Further Adventures of the Daoist Dad – Musings in Missoula
I have written before about my trials and travails in fatherhood here in Missoula. As all parents know, it’s a “learn as you go” kind of thing. If we’re lucky, we have good role models. Luck, too, will mean we have time to read books and talk with friends and seek out support along the way. A third stroke of luck is having a happy, healthy kiddo. I count myself
Fieldnotes on Grief – Musings in Missoula
Grief is one of the most complex, powerful, and poorly understood emotions felt by humans. It comes in many ways, but the loss of a close family member is usually seen as the most painful path into grief. Grief can also strike when we are forced from our home or community, lose a job, or a friendship or romantic partnership. In 1969, Elizabeth Kubler-Ross published On Death and Dying, which
Six Quick Tips to Improve Mental Health
As we head into autumn, it’s easy to feel change in the air. The seasons are changing. The weather is finally cooling off, or will be soon. Sadly for us in Missoula, one change was from clear skies to wildfire smoke. But that too will change, and hopefully sooner rather than later. As we look forward to fall and then winter, we can take a few moments to be proactive
Quick Guides to Healthy Inner Peace – Musings from Missoula
Restoring our mental balance is a necessary exercise. Sometimes we can coast for days or weeks in a generally good state of mind. Other times, everything feels like chaos. Whether we are enjoying a period of serenity or surfing some very choppy mind-waves, learning some quick skills for restoring inner balance is a great way to improve our mental health. Like any skill, these won’t be too easy. Nor will
Wisdom from a Buddhist Monastery on Slowing Down – Musings in Missoula
This summer, the clinical psychologist Diana Hill, Ph.D. and her husband skipped the usual family vacation and took their kids to a Buddhist monastery in southern France. While such a major turn in plans might be out of reach for most of us, there is a lot we can learn from her experience. Diana and her husband were feeling the same burnout that most of us have felt these last
The Benefits of Generosity – Musings in Missoula
Generosity sometimes feels like a virtue from the distant past, like chivalry or thrift. It seems like everyone around us is becoming far more individualistic. Oftentimes, this means they are becoming more cut off from the world. They are more focused on image and self-branding and less focused on community and generosity. In a news report I heard today, Britain’s pubs have issued a dire call for help from the