One of my favorite parts about walking (including a good bit of wandering and roving) the Portuguese Camino, is that I approvingly have no idea where my mind (thoughts or spirit) is heading on any particular day. And consequently, no idea…
A week ago, while touring the awe-inspiring Porto Cathedral—“born” in the 12th century, and rebuilt and renovated numerous times throughout the centuries, now an elegant mixture of architectural styles—a woman is vacuuming, between and under the pews. The Cathedral is…
On Christmas Eve, a young father watches his 3-year-old daughter do her best to meticulously wrap a present. And she feels old enough to do so, without any help from a parent. (Remember that phase?)Choosing a roll of expensive gold-foil…
Do you know the story of Rabbi Eizik, son of Rabbi Yekel of Cracow?After many years of hardship and poverty, he dreamed someone bade him look for a treasure in Prague, under the bridge that leads to the king’s palace.…
Buddha's teaching method was counter intuitive, to say the very least. More often than not, he didn't even talk. He just sat there.There is a well-known story about The Buddha sitting in a place with hundreds of people gathered around…
This week I received a letter that restored my heart. A balm to my soul. Well, truth be told, the letter was written and sent in 1513. Let’s just say it took a while to get to me.You see, recently,…
A young man grew up with the notion that before he got too old, he needed to set about the task of becoming somebody. So, he busied himself with setting goals and accomplishing much. He learned the art of juggling…
A Zen roshi is dying. All of the monks gather—an eagerness restrained—around the deathbed, hoping to be chosen as the next teacher.The roshi asks slowly, “Where is the gardener?”"The gardener," the monks wonder aloud. "He is just a simple man…
More and more, I get questions from people asking about self-care when life feels unraveled. And unsettled. “How is it possible to stay grounded and sane?” One asked.And I do know this: my lists are a good bit shorter than…
In her book Open Spaces, Gretel Ehrlich talks about the concept that space can heal. That space—created by stillness, calm, silence—represents sanity. Mercy, what a gift. Stillness and silence can be a fullness, rather than a void. It can allow…