Mindfulness

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

“Where do we come from? Where do we go? And what of politics, war, and love? And why? What is the sense of it all? Will we ever make it home? We all have the same questions, no matter our culture, country, generation, or age.” —Joy Harjo* in “Catching the Light” Such times we live in. A climate disaster in the making. Wars on five out of seven continents. Autocracies on the rise around the world. Democracy under threat here in the U.S. Asking will we ever make it home, opens

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

—Arnold Mindell , As noted in my previous post , Alan Briskin and I think of a “field” as a dynamic, living series of perceptible 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 ever

“We are all at once composition and composer.” — ​​​​ Maya Angelou , As noted in my previous post . Alan Briskin and I think of a “field” as a dynamic, living series of perceptible 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, to conflicts that arise among competing factions. When we

In college, I served as the news editor for the Northeastern University News. Now fifty years later, thanks to the vision of our then editor in chief, the group of us who produced the student newspaper, the literary magazine, and the yearbook, have decided to produce an anniversary issue of the NU News. I am grateful for the opportunity to revisit and reflect on those times with the talented and caring friends and consider how I am changed because of them and the paths each o

In 1992, neuroscientist Richard J. Davidson met the Dalai Lama for the first time. Like many neuroscientists and psychologists, he had been studying what was wrong with human brains: anxiety, fear, depression, and stress. But his Holiness asked why he wasn’t using neuroscientific tools to study kindness and compassion.  At first, the question startled him, but it then led to nearly two decades of collaboration between them and the establishing the Center for Healthy Minds at

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

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

Although I live in the land of six rivers—the Smith, Klamath, Trinity, Mad, Van Duzen, and Eel—today I write about the four rivers of life: Inspiration, Surprise, Challenge, and Love. I learned about these rivers from my beloved teacher Angeles Arrien (1940—2014). According to Angeles, many traditional societies believe that these rivers—Inspiration, Surprise, Challenge, and Love—sustain and support us. They also connect us to the greater gifts of appreciating one’s life and

This is a more personal piece than usual. It came early one morning as I was thinking about my mother on her birthday. I have been fortunate throughout my life to have family and friends who see me and love me. Some are still my dear and good friends while some have passed: my mother died in March 1981; good friends Mary Curran and Jean Westcott died in 2002 and 2008 respectively. An important teacher and mentor, Angeles Arrien passed unexpectedly in 2014. Each, in their ow

This is the final installment in a three-part series on curiosity. Today’s entry explores the role of curiosity at work and its relationship to organizational and group performance. In the  February 13 post  we investigated being curious internally, i.e., self-reflection. The  February 27 post  explored cultivating curiosity in others.  What does curiosity have to do with the performance of your team or organization? A lot, according to Adi Ignatius, editor in chief of the 

This is the second installment in a three-part series on curiosity. Today’s entry considers how to cultivate curiosity in others and in yourself about others. In the  Feb. 13 post  we investigated being curious internally, i.e., self-reflection. Finally, on March 13 we will explore the role of curiosity at work and its relationship to organizational and group performance. In a recent conversation with colleagues and former students, they wondered aloud about how, in difficul

This is the first installment in a three-part series on curiosity. Today’s post investigates being curious internally, i.e., introspection. February 27’s entry will consider how to cultivate curiosity in others and in yourself about others. Finally, on March 13 we will explore the role of curiosity at work and its relationship to organizational and group performance. What if the old proverb about curiosity killed the cat is wrong? What if it is  lack  of curiosity that kills

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