I was not raised in an environment where conflict was encouraged. When conflict did arise, particularly in the power dynamic of father and child, it did not go well. I did not have the skills to engage in meaningful conversation during conflict and I resorted to anger and rebellion. My father did not have the
Acceptance is a term that is used a lot in yoga and Buddhist circles but often causes a lot of confusion. The confusion stems from (a) a misunderstanding of what it does and does not mean and (b) how difficult it can be to change our habitual resistance to the unpleasant moments in our lives.
While I am not always perfect at it, I know that the biggest benefit of mindfulness practice is in its ability to help me hold emotional discomfort without bypassing it. When things are going well in our lives, mindfulness helps us deeply experience the pleasure of being alive. However, it is when the going gets
One a recent walk with a friend, she asked me if I had made any New Year’s Resolutions. She’s known me long enough to know that the answer was “no” before I even answered. I have a little bit of an aversion to the typical New Year’s resolutions, because they often seem based on rigid
