OF HUMANS AND SAILBOATS: The slow leak of existence

The minute humans and sailboats are launched into their respective worlds, the clocks start ticking. Deterioration begins its relentless march against our perceived permanence. For our entire lives, we are locked in a war against the eroding forces of time, nature and entropy—an endless cycle of maintenance and repair—in a futile attempt to avoid the murky abyss that awaits. From the time of launch, existence becomes a bottomless pit into which we throw all our time and resources to prevent […] The post OF HUMANS AND SAILBOATS: The slow leak of existence appeared first on The Mindful Word.

Posted on: 16 May 2024 | 1:00 pm

A CRISIS OF CONSCIOUSNESS: As the world speeds on, life invites you to wake up

Katie was late. We were sitting in HeartSpace, our retreat centre in Park City, ready to start a coaching session with her. We had hot coffee, open space and calm music—everything we needed to begin. Except for Katie. This wasn’t like her. We’d known Katie for a long time. An accomplished professional with a private practice, she was superb at balancing the many demands on her time—patients, team members, family, friends, volunteer commitments. From an outsider’s perspective, she seemed to […] The post A CRISIS OF CONSCIOUSNESS: As the world speeds on, life invites you to wake up appeared first on The Mindful Word.

Posted on: 15 May 2024 | 1:00 pm

RELEASE YOUR EMOTIONAL PRISONERS: The first step in meditation teacher Barry Long’s guide

Nearly everyone has emotional prisoners locked in their chest or belly. These are emotional replicas of people you’ve resented or felt have betrayed or hurt you in the past. You keep them there, unconsciously guarding them, just like a jailer. When you’re reminded of an old resentment, that emotional prisoner comes to life and troubles you. You get a stab in the chest, a band of tightness across the chest or an ache in the tummy. You then can’t meditate […] The post RELEASE YOUR EMOTIONAL PRISONERS: The first step in meditation teacher Barry Long’s guide appeared first on The Mindful Word.

Posted on: 13 May 2024 | 11:00 am

WHAT GOD HAS MADE CLEAN, YOU MUST NOT CALL PROFANE: The story of St. Peter and Cornelius

Happy May, everyone! Our reading this week covers the meeting of St. Peter and Cornelius, a Roman centurion stationed in Caesarea, the Roman capital of Judea. Cornelius is described in the New Testament’s book of Acts as a “devout man who feared God with all his household.” We’re told that he prayed unceasingly and gave generously to the poor, for which the Jews held him in high esteem, despite the fact that he was a “gentile” or non-Jew. The story […] The post WHAT GOD HAS MADE CLEAN, YOU MUST NOT CALL PROFANE: The story of St. Peter and Cornelius appeared first on The Mindful Word.

Posted on: 8 May 2024 | 1:00 pm

STOICISM AND KINDNESS: Practicing kindness while keeping reason in mind

Wherever there is a human being, there is an opportunity for a kindness. Seneca How many times have you heard someone described as being willing to “give someone the shirt off their back?” And when you hear this, what does it mean to you? At first blush, it probably appears that the person is kind, generous, thoughtful and empathetic. But my first thought is, I hope he has more shirts. There’s kindness and then there’s taking kindness to the extreme. […] The post STOICISM AND KINDNESS: Practicing kindness while keeping reason in mind appeared first on The Mindful Word.

Posted on: 6 May 2024 | 1:00 pm

UNLEASH YOUR INNER DRAGON: 3 crystals that’ll help you step into your power

Last updated: May 6th, 2024As the months rush by like a bullet train, the Year of the Dragon will soon be halfway through, so now is the perfect time for some self-reflection and introspection to help us make the most of the rest of the year. In Chinese astrology, the Year of the Dragon is associated with action, leadership, passion, power and rapid change. This means that in 2024, there is a lot of potential for growth and personal transformation, […] The post UNLEASH YOUR INNER DRAGON: 3 crystals that’ll help you step into your power appeared first on The Mindful Word.

Posted on: 1 May 2024 | 1:00 pm

THE UNFILTERED TRUTH: Juggling motherhood, career and societal expectations

In the chaotic dance of modern life, women are often expected to pirouette seamlessly between two conflicting realms: their motherhood and their career. It’s a relentless performance where the spotlight rarely shines on the real struggles beneath the surface. Let’s strip away the facade and confront the raw truth: Being a mother while pursuing a career is a Herculean task, and the stage is set against us from the start, but picking an alternative path as a woman is sometimes […] The post THE UNFILTERED TRUTH: Juggling motherhood, career and societal expectations appeared first on The Mindful Word.

Posted on: 29 April 2024 | 1:00 pm

HANAMI DREAMING: The start of spring in Japan

Early spring is the time of breaking bud. My apple and pear trees shrug off their winter dormancy, and every day they awaken so quickly, reminding me to stop and appreciate them. Spring holds new wonders, and I look forward to my favourite season. Sometimes in dreams, I’m carried back to spring in Japan and the traditional custom called Hanami, which literally means “flower viewing.” Hanami is a time out from work and stress, when people gather and share a […] The post HANAMI DREAMING: The start of spring in Japan appeared first on The Mindful Word.

Posted on: 24 April 2024 | 1:00 pm

TO WALK THE SAME WAY HE WALKED: A reflection on John’s first letter

This past Sunday, Catholics around the world were treated to a reading from the First Epistle of John. This letter, likely written between 95 and 110 A.D. in Ephesus, is addressed to believing Christians and covers themes of love and genuine fellowship with God. The excerpt read at Mass this week, 1 John 2:1-5, covers precisely these topics, with a focus on learning to recognize when God—and by extension, love—truly abides in a person. This is an important subject that […] The post TO WALK THE SAME WAY HE WALKED: A reflection on John’s first letter appeared first on The Mindful Word.

Posted on: 22 April 2024 | 1:00 pm

SOULMATES, SYNCHRONICITY AND TELEPATHY: Who are you entangled with on your life’s path?

Quantum entanglement is one of the most beautiful and observable phenomena of contemporary physics. Einstein called it “spooky action at a distance” because it demonstrates how two particles can be linked together no matter how far apart they are in space or time. As Paul Levy explained, “When two quantum entities interact, they become intermingled in such a way as to remain forever linked together….Exhibiting a form of contagious magic, each seems to telepathically “know” what the other is doing….Their […] The post SOULMATES, SYNCHRONICITY AND TELEPATHY: Who are you entangled with on your life’s path? appeared first on The Mindful Word.

Posted on: 16 April 2024 | 1:00 pm