A Mindful Life

Jail faces mental health unit probe SANTA CLARA COUNTY FACILITY MAY NEED STATE LICENSE By Pete Carey The place where Santa Clara County’s Main Jail cares for its most severely mentally ill prisoners has been operating without a state license for five years since the state said its cells were too small to provide safe [...]

Life has been intensely busy here with the end of the school year. I’ve also been more tired lately, and taking care of my body by giving it much-needed rest. Between these two things, I’ve had little time and no energy to look for stimulating quotes; nor have I generated a single original (let’s not [...]

Religion is not about accepting twenty impossible propositions before breakfast, but about doing things that change you. It is a moral aesthetic, an ethical alchemy. If you behave in a certain way, you will be transformed. The myths and laws of religion are not true because they conform to some metaphysical, scientific, or historical reality [...]

It’s been an intensely busy weekend. I worked a full day yesterday, training for summer camp coaching and working the kid’s cyber-cafe at night. I managed to squeeze into the weekend several loads of laundry, garden tending, bill paying, and grocery shopping. However, the glorious weather requires that I go to Alum Rock Park and [...]

The source of a true smile is an awakened mind. Smiling helps you approach the day with gentleness and understanding. –Thich Nhat Hanh, Peace Is Every Step

I have seven boys and three girls in my group. Six of the students are fifth graders, and four are in fourth grade. Some of the boys are a year or two older than their grade level and thus bigger than many of their peers. I wanted to speak to the group in a positive [...]

Just as you can choose between possible futures, you can choose between possible pasts. Your past is not a fixed reality; it is what you choose by focus and interpretation. Interpret your past through the eyes of appreciation, and it will become only a blessing. –Alan Cohen

The issue of bullying is a serious one. I myself was prey to bullies in my elementary school years, and it made life terrifying for me. Those experiences undermined my sense of place and safety in the world, and they marred my self-confidence. I learned to inhibit my social tendencies so as not to be [...]

When you arise in the morning, give thanks for the morning light, for your life and strength. Give thanks for your food, and the joy of living. If you see no reason for giving thanks, the fault lies with yourself. –Tecumseh, Shawnee Chief