The V-Word

“People do not die for us immediately, but remain bathed in a sort of aura of life which bears no relation to true immortality but through which they continue to occupy our thoughts in the same way as when they were alive.  It is as though they were traveling abroad. ” ~Marcel Proust

Recently a man shot himself in the head in his garden. I pass by his home every time I get the opportunity to walk...

“Envy is the most stupid of vices, for there is no single advantage to be gained from it.” ~Honore de Balzac

Jealousy is not a helpful emotion. There is very little goodness in it, although it serves as one of our primary fall backs, as it is the emotion connected to our most primitive survival mechanisms. Forbidden in all of the ancient religious texts, our earliest ancestors knew the damage that...

“The challenge of history is to recover the past and introduce it to the present.” -David Thelen

Tonight launched the 43^rdannual conference of the American Association of Sexual Educators (AASECT), Counselors and Therapists. These are the people that are the educational engine as well as the therapeutic resources for the progressive understanding of what it means to be a sexual human being today....

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.  Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.  It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.  It is not just in some of us; it is in everyone.  And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.”   ~Marianne Williamson

The single most troubling idea that we absorb growing up in...

Discovering the way to fearlessly face the constant change that defines our lives is both a gift  and a practice revealed by long time Buddhist teacher and author,  Bodhipaksa in his most  recent book  Living as a River. His voice and compassion provides clear and authentic directions to the peace that comes from cultivating a rich inner life. Employing a broad collection of ancient wisdom and a...

“We have to fully accept that we’re also starting from where we are, but we also have to accept that where we are is not a place.  We are all arrows in mid-flight, where we are is a moment on a trajectory, not a position at rest.” -Bodhipaksa

Some doubts carries wisdom and insight. Having the capacity to reflect on our life choices and experience with intellectual honesty is a gift that brings you...

“The world breaks everyone, and afterward, some are strong at the broken places.”  -Ernest Hemingway

I am coming to love my brokenness or at least I am coming to allow it the space it needs. I am not ashamed of the fear that blinds me or makes it hard to sit still with the uncertainty and disappointment of the moment. I am learning to look at my weaknesses as a friend, or at least a teacher. It is...

“We should come home from adventures, and perils, and discoveries every day with new experience and character.” -Henry David Thoreau

The most memorable moment of the Banff Film Festival this weekend was the recollection by  James and Justin about their journey in a two man kayak Crossing the Ditch,which is another name for one of the most robust sea crossings; the Tasman sea, a 2000 plus kilometer...

I’ve never had any luck with relationships. Most of the time I either get restless within a couple weeks or the guy is a jerk and treats me poorly. I’m tired of dating around and don’t get any real satisfaction from it. But I’ve been dating my current boyfriend for about four months and he’s really great. We do lots of fun things together, he’s supportive, kind, and actually cares about our...