Blog
Seven Ways to Deal with Uncertainty
Create from your Inner Light
Leave Space for the Unknown
Become more of who you truly are
In our culture, youth is often praised and aging is seen as a deficit. But as we get older, we gain access to a deeper kind of wisdom than we had when we were younger. The great psychologist C.G. Jung said that in the middle of life there occurs a
Awaken to creativity within you
It’s spring and flowers are beginning to bloom. Yet many may be feeling anxious looking at the world around us, where there are conflicts in many places. Still, you want to move forward in your life and do what is meaningful for you. Even when things look bleak, when you
Inner Work, Outer Work: Plant The Seeds for Change
All of us want to achieve particular things in our lives. It’s the nature of human beings to always think, create, innovate. We want to move the external pieces, create new pieces, combine them in new and interesting ways—whether that has to do with family, career, art, or public service.
Turn on the light
Sometimes when we get to a certain point in our lives we find ourselves at what seems to be an impasse. Maybe we are in a career path that doesn’t make sense anymore. You might think, “If only I’d done this, this, or this differently, things would be running more
If you write it, it will come
Remember the movie “Field of Dreams”? In that film, Kevin Costner hears a voice telling him, “If you build it, they will come.” He builds a baseball diamond and, well, the movie plot is complicated, but ‘they’ do come and play ball! What do you want to create in your
Make a Choice
The holidays are here, and many of us feel some anxiety around family, events, celebrations. We’re told it’s a joyful time, but we may not always feel that way. Worries and concerns are not so easy to lay aside. In the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, it is said that we each
You are more than you think you are
During this time when the days grow shorter and the world is in a state of great change, it’s more important than ever to train ourselves to focus on what is most meaningful for us. Although we all have personal problems and challenges, we are bigger than they are, and
Creative Spirit
What is a creative spirit? During the Renaissance, philosophers said that each person is born with something called a daimon. The word daimon comes from the Greek, and it can be translated in quite a few different ways, such as guiding spirit, heart’s calling, twin soul, or higher self. I
Body and Mind
Our bodies and minds are part of the same system, and what affects one, affects the other. Two Stanford University researchers named Marilyn Oppezzo and Daniel Schwartz conducted experiments on how the way we move our bodies affects the nature of our thoughts, and the way we think affects our
Attention
Coaching for Attention, Creativity & Career says the ADD Mindfulness website. Paying attention is the first skill that has to be mastered, because only when you can focus at will on what you choose can you live life with calm power. Without being able to sustain attention, very little can
If only…
Do you even think “If only I had done this differently in the past, then I’d be in a different (easier, better, less challenging) situation now”? Not necessarily true. Eckhart Tolle tells us: “Guilt, regret, resentment, sadness and all forms of nonforgiveness are caused by too much past and not
Anxiety and Overcoming It
Sometimes you move through life, and things feel as if they are remaining much the same. You get up, deal with whatever is going on that day, and, although you may have some anxiety, you can handle it. And then there are those other times…. For me, they seem to
The Awareness of Now
Do you ever feel weighed down by your past? Do you look back with sadness or regret at what you did or didn’t do, or with anger at people you’ve encountered? The truth is, it is impossible to remember what really happened, or how we felt at the time. When
Neurons that fire together wire together
There’s a saying: Neurons that fire together wire together. Neurons are brain cells, and when we fixate on a thought or emotion, the neurons “fire” or set off a reaction in the brain. These neural firings change the very structure of our brains. Think of it this way: If you
Personal Best
Years ago I saw a film called “Personal Best.” It was about women training for the Olympics. In the end, they were unable to attend the Olympics because the U.S. called for a boycott that year for political reasons. So the women’s only reward was their knowledge that each of
Use the mind to change the brain
In a world where medication can change our minds in an instant, meditation, which uses the mind to change the brain, can be a hard sell. Medication for certain people in particular situations can be very helpful. But I don’t know if medications can change the structure of the brain
Find a New View
Here in the Northeast, days are cold and short in January. It’s a time to stay in a lot, and to act in harmony with nature. Nature is in a state of rest. And while we have to continue working, perhaps we can now do it in a way that
Take in the Good
It’s holiday time, and we will soon welcome in a new year. Whatever your religious orientation or belief system, it’s hard not to get caught up in the energy of this season. Whether you are taking part in a gathering or spending this time alone, whether this holiday season brings
Gratitude
There’s been a lot said and written on the subject of gratitude, how gratitude makes us happier, and actually brings more good to us. There are many ways to express gratitude, and speaking or writing about our feelings of gratitude for the people in our lives and for all the
Mantras
As I’m sure you know by now, I encourage everyone to develop a daily meditation practice, even if it’s just for five or ten minutes. You can find some short guided meditations on my site to help you: https://juliannedavidow.com/demonew/meditations-audio/ But along with my daily morning meditation practice, I also say
