Interesting listening to the solar eclipse coverage this week.  People talking about how this event has changed for them over time.  One man in particular was describing the difference between when he saw first the eclipse as a 5 year old, and how it compares to watching it today, as a NASA engineer.  As a child, the eclipse is all about fantastic, “super-natural” events that cannot be understood!  But as an engineer, he talked about how his training and understanding of the physical world now provides a different lens to see the eclipse though, especially being able to observe “invisible” phenomena like infra-red waves coming from the sun.  It is completely within the laws of nature, and can actually be predicted!  Understanding the world beyond what we can see with the naked eye, in this case – the solar system; makes an enormous difference in his experience. Read More

Wellness is boring.  Think about it.  It’s true.  The real PR problem with “wellness care” is that it is just not very sexy.  There’s no major turnaround of symptoms.  No drama – no excitement – where’s the flashing lights and the high speed trip to the hospital?  But that’s exactly the point – there’s nothing that happens  … wellness is just continued good health.

Plus, the other problem is to convince people to do this extra stuff – and who’s got time for that?  They’re too busy putting out fires!  And besides, if we feel good most of the time, what would we have to talk about??  No back pain to compare!  But that’s a short-term perspective.  Let’s take a longer term look at things. Read More

If you’re at all sensitive to energy, you are probably affected by the stress energy at your job.  If you deal with difficult people, challenging relationships, and otherwise toxic environments, it can be super helpful (you might say “essential”) to have a refuge or a retreat environment at home where we can release all the energy we’ve picked up as we are out and about; where we can relax our guard and (most importantly) where we can restore our energy and be ready for the next day.  That’s where space clearing comes in. Read More

Working with dogs for most of my life, I have come to realize that, even though we are so different, we have more in common than I first thought. Take meditation, for example. Much of what was taught in puppy kindergarten directly translates over and informs my meditation practice. Here are some of the things I learned: Read More

Yes, it’s that time of year again. And try as you might, sometimes there just isn’t any avoiding the family gatherings, the ‘playful’ banter, the distant relative who is the ‘worst-case scenario’ expert and last but not least, your mom … who likes nothing better than to push your buttons. It’s almost like a sport.

Well, this year can be different. Sure, your relatives will all be the same as they usually are, but YOU can be different. You can stay cool. You can be unaffected by their nonsense. And by managing your stress response to their behavior, believe it or not, you can actually begin to effect a change in whole family dynamic.

What’s this all about? Well it has to do with shifting your perspective on things. Primarily shifting your perspective on who you are, and then expanding your understanding about how stress changes who you are. Read More