COVID-19, and Everything Else
Hello everyone. Hope you’re all well in the midst of what’s going on. What a time to be alive. First off, sending protection, clarity, and peace to everyone. I pray we’re feeling more settled, and that we’ve gotten some rest and recuperation over the last couple weeks. Thank you to all the tirelessly laboring social workers, healers, medical professionals, volunteers, and community workers on the front lines of this crisis. Deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of those that have passed during this time. May you move through your chapter of grief with healing and re-connection. Blessings to … More
Finding Home
The things that make me feel safe and sound are mostly immaterial. Genuine conversations; freedom; music; being deeply understood. Physical objects rarely bring me comfort, but I do find myself fiercely protecting a short list of a few tangible tokens. Tasty, nutritious food; a balanced home; a distraction-free workspace; plants; unique pieces of art. Take these away from me for too long and I slowly crumble. Feeling vulnerable is strange for someone who foolishly considers himself impervious to life’s challenges. I’m often proven wrong in this arena, but my obstinate nature refuses to admit defeat — at least not until my fighting … More
To be a Better Writer, I must understand my Needs
Being a writer is like breathing. It brings with it life, clarity, and fuel for the vessel carrying the soul through The Journey. Learning to write, on the other hand, is like learning to ride a bike. Except that this particular bike is extra jerky, producing constantly-shifting aerodynamics making the rider’s body contort in ways it never experienced. It’s like learning to ride a bike with wheels that are alive and that keep growing and needing more food and nice compliments. The rider becomes a lifelong novice, while simultaneously gains mastery over things she didn’t know existed. And, oh yea, … More
When the Citizens Cry, the World Must Listen
There exists a deep dissatisfaction inside the hearts and minds of so many people in our current world. The recent protests around the globe demonstrate the basic flaw with how “the show” has been running since the beginning of memory. When disgruntled people unite in solidarity, standing up for basic human dignity and the right to a peaceful and prosperous existence, they create a stonewall of strength and conviction, with little need to exert hate or meaningless destruction. They stand to proclaim the truth about Money and Evil. They see the rotting fruits overripe with “power” and greed. Whether they … More
Stopping Self-Sabotage
“When you know yourselves, then you will be known…“ As a kid, I was never the fastest runner. I was an okay athlete though, sometimes able to out-maneuver the more physically-gifted kids on the block, and occasionally out-compete those who hadn’t yet found their confidence or strength. There seemed to be a relentless drive in me that rivaled the ancient martyrs, warriors. Frustratingly though, that fire of motivation would usually fizz out right before I would finish an important task. In 7th grade, I faced the harrowing 100 meter dash out in the P.E. yard. I feigned a casual strut … More
Virtual Reality to help with Grief and Anxiety
Grief. Anxiety. Main ingredients in the cuisine of human suffering. How much of our collective energy is focused on eliminating or understanding these primary fears? Scientists, thinkers, artists, healers, and anyone seeking to better understand these shadow parts of our psyche have offered innumerable ideas, songs, medicines, and rituals in an attempt to solve, or at least reduce, these challenging elements. One of the more interesting efforts in recent history is called the Psychomanteum, which is being re-popularized Marilyn Schlitz and Dorote Lucci at Sofia University (formerly Institute of Transpersonal Psychology, where Arthur Hastings laid the pioneering foundation for this … More
Changing the Language of Mental Health
Outcast. Bi-Polar. Crazy. Schizo. Anti-social. Disabled. Broken. Delusional. Words. How powerful. And equally sinister. It’s no wonder that we call the act of constructing words SPELL-ing. Language is truly a spell – an incantation that controls virtually every aspect of life, from media to politics to everyday interactions. The world of mental health is no exception; it seems to be suffering the same illness as the rest of modern society, but perhaps with more damaging outcomes. It’s not common for us to think about how mental health labels are often used as a weapon against a person who’s struggling just … More
Addiction to Pleasure
Pleasure. How tricky has our relationship to this basic human drive become? Wikipedia defines pleasure as “…a broad class of mental states that humans and other animals experience as positive, enjoyable, or worth seeking.” Merriam-Webster offers a simpler perspective: “A state of gratification.” Since time immemorial, people have largely misunderstood this primal drive, especially its most tantalizing expressions of sex, food, and drugs. Entire religions, laws, and philosophies have built their bedrock of morality in attempts to curb or control this basic impulse deeply embedded in us. But if we break it down, what does it really mean to gratify … More
The Alpha Male and Empathy
How often do we say the words alpha male and empathy in the same sentence? Chances are, we often think the two ideas are like oil and water. However, according to premier primatologist and researcher, Frans De Waal, modern society has been misinformed about what an Alpha Male really is. Our current view of the alpha male seems rather myopic — it tends to highlight caricature-like strength, large stature, and bully-like behaviors. It’s no surprise, then, that we normally reserve this social label for those that we deem juvenile, if not downright obnoxious or intimidating. Oddly enough, we readily accept that the … More
Triumph over Terror (Redemption from the Wilderness)
We can run and hide from everyone and everything. But eventually we have to face our own reflection. And that, my friend, is the most petrifying (and liberating) thing. Paranoia It hit me like a viscous wave – body impossibly fluid and heavy at the same time. I hadn’t felt this sensation in 8 years, but it felt so familiar…as if this was my truest reality all along. Here we go, again. The purples and oranges and lavenders and reds and brights! all blended together to create a kaleidoscope of eternal possibility. Yet I was starting to feel like I … More
