Every little bit of Mindfulness – Musings from Missoula, MT
A little over 20 years ago, I found myself getting involved in mindfulness practice at exactly the same time I dove into philosophy studies at UM in Missoula, MT, specifically into ethics. Growing up as a Catholic, then atheist, then Buddhist, I struggled a lot with questions of morality. When I was 19, I read Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment and found myself entranced by the moral questions raised in the
Raising a Joyful Child – Musings in Missoula, MT
Any time I write about parenting, I feel the need to clarify that I’m by no means an expert on the topic. I’m a long-time meditator and student of philosophy and religion. I’ve managed to earn a Ph.D. in religious ethics and teach religious studies, philosophy, and ethics at a handful of colleges and universities around the world. But when it comes to parenting, I’m very much a novice and
Moral Politics and the Way We Talk to Ourselves – Musings in Montana
One of my favorite contemporary thinkers is a philosopher and linguist named George Lakoff. I first encountered him when I read his work, with Mark Johnson, Philosophy in the Flesh: the Embodied Mind & its Challenge to Western Thought (1999) in college. At the time I was a young white male Montanan who had barely stepped outside of the state (here and there on a few vacations, including a short
Stress, Catastrophize, Calm – Musings in Missoula
It’s no secret that the last 2 years have been extraordinarily stressful for people around the world. For many, the stress has been non-stop for even longer. Climate activists have felt it for decades, growing steadily each year. Reproductive rights advocates have been dealt setback after setback for the last five years. Teenagers have seen key developmental years stymied by lockdowns and parents of young children have seen lives turned
Being a Male American Actually Isn’t Good For You – Musings in Missoula
I know, I know, this doesn’t sound right. Growing up as a liberal, feminist, progressive, world-traveling male American, much of what I was told over the years was that I live at the height of privilege. But privilege doesn’t necessarily mean a good life. Nor does it mean a long life. Let me explain. But first, this is not to deny or distract from the enormous issues facing women and
Buddha’s Take on the DIY Mindset – More Musings in Missoula
In my last post, I wrote about the coming of summertime and the DIY mindset. This is a mindset of curiosity and exploration, a willingness to learn, and of care to listen to the wisdom of those who know better than we do. The Buddha, my favorite religious founder, philosopher, and perhaps psychologist of all time, had a similar take on cultivating an open mind in our pursuit of the