Mindfulness in War?
I have written before about my admiration for the psychologist Robert Wright. He happens to have his own affinity for mindfulness and Buddhism and he wrote the wonderful 2017 book, Why Buddhism is True. The book comes across as a humble approach to Buddhism by a skeptical American academic and journalist. He, like many others, seeks to discern what about Buddhism and mindfulness practice are most true and useful to
Trying on a Mental Health Spring Cleaning
Here in Missoula, Montana, we’ve seen a handful of warm, sunny days lately. These have been welcome hints of spring. The snow has melted from my yard and the birds and squirrels seem friskier than usual. With the warmer weather comes a natural shift in mindset and an opportunity to shed some bad winter habits in favor of better ones. I write this while snacking on an apple, by the
The Universality of Loss
Typically, when we are experiencing loss and all of the pain that comes with it, we feel deeply alone. If we’re lucky, we have close friends or family who can grieve with us. But even then, we often find that their ways of grieving are different from ours. This, ironically, can make us feel even more alone. One of my favorite stories from early Buddhism is about Kisa Gotami, a
“Tribe of Mentors” by Tim Ferriss – 6 More Great Ideas
Missoula Counselors are always looking for the next great idea. As such, here are 5 spectacular thoughts from "Tribe of Mentors" by Tim Ferriss: 1. Susan Caine the author of "Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking," told Tim Ferriss: "I wanted writing to be a permanent source of pleasure, and never to be associated with financial stress or, more generally, the pressure to achieve.
Eric Fromm on a Life Well Lived: Will or Whim
Continuing with the psychologist and humanist philosopher Eric Fromm’s book The Art of Being, this week I want to recap his insights about two other modes of living: will and whim. As an aside, I find it fascinating that he is giving us these simple contrasts. We’ve all probably heard the story of the two wolves fighting within us. The mindfulness teacher Sharon Salzberg relates it as such: One evening
Having and Being: Wisdom from Eric Fromm
As a father of a toddler with a full-time job and an old house to maintain, I’ve found that I have lost both the time and energy that I once had for reading. I remedy this at times by taking breaks from work to read essays and long-form articles from the Atlantic, The New York Times, or the New York Review of Books. These periodicals, and others, help maintain my