Emotions

I live my life in widening circles that reach out across the world. I may never complete this last one, but I give myself to it . –Joanna Macy ​ On July 19, 2025, Joanna Macy died at the age of 96. She was an author, teacher, eco-philosopher, and Buddhist scholar and practitioner. I had the privilege of participating in a workshop with her in January 2000 and have read several of her books. Today, I write to honor her and all that I and so many others around the world learned

In my previous post, “ What Is Home ?,” I mentioned three centers of knowing as being central to being at home inside ourselves. Some of you might have been wondering what that means and how it might help you in the variety of roles you play: leader, colleague, neighbor, parent, grandparent, student. Let’s take a brief look into what three-centered knowing or three-centered awareness means and then how it might serve you. Throughout my investigations into the brain, Feldenkr

As many of you know Alan Briskin and I have been researching and writing about relational fields for several years. Our book, “Space is Not Empty: Harnessing the Power of Relational Fields to Impact our World” is nearly complete. Hooray! Thus, I have been MIA from my blog posts. I now have space inside and around me to begin writing posts again. I hope they inspire you and me to care more deeply and compassionately for one another during these very challenging times. It seem

Introduction I am writing a book with Alan Briskin about fields. This post is part of a series based on our explorations and writings. The more we explore and experience fields, the more I come to believe that (1) knowing they exist and influence us; (2) perceiving and attuning ourselves to them; and (3) consciously influencing them for good is essential to creating space for caring about others and the world we live in. In the previous post I explored the Art of Inwardness

Alan Briskin and I are writing a book about “fields:” personal, social, and noetic. I have written several posts about them including one on the personal field. The piece below continues to explore the value and practices for perceiving and influencing the personal field. Thank you for your interest. Given the plethora of distractions and diversions at our beck and call, perhaps it is time for all of us to learn what John O’Donahue calls the “art of inwardness.” By inwardne

As noted in previous posts, Alan Briskin and I think of a “field” as a dynamic, living series of perceptible and imperceptible forces emanating from multiple sources inside and around us that influence how we feel, think, and behave. Field phenomena include everything from how you feel with good friends, to social customs and group norms you might take for granted, as well as conflicts that arise among competing factions. When we think of them in this way, fields are everywhe

Roger James and I were taking a glorious walk in the early morning sun around the Arcata Marsh. We had just stopped for a few groceries when a distraught man passed by screaming through a bandana, “This is bullshit!” Continuing up the street, he continued ranting about how he had had to enter the Farmers’ Market through a roped entrance and walk opposite to the direction he wanted to walk. His rage was palpable even from across the street. His anger upset me and poked me out

john a. powell , professor of Law, African American and Ethnic Studies at UC Berkeley, made the astute observation that in times of stress, societies either break apart or build bridges. In addition to the stress from accelerating changes in globalization, technology, environment, and demographics, we now add a global pandemic and an economic free fall. All of this is hard for the human brain to process. Because the brain evolved to keep us safe, it craves certainty and predi

I have loved Mary Oliver’s poetry since college. Her poems speak to me in deep and surprising ways, particularly the stanza above. It came to mind this morning and brought the fragrance of rivers and forests along with a sense of calm and hope for our world during this perilous time. Oliver’s words invite a slowing down and expanding of awareness. When I do this, it helps me find meaning in all I have been thinking, feeling, and sensing; and all I am hearing from others. Her

In the midst of the onslaught of emails, Facebook posts, and LinkedIn messages about all the do’s and don’ts during this exceptional time, I meditate. Each of us appears to be searching for inspiration. One morning, T.S. Eliot’s words about the still point floated into my mind from my years as an English literature major in college. I will not use his words to add to the list of tips flooding social media. I will, however, use them as doorways to reflect on these stranger-tha

These past few days, I have been waking up to a jumpy body and an overall sense of “How am I going to get it all done?” It seems that life has a way of constellating all the “yeses” I have offered over a long period of time into lots of activity in a short period of time.  As I sat meditating, I reached for a copy of Tao Te Ching and read these passages: I shifted my attention to the next breath, a small act in the great task of becoming more mindfully aware. Then I focused o

Our judging brains are powerful things. Within nanoseconds of seeing or meeting someone, we decide whether or not we like them. We are attracted or repulsed. My meditation practice, in addition to my intention to treat others respectfully, helps me notice the train of judgments that seems to spontaneously arise when I meet someone new or when I encounter someone whom I already know. Thankfully, I can now more easily notice the judgments and step aside from the case they are m

This post is more personal than typical posts. I wanted to share some of the reflections on the past couple of weeks.  June 8, 2019  I am in route to Massachusetts to see my older brother Michael who is quite ill and in hospital. There is a strong possibility this trip is not just to show love and support, but also to say goodbye. Michael, who is ten years older than I am, was often hard on me verbally and physically in my early years. I spent a lot of my childhood frightened

The first poem I ever memorized was “The Fawn” by Mary Oliver . Since her recent passing, many have written about her, her work and what her words meant to them. I add my voice to that chorus here. These last several decades, I have worked as a consultant, facilitator and educator. Behind the scenes, since early childhood my life has been inspired and buoyed by literature and poetry. When I read or hear a paragraph, sentence, or word that captures that which had been an inde

We are once again writing our closing newsletter of 2018 using the Four Rivers of Life we learned from Angeles Arrien (1940-2014) during our many years of study with her. According to Angeles, many traditional societies believe these rivers—Inspiration, Challenge, Surprise and Love—sustain and support us. They help us live the life we love or love the life we are living. River of Inspiration Working with the Global Learning and Exchange Network * and the Humboldt BayTrails

Given how polarized the political climate in the U.S. is right now, I thought it would be valuable to look at what polarities are and how we might better manage or leverage them at work and in our communities. This is the final piece in a three-part series on managing polarities.  A polarity is a state in which two ideas, opinions or beliefs are completely opposite or very different from one another. It is not a problem to be solved but a state to be managed. How does our ab