Counseling Corner: Plain and Simple: Borrowing Buddha’s Wisdom
Whenever I reflect on the fact that I was able to earn a Ph.D. in Buddhist studies, living in England and India along the way and later teaching in the US and Hong Kong, I cannot help but feel incredibly fortunate. There was a time when I really thought Buddhism was the best religion (or philosophy, psychology, or way of life) out there. But over the years I have also
Counselor Corner: Staying Grounded in Modern Technology
Around a decade ago, Tim Wu, a law professor at Columbia University, wrote a series of thought-provoking articles on technological advancement for the New Yorker's science and technology blog, Elements. In his first piece titled "If a Time Traveller Saw a Smartphone," Wu presented a modified Turing test to explore the ongoing debate between advocates and critics of digital technology. The Turing Test A Turing test, for those who don’t
Counselor Corner: Secrets on How to Focus from ‘The Alchemist’ by Paulo Coelho
Imagine a young man, eager to learn the Secret of Happiness, embarking on a journey through the desert for forty days. His search led him to the top of a mountain where a beautiful castle stood. There, he hoped to find wisdom from a renowned sage. Upon arrival, the young man discovered a bustling scene. Merchants were conducting business, friends were engaged in conversation, melodious music filled the air, and
Counselor Corner: What are the Four Burners?
Yesterday was a hard day. In an effort to fine-tune my daily routine, I had decided to employ my new routine - which was to skip dinner - but what happened next took me by surprise. At lunch, I found myself indulging in oatmeal cookies and blueberry smoothies, only to suffer a significant sugar crash shortly after. Have you ever felt like you made progress in one area of life,
Counselor Corner: Embrace Your Wildness
"Scientific studies say that the past is always better than the present,” I mused aloud to Julie and Alexis. These were my mother's college co-conspirators. I hadn’t seen them since the funeral. "Well yes," Julie agreed. "Time has a way of filtering out the ordinary." We had met up, from across the country, at the Mediterranean Grill in Helena. My kids, John and Alexandria, were scootching around on the floor,
Counselor Corner: The Power of Curiosity
The weekend shone bright in Helena, our quaint little haven. It was one of those days when the air hung heavy with excitement, the promise of the upcoming parade adding an extra sprinkle of joy. My sister, Treanna, was with us, embodying every bit of the loving yet assertive big sister role she'd always played. The city had set up those stanchions to steer the parade's route, and there