By Charles A. Francis “No one outside ourselves can rule us inwardly. When we know this, we become free.” ~ Buddha Many of us have painful memories that we would rather forget—a difficult childhood, painful relationship, or traumatic event. We usually find ways to avoid thinking about them, so we Read more…
Spirituality does not have to be restricted to the confines of organized religion. Freed from the rules, restrictions, and impediments that organized religion may impose upon you, how and where might you be more spiritual in your life? If you smile at someone, they tend to smile back. If you Read more…
By Charles A. Francis “There are only two mistakes one can make along the road to truth; not going all the way, and not starting.” ~ Buddha Have you ever wondered if there was a way you could speed up your spiritual growth? Well, there is: it’s the mindfulness meditation Read more…
“…people never are alone now. We make them hate solitude; and we arrange their lives so that it’s almost impossible for them ever to have it.” ~ Brave New World, Aldous Huxley In this day and age, it’s becoming harder and harder to be alone, especially alone with our own Read more…
By Charles A. Francis “Life is available only in the present moment.” ~ Thich Nhat Hanh I’ve had people tell me that they’re not interested in becoming a guru: they just want to learn how to be happy. While this sentiment may sound humble, and noble, it is not practical. Read more…
By Charles A. Francis “Give the ones you love wings to fly, roots to come back, and reasons to stay.” ~ Dalai Lama Do you have trouble understanding relationships? If so, then you’re not alone. Relationships can be one of the most difficult challenges of the human existence. Whether they Read more…
By Charles A. Francis “The miracle is not to walk on water. The miracle is to walk on the green earth, dwelling deeply in the present moment, and feeling truly alive.” ~ Thich Nhat Hanh A while back, the BBC did a piece on the death of “purposeless walking.” Many Read more…
Although meditation has gained tremendous popularity in recent years, many people are still confused about what exactly meditation is. They’ve heard of all the wonderful health, mental, and emotional benefits of meditation, but are not sure where to start. One of the greatest misconceptions is that all meditation is the Read more…
By Andy Lavelle Stress is ever-present, especially at work. There are always deadlines and difficult co-workers. There are budget issues and creative differences. And stress at work can make a significant impact on your heart health. That’s important for many more people than you might realize, because over 90 million Read more…
By Krishna Heffernan Mindfulness meditation is a new age anger management, relaxation, anti-stress, self-awareness approach that helps to release your tension, increase focus, and manage your anger issues. This type of meditation also improves your awareness and encourages you to stay in the “present” and not dwell on the past. Read more…