35 results for tag: Spiritual Development


Thich Nhat Hanh Passed To The Next Dimension

There are about two handfuls of people who have shaped the course of my life beyond friends and family. Tich Nhat Hanh was one of them. We can add Martin Luther King Jr., Dalai Lama, Louise HayThomas Merton, Mevlana Julaluddin Rumi, G.I. Gurdjieff, John Lennon , Mikao Usui, Mahatma Gandhi, and my former Teacher and Mentor Rev Betsy Browder. to this list. Today he passed to the next dimension. He and Louise Hay are where my journey into meditation began in 1990. There were not many books one could find on meditation at the time. Peace Is Every Step by Thich Nhat Hanh and You Can Heal Your Life by Louise Hay are the two that made the most sense to me. I felt like they were a key to a door that I somehow knew existed without any rhyme or reason to think there was such a door. I do not think I am being theatrical to say they saved my life. ...

Is The Spiritual Movement Counter-Productive?

When you think about the current spiritual movement, what image or images come into your mind's eye? Do you think of a specific style or fashion? Who does your mind create as "spiritual"? What do they look and talk like? What color skin or body type do they have? What jargon do they use to let you how "spiritual" they are? I have been fascinated and at times felt saddened by how spirituality has become more of an industry, than a practice. My Teacher always used to say to me whenever I thought I was becoming "spiritual" that stills sticks with me today, especially in regard to how I market and promote my professionalisms private practice. She would say, "Michael, you need keep your practice in the basement". I knew she was not literally referring to me setting up an office or a place to meditate in the basement, although I have done that before, she meant that I need to stay vigilant about thinking I have arrived and/or I am special. This does not mean I am any less special than anyone else. I am special in my way as you are special in your way, as equals, not more or less special. The ego is relelentless in its pursuit of creating an illusion in our mind that we "know something" that others do not know, or in more current lingo, that we are "woke". Is The Spiritual Movement Counter-Productive? - Providence Holistic Counseling Services ...

Trauma Is Not Your Fault, But Healing Is Your Responsibility

We all come into this life with stuff to unpack and learn.  Some of us have entered life with greater challenges than others.  It can be said that ALL OF US have endured trauma in one form or another. This can mean being neglected as children, being abused as a child, teen or adult, military, sexual assault and rape, alcoholism and drug addiction, poverty, and racial and cultural issues, just to name a few forms of trauma. We all experience these challenges in different ways. It has become very common for self-help and pop psychology "gurus" to present pathology as a singular, logical pattern that explains life experiences through a lens that, in all cases, "this means that" and all people experience "this and that" the same. It is false and damaging to the millions of people who read or hear these claims and wonder why it is not true for them.  We have our shared experiences but in our own unique way. That is one of the joys of being human! No two people experience trauma the same, but there are enough common traits to share and learn from each other and gain support and camaraderie.  I can learn from you and vice-versa.  I remember when my cousin returned from Vietnam; he would not discuss what happened to anyone. Then one day, a friend of his was over, who was also a Vietnam Vet, talked and talked about what he saw and did for hours. We were all surprised after not hearing him speak about it for more than a paragraph after being home for several years.  The same applies to people participating in Twelve-Step or cancer survivors groups. Shared experiences help us feel like we belong and we are not alone. This is important in moving forward through traumatic experiences. ...

We Can Still Be Crazy – Pema Chodron

We can practice meditation, Yoga, and Qi Gong every single day and night, and we can still be crazy! We can still be crazy if we practice all of the above, eat organic "healthy" foods, take herbs, and drink kombucha daily, and we can still be crazy. We can meet with an acknowledged expert in therapy or counseling, and we can still be crazy. In fact, it is possible that we may even become crazier if we diligently commit to these practices and follow them up with a 7-day cleanse and a weekly water fast. Nothing can guarantee that we will not be crazy. Nothing. Is the goal not to be crazy or to live an amazingly imperfect life that we get to be ourselves on a regular basis? Would you agree to practice daily if you knew you would never stop being crazy, BUT you would begin accepting yourself for who you really are? If you are curious about how we can still be crazy after daily meditation for years or decades, and that is OK, I invite you to read this short essay by Pema Chodron below. If you are unfamiliar with her and her work, please follow the link in the previous sentence; she is a living gem!  We Can Still Be Crazy - Pema Chodron - Michael Swerdloff - Providence Holistic Counseling, Coaching and Reiki ...

Three Ways to Practice Forgiveness Meditation

Do you practice forgiveness? When was the last time that you felt as if you were betrayed or disrespected by someone in your life? What did you silently, or not so silently, need on a deep, core level?

Why Nice Guys Stay Single – So Do Bad Boys

When I first saw the heading "Why Nice Guys Stay Single", I rolled my eyes; at least I tried. I have never perfected eye-rolling. I thought to myself, "Another article written by a bitter, single woman who likes bad boys who treat her like shit". I was completely wrong. I have no idea if Kathryn Hogan is single, but she is definitely not bitter and incredibly perceptive. Here is a quote from this article; if this does not move you, there is no need to read further.
"What women—evolved, mature, powerful women—actually need is a man who embodies the divinity of manhood. This may sound mystical, but it’s not. Every man is sacred, can touch the sacred masculine within him, can be a man who stands in compassion, loyalty, and honor, who cares enough to realize that only his true, unfiltered presence is good enough for this world. A man with a powerful heart, who can hold a woman in his presence, who can weather her emotional storms, who is nourished by being near her, and sees her divinity, and gives endlessly of himself."
This article explores why being a nice guy will only get you so far. You must dive deeper into yourself and express everything that makes you. The real you. The authentic you. Nice guys are men that are hiding from themselves and the women they wish to connect with and love. No more Mr. Nice Guy (see Alice Cooper song below for kicks). Why Nice Guys Stay Single - Providence Holistic Counseling Services  
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A Valuable Life Lesson – The Mayonnaise Jar

A Valuable Life Lesson For A Happier Life is an interesting demonstration of some important life lessons about priorities and relationships.   https://youtu.be/SqGRnlXplx0   What are your thought on A Valuable Life Lesson For A Happier Life? Does it apply to your relationships, career, family, health or spiritual life? What do you disagree with this demonstration of A Valuable Life Lesson For A Happier Life?     Other posts you may enjoy: Open Up – School of Life Building Bridges or Building Walls It’s Never Too Late To Be Amazing Number One Reason Most Relationships Struggle Listening ...