, and the sun seems more crisp and bright. I also notice stirrings in my own life. Areas are beginning to bloom, brighten, and grow. And …
It’s a cold rainy day in Austin, Texas – with “not a sky in the clouds” as my friend likes to say. I know there are parts of the country that are much colder as we welcome February into 2015. I am sitting by the window, listening to the rain and sipping a hot …
A warm greeting to you. As always, I hope you are experiencing ease and joy in your days. As we settle into Fall, I want to invite you to begin to pay attention. I know, I know, this may seem like another “task,” another “thing to do,” but truly, this is a simple invitation, which you …
A friend recently asked me about living joyfully and the mindfulness tools that can help with that. She said she was intrigued with the idea but felt intimidated since she had never done any yoga or meditation. She did not know where to begin the practice of mindfulness and meditation. So here are the first …
Mindful living calls us to bring attention to the present moment – without turning away from anything. Accepting things, as they are – pleasant, unpleasant or neutral. It also calls for doing this with a tender and compassionate heart toward ourselves and towards everyone and everything around us. When I first was introduced to the …
Urban Practice: Mindfulness tools for dealing with traffic Read More »
