Tag Archives: Impermanence
Five Daily Recollections
Recently, inspired by the meditation retreat she had just attended, our beloved yoga teacher Angela recited the Five Daily Recollections given to us by the Buddha in one of his sermons. There were two typical types of responses: “wow, that’s … Continue reading
Restoration
After their economy collapsed in the early 1990’s when Soviet support disappeared overnight, Cubans have been slowly rebuilding, both figuratively and literally. We saw buildings that were disintegrating and some that were being restored, and everything in between. It’s a … Continue reading
Tie Your Camels
One of my favorite sayings comes out of the middle east: Trust in God, but tie your camels to the post. (The Buddhist version might be to trust in the dharma, in life itself.) It reminds us not to be … Continue reading
Hugging
In the 1960’s Thich Nhat Hanh came to the US to speak out against the war raging in his country. One of the people he influenced was Martin Luther King, who did go on to oppose the war. Dr. King … Continue reading
Except…
It was a crisp autumn morning, and I was worried. My client, who had been doing well recently, came in very depressed and possibly suicidal. Fortunately, I thought to ask him this question: “have there been any exceptions to these … Continue reading
Autumn
It’s officially autumn now, and it’s obvious here in northern Nevada. The days are shorter, the nights are getting cooler, the leaves are turning, and there are apples galore all over town. We’re easily reminded of the flow of constant … Continue reading
Letting go
This sweater was one of the last ones my mother made before she died almost 30 years ago. She was an expert knitter who would rip out many inches of knitting if she saw even the tiniest mistake. Such beautifully … Continue reading
Already Broken
When my friend saw the exfoliating pot in the garden by my driveway, she gasped. “What happened?” Then she realized that I must have put it there deliberately. It’s a good daily reminder to me of the truth of impermanence. … Continue reading
Hello Goodbye
“Hello, my love, and, my love, Goodbye…” Leonard Cohen’s lyrics have been floating through my mind as I say goodbye to my clients this month. Monday marks the closing of my private psychotherapy practice. In the 23+ years that … Continue reading