Embracing Love’s Challenges

The month of February bring us love and revolution. On Valentine’s Day, we pay special tribute to that human desire to bond and connect. The full moon in Aquarius, however, brings change and transformation. A significant relationship inevitably contains some of both. Loving another human is a journey with many challenges. It may start in […]

Discovering Your True Self

Inspiration for this month’s illustration came from a recent dream. In the dream a voice explains: Occasionally, sea turtle eggs find their way into eagles nests. When they hatch . . . The voice trails off as a baby sea turtle falls from the nest. The dream illustrates the ludicrousness of trying to live like […]

Appreciating the Holidays

November is a transition month taking us from the vibrant colors of Fall to the somber grays of Winter. It is a time of rest and renewal, when the earth sleeps. Even in California this is true as the light fades and the rain envelopes us in its shroud. I like November because of its […]

Cultivating Courage to Face Fear

Going after our dream is a little bit like a Halloween adventure. We don our costumes – a vision of ourselves — and set off to claim the promised rewards. Along the way we may encounter dark shadows and scary entryways. There may danger and unpleasant surprises. We are scrutinized and judged as we struggle […]

Creating Community

August — time to connect with friends and family! This summer I took some time off and went on retreat to a Sufi center in New Mexico. I’ve been doing this on and off for over 30 years, but two years had slipped by since I last went. It felt good to renew friendships. Sadly, […]

Going for Your Dreams While Letting Go

In the act of committing to your dream, you set in motion a chain of amazing reactions . . . The moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in […]

Love Begins with You

Love begins with loving oneself. When we love ourselves, loving others comes easy. Celebrate this Valentine’s Day by pampering yourself. Taking care of yourself is not selfish, it is smart. When we are rested, relaxed, and satisfied, we fill our hearts with contentment. Our cells sing. In this state there are no expectations, no need […]

Mastering the Challenge of Change

I DON’T LIKE CHANGE!! Recently, I had to buy a NEW computer. I had to. I committed to finishing the fourth film in the Secrets of Life and Death documentary series (working title: Life After Loss) and my old Mac Pro just isn’t up to the task. A new super-duper, high-powered iMac arrived at my […]

Bonding Grief

All living creatures come equipped with some form of a distress signaling system. It is a matter of survival and happiness. In his book Buddha Brain, psychologist Rick Hansen described three evolutionary stages of the brain that provide different signaling systems: the Brain Stem, the Limbic System and the Neocortex. Each of these brains focuses […]

Don’t Grieve Alone

We live in a culture that values emotional control and therefore does not provide much usable information on handling grief. When someone experiences a profound loss, it can feel very risky to be around others. Few know how to respond appropriately and the last thing a griever needs is needs is the discomfort of others […]