The gift of engaged presence
Our greatest longing is to be seen, felt, and loved by another. To deeply connect. To have our whole self met -- body to body, heart to...
4 Steps to Get off the Mental Hamster Wheel
Is your mind stuck running on an inner hamster wheel that you can’t get off of? Perhaps you wake up at night obsessing: “am I in the...
Embodied Listening
What's the difference between clients who do well in therapy and those who don't? According to Eugene Gendlin, successful therapy clients...
We are the guest house
I first heard Rumi's poem, "The Guest House," on retreat over fifteen years ago. It's one of my favorite teachings on skillful relating...
Letting Go
As the days get shorter and the shadows get longer, I’m faced once again with the truth that all seasons pass. Whether it’s the movement...
The unbidden visitor
The unbidden visitor may come anytime, but late night after tasks are done and the house is quiet seems to be her favorite. Whether due...
Loosening the grip of fear
Fear is often experienced as a formidable foe. In Buddhist psychology, there's an understanding that much of our orientation toward life...
Coming Alive
On my first spiritual retreat, I heard a voice from beyond whisper “I don’t want to be dead anymore, I want to be alive.” It echoed...
Brick walls, bottomless wells, and psychological edges
Not all edges are alike. In my experience, there are the hard edges — impenetrable, brick walls — that resist our efforts to climb over,...