As several spiritual leaders and traditions recognize, we teach what we need to keep learning ourselves. Four years ago, I was experiencing a convergence of life events. Like the title of Jon Kabat Zin’s book (which I had yet to read), it was Full Catastrophe Living.
I’m finally taking the Shakespeare Monologues class that my soul’s been yearning for. I found its existence three years ago after coming home from work one night, feeling utterly starved. Not for food but for words other than my own.
In a recent mindfulness class, we heard a story about Deena Metzger, author and cultural icon, who dramatically tattooed one side of her chest following a mastectomy, the photo of which generated a famous poster, poem, and book.
Last night I watched a dear loved one singing. Sitting cross-legged on a small stage with four others, all wearing white, some with instruments, all engaged in a devotional form of singing called kirtan.
Tonight, I am resting in gratitude after serving as part of an inaugural wellness retreat in Silver Bay, New York. I am humbled by the collective wisdom of my fellow faculty and the collective wisdom of the many spirited and soulful participants who chose to make this weekend part of their wellness journeys.
Like all of life, this summer season has been filled with wonder and worry, connection and loneliness, accomplishment and anxiety. Joys and sorrows. That used to disturb me more. But with mindfulness, it’s become easier to appreciate that everything is impermanent.
As a recovering overachiever, I’ve lived most of my life believing that striving is a good thing, an essential thing really. Like Gordon Gecko explaining greed in Wall Street, “Greed, for a lack of a better word, is good. Greed is right. Greed works,” I believed striving was good. Striving worked.
This past week I’ve been struggling. Struggling to stay focused and not to be waylaid by worry. And the source of my worry? My relationship. The one with my unreliable partner. Passion.
My Taylor has always been James. Every song from his early Sweet Baby James album was deeply etched into my young heart, where they remain today, ready to be re-activated at any time.
I recently had a dream that I was smoking. Well, actually the dream was that I was at party where there were lots of really interesting conversations going on. Very smart and witty. I felt great, at the top of my social game, moving comfortably among groups.