Our mind can be our best friend or our worst enemy.

Our mind can be our best friend or our worst enemy. The power and influence of our mind has been long recognized. Over 2500 years ago, The Dhammapada noted: Hard it is to train the mind which goes where it likes and does as it wants; but a trained mind brings health and happiness. Our…

Read More

Guilt often comes from expectations

Guilt is a feeling of culpability of being responsible or blameworthy for harm or error. Like fear, guilt can be healthy or unhealthy. We can be overly sensitive to other people’s expectations and feel guilty when we disappoint them; we can set unreasonable expectations on our self and feel guilty when we fall short; we…

Read More

Life gives us pain but misery is optional—and self-inflicted.

Pain includes grief, sadness, and mourning; Misery embraces fear, worry, anxiety, anger, resentment, remorse, envy, jealousy, self-pity, pride and most guilt. Misery can start with untreated pain that has become infected or it can be initiated and propagated by selfishness, self-centeredness or self-righteousness. Life gives us pain. Loving other people makes us vulnerable to pain.…

Read More