Whatever it is we seek pleasure from, relying on external things to give us the high or a feeling of euphoria, we run the risk of deluding ourselves that we’re in control when we’re not.
World Kindness Day, observed on Nov. 13 annually, is a good opportunity to reflect on the healing potential of both large and small acts of kindness.
Two different kinds of meditative breathing—traditional mindful breathing and virtual reality, 3D-guided mindful breathing—reduce pain but do so differently, research finds.
When I look at the trees in my garden, I see how they fully express life in their changing seasons. The wind blows and they surrender.
When I look at the trees in my garden, I see how they fully express life in their changing seasons. The wind blows and they surrender.
Albert Einstein famously said, "There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle." I slightly disagree...
Albert Einstein famously said, "There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle." I slightly disagree...
The pandemic brought the longstanding issue of loneliness and isolation in the lives of older people back into the public consciousness.
The pandemic brought the longstanding issue of loneliness and isolation in the lives of older people back into the public consciousness.
Every night after dinner, people gathered round a small fireplace and Father Oshida gave an evening talk. Mostly it was in Japanese, but he translated the important parts into English for me. I had been reading books on Buddhism every night before bed and was facing a growing dilemma.
Every night after dinner, people gathered round a small fireplace and Father Oshida gave an evening talk. Mostly it was in Japanese, but he translated the important parts into English for me. I had been reading books on Buddhism every night before bed and was facing a growing dilemma.
Picture a glass of clear water. You are holding a dropper of ink over it and you release a single droplet. Imagine it falling, hitting the water, and beginning to disperse, first as a feathery cloud of color and then gradually diluting the entire glass.
Picture a glass of clear water. You are holding a dropper of ink over it and you release a single droplet. Imagine it falling, hitting the water, and beginning to disperse, first as a feathery cloud of color and then gradually diluting the entire glass.
While we may have been taught that miracles are few and far between, and not only that but only "special" people can perform miracles, this is far from the truth. The first thing to realize is that life itself is a miracle. After all...
Many of us know that a few moments of connecting with our inner resources can have dramatic and healthy effects in restoring a sense of balance to a hectic day. But who has the luxury of spending 45 minutes to one hour...
Most people are so strongly habituated to death denial that when death appears they are caught entirely by surprise. Overwhelmed and confused, they tend to miss out on the extraordinary opportunity for peace and resolution that is inherent in the dying trajectory.
A bodhisattva brings healing into this world not out of fear of sickness and death, but out of bringing people back to their true nature, their original pureness: the inner light of their own soul, heart, and mind.
A bodhisattva brings healing into this world not out of fear of sickness and death, but out of bringing people back to their true nature, their original pureness: the inner light of their own soul, heart, and mind.
A cultural tradition that has changed across time and place is the practice of mindfulness. Mindfulness is a nonjudgmental expansive awareness of one’s experiences, often cultivated through meditation. A range of studies have found mindfulness to be beneficial for the people who practice it in a number of ways.
The biannual U.S. Catholic bishops’ meeting received more than its usual attention in June 2021 due to one particular item on its agenda: a proposed document on the Sacrament of the Eucharist, a ritual also known as Holy Communion.
When my boy died, I had no belief that the dead could talk to us. At best, they seemed gone in another world, separated by loss and the deafening thunder of our grief. But then Jordan started speaking to me...
September 2026 begins at a powerful turning point as eclipse season winds down and...
Letting go of the past doesn’t mean forgetting what happened. It means releasing the...
How much of yesterday are you still carrying today?
In a world of swipes, matches, texts and disappearing conversations, sometimes the most...
Some temptations don't announce themselves as trouble. They arrive softly, offering...
What if the rules women grew up with were never really rules at all? The Invisible Cage...
What does freedom mean when the nearest emergency room is forty miles away? “Forty Miles...
Fears about the future often stem from past experiences, leading to...
A strong relationship thrives on unconditional surrender, trust, and a commitment to...
Why do we keep doing things we know aren't good for us? The answer may have less to do...
You already know you're tired. You've known it since you hit snooze for the third time...
The concept of hell has evolved significantly from ancient Greek and Roman literature to...