Meditating in Bali
If you are reading this, I have survived a 7-day silent meditation retreat on the flanks of a volcano on the island of Bali. Though I’ve been meditating poorly for 50 years, I never seem to improve — if improving in meditation is some kind of competition with myself. But I continue because I know […]
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Recovery
Humans are wired for fight or flight. When we get into difficulties, we run or retreat, invariably holding tension and negative energy inside. That residual trauma is toxic. It gnaws at us and weighs us down, sparking thoughts and actions that do not coincide with our best selves. I’ve seen ducks get into scuffles by […]
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Heavy Lifting
Graduating from college, my first job was at the Colorado Outdoor Education Center for the Handicapped. Though I’d hoped to mentor young people with physical disabilities on how to navigate and appreciate nature, the majority of our students were those with intellectual challenges. In my first week on the job, I recall a teenage man […]
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Heavy Lifting
Mick Jaggar and the Rolling Stones proposed that, “We can’t always get what we want… but we get what we need”. I see this as a positive assessment of reality. Since the onset of Covid19, everyone has taken hits. Plans and populations have been decimated as circumstances beyond our control shaped our lives. Economies and […]
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Surfing Through Limitations
I see surfing as an analogy for life. I paddle into the chaotic white-water made by in-coming waves in order to get beyond the impact zone. Once outside I wait for the right wave and once chosen, I paddle like crazy to catch the wave (I’m on a foam boogie board so its harder and […]
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Isolation
One year ago this week, I stopped moving beyond my neighborhood, and mostly beyond my bedroom- something that hasn’t happened to me in 40 years. It has been a year of changes, of highs and lows, and stillness. Perhaps the hardest part has been allowing myself to be okay with doing less. Accepting that this […]
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Feathered Friends and Enemies
Since my teens, I have observed birds. I’m attracted to all kinds of birds from eagles to swallows. Throughout my life birds have been messengers, reminding me of more ethereal or intuitive perspectives on life. Maybe it’s in embracing their point of view; flying fearlessly, undeterred, watching the world below, which gives me some solace, […]
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Rebooting in my Backyard
It’s not a mystery but to stay grounded and happy, each of us needs to take care of our mental, physical and emotional well-being. For me, at a minimum, it is essential that I spend time painting, swimming, writing, hiking and/or biking. When I practice these activities, like meditating, the practice builds up positive internal […]
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The Little Engine that Could
As a boy navigating the challenges of polio, sometimes life sucked. Why couldn’t I effortlessly run around like my friends? Why did heavy metal braces and crutches encumber me? I felt God had short-changed me. Sometimes I would cry myself to sleep at night. But on other nights, Mom would read me a book called, […]
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