The Art of Living Well
I’m currently in the process of saying goodbye to our home in Oregon. The state will hold a very close place in my heart.
The fresh air from the Douglas firs made it seem like a winter vacation every day. I’ll miss the summers paddle-boarding, finding our own private watering hole as we would plunge into the Umpqua River, and the countless culinary titans dishing out some of the best food I’ve ever had.
Continue reading “#95 Power Steering – Finding Beauty in Struggle”
Perched above the sprawling hillside lay an old Mediterranean home overlooking the Aegean sea. The inhabiting couple, in their mid 80’s, tend to their land like others in the community. Harvesting honey, raising chickens, and eating by the toils of one’s own hand is commonplace in Ikaria, an island of Greece thirty minutes west of Turkey, by boat.
Continue reading “#94 A Possible Key to Longevity — Ikarian Way of Life”
A son asked his mother, “why do you sit in silence alone?”
The mother said:
“Son, I’m not alone. I sit with a breath. You see, the breath is never hungry. It’s never sad. It’s never mad. It’s void of feeling, thereby making it void of suffering. It doesn’t need anything, nor does it want anything, yet it encapsulates everything.
Continue reading “#93 The Breath – How to Escape Suffering”
Suffering is a part of life. You can’t avoid it. Obstacles will present themselves at some point. Much of the suffering we encounter when it comes to those that we love, is due to miscommunication.
Continue reading “#92 Four Mantras to Radically Heal Your Relationships”
“Success is nothing more than a few simple disciplines practiced every day.” — Jim Rohn
I have been running an experiment on myself where I have been following a set of rituals or daily disciplines for the past few weeks. I was inspired by many of the successful people I admire.
Continue reading “#91 Morning Routine- Priming The Mind for Optimum Performance”
We were in the Art District of Old Town Scottsdale. It was hot, but not unusual for Arizona in the slightest. The dry heat blanketed us like a transparent shawl and the subtle wind kept us cool momentarily while we stopped by a few galleries. Each one had a theme and a personality.
Whether it was a sculpture, painting, or photograph, each piece of art left a piece of its soul on the canvas it chose to imprint on. Art has the uncanny ability to allow us to escape and enjoy the beauty as it was meant to be enjoyed. No words, no thoughts, and no other action needed except to pay attention.
Continue reading “#90 Mineral Spirits – Impermanence and Feeding the Spirit”
When someone wins the lottery or survives a head-on collision we call it luck.
The human species has an interesting way to paint stories to tell a narrative of beating the odds.
If you are reading this and not in the hospital trying desperately to beat cancer, you could also be beating the odds.
If you had clean water, a hot shower, and a few meals today, then you’re lucky.
Continue reading “#90 Luck – Finding Extraordinary in the Ordinary!”
The Ego.
It’s sensitive, invisible, and invites itself without notice.
It’s a derivative of our personality that seeks self-importance.
In other words, the ego wants acknowledgment.
It’s a puppy that does tricks and expects a reward. Everyone has this puppy.
When I acknowledge others, wanting acknowledgment, all that really means is that their puppy needs more training.
Continue reading “#89 Ego – Acknowledging Acknowledment”
Ancient Aboriginals have a rich culture centered around family, nature and tradition.
In Tasmania, Aboriginal warriors would often paint their faces.
A painted line on the forehead represents the self. Lines on each cheek represent the knowledge one attains in life. The portion where the cheeks meet the nose is intentionally left blank.
The blank area represents the knowledge one has yet to attain in this life.
A researcher and Psychologist from the National Institute of Aging noted that personality traits change little after the age of 30. In short, people are set in their ways, and change of any kind is limited.
Continue reading “#88 Beginners Mind – Flowing water never goes stale”
Do you remember when you first started to walk?
Neither do I.
However, it was a pivotal moment in all our lives.
Babies learn to walk anywhere from 9 to 18 months.
When they first transition from crawling to standing up, the average infant falls about 17 times an hour when they’re awake.