A Mindful Life

True silence is the rest of the mind; it is to the spirit what sleep is to the body, nourishment and refreshment. –William Penn Dawn on Kala Point, Washington

Below is the description of the Harper Family’s donation to the Wilson preschool fundraiser. More information about this is coming, including other prizes and ticket availability. I’m just sharing this in case you’d like to buy tickets when available ($1.00 each). Zen Life Kit There’s a lot of talk about Zen these days, but not [...]

As Claire gets older and encounters the world, I find myself thinking that I need an exorcism of my past. That sounds drastic, yes? Claire displays an intensity and sensitivity that I recognize. I observe how she interacts with kids at school, and I feel painful echoes. I want so much not to project my [...]

The child is made of one hundred. The child has a hundred languages, a hundred hands, a hundred thoughts, a hundred ways of thinking, of playing, of speaking. A hundred, always a hundred, ways of listening, of marveling, of loving, a hundred joys for singing and understanding, a hundred worlds to discover, a hundred worlds [...]

I really wanted to quote the entire article here, but out of respect for copyright I haven’t. It’s an intelligent article about the “cherish every moment” pressure and frenzy that accompanies parenting. The author portrays mindfulness — at least, what I attempt and occasionally manage to experience — beautifully. There are two different types of [...]

This is a video you must watch. If you have trouble seeing it embedded here, you can view it here. Take five minutes. Your heart will thank you.

In asserting: God* exists, we merely bring down overpowering reality to the level of thought. Our belief is but an afterthought. The transition from obliviousness to an awareness of God, is not a leap over a missing link in a syllogism but a retreat, giving up premises rather than adding one. –Abraham Joshua Heschel *or [...]

I just returned from my first sesshin at Hazy Moon Zen Center. It was fruitful. I’m tired and glad to be home. All that I experienced is settling, so I hesitate to write extensively about it. Here are some brief reflections. The first one is from my drive down, when I stopped at San Luis [...]

“When you have completed 95 percent of your journey, you are only halfway there.” – Japanese Proverb

Today Claire asked to make Simba, from the Lion King. She hasn’t seen the movies but is obsessed with the songs, especially The Lion Sleeps Tonight, Hakuna Matata, and He Lives In You. She wanted to also make his father and an elephant friend. Thank goodness for paper plates, construction paper, glue and paint! Claire [...]