We are fortunate to have two teens living in our home. Winston is fourteen–and in ninth grade. Clara is seventeen–and a senior in high school. Their lives are always in motion, constantly swirling in a mix of different identities and moods that vary from moment to moment. I find the teen years naturally place me in a rather heightened state as … Read More
The Shift from External to Internal
One of the first shifts that often occurs in life transitions but that is especially relevant to a religious one — is the turn from looking outside of ourselves to find answers — toward trying to discern how we feel, what we value, or what we need from the inside out. This is an especially tough task as many of us have … Read More
A Meditation for the Heavyhearted
I have a meditation ritual for my everyday life. It is accessible. Practical. And centering. I began my practice nearly three years ago as a meditation novice. I had very little exposure to mindfulness so I began a journey of trying out some different practices. What worked best for me was using the Calm app. You definitely don’t need an … Read More
The Conscious Parent by Shefali Tsabary–An Introduction
“It’s no surprise we fail to tune into our children’s essence. How can we listen to them, when so many of us barely listen to ourselves? How can we feel their spirit and hear the beat of their heart if we can’t do this in our own life?” Shefali Tsabary One of the first books I picked up at the … Read More
Grief–A Eulogy for My Father
Loss is a part of being alive. We all know this. And on some level, we experience both birth and loss every day. These griefs may be large or small. We may be aware of them or not. Life provides us many opportunities or practice sessions for loss. Illnesses show up as a temporary loss of health. We may lose … Read More
The Seven Principles for a Healthy Relationship–Gottman Style
Photo by Maya Dehlin One thing I do in my spare time is read relationship books. Actually all kinds of books but we will focus on relationship books to simplify things today. They aren’t all easy reads either. Or equally valuable. It takes time–and a desire to plow through material that isn’t always riveting. Do you get my meaning? Well, … Read More
Broken Open
In this episode Margi Dehlin shares an essay she recently wrote dealing with heartbreak, resilience, and intimacy entitled “Broken Open.” The text of the poem is available below. Broken Open, by Margi Dehlin Louise Erdrich wrote in The Painted Drum, “Life will break you. Nobody can protect you from that, and living alone won’t either, for solitude will also break you … Read More
When Things Fall Apart
“It may be when we no longer know what to do, that we have come to our real work, and that when we no longer know which way to go, we have begun our real journey.” Wendell Berry If there is one thing I am asked the most, it is IF I would be willing to share a … Read More