Challenges Our Lessons for Our Growth


“Feelings come and go like clouds in a windy sky. Conscious breathing is my anchor.” ~Thich Nhat Hanh
I never gave much thought to my breath unless I was submerged under water for long periods without any.
Today I rely on it for more than the obvious function of keeping me alive.
Breathing has become my biggest tool and best friend.
It has become a foundation for living with conscious presence and awareness.
Breathing consciously has helped me overcome anxiety and has provided a gateway into peace.
The breath has helped me move through long-buried emotions and trauma.
When …

“Each time we face our fear, we gain strength, courage, and confidence in the doing.” ~Unknown
Self-doubt and I are old friends. We go way back, to early childhood.
Now, if you ask me, I will honestly tell you that I had quite an idyllic childhood in a loving home.
My parents raised us—my brother and me—to trust in our abilities and aim for the stars. They held me when I failed or fell flat on my face, which I did quite often, encouraging me to stand up and keep walking again. And yes, self-doubt still made its way into …

“I still have a long way to go, but I’m already so far from where I used to be, and I’m proud of that.” ~Unknown
Just like any student, I’ve made mistakes throughout my spiritual journey. Although I prefer to see mistakes as learning opportunities, below are a few things I’ve learned not to do through my years of meditation and detox weekends and constant effort to stay on the divine side of life.
When I started meditating regularly, I experienced heightened intuition. Triggered by this, I constantly tried to find signs to guide …

“You’ll never change your life until you change something you do daily. The secret of your success if found in your daily routine.” ~John C. Maxwell
We all have bad habits. The problem is that many of our habits are so deeply ingrained that we don’t even notice them anymore. If we do, we make excuses to hang onto them.
If you’ve tried to change your habits to no avail, maybe it’s time to try something different. The steps below will help you succeed.
Does this sound familiar? You set your mind to …

“The ego is the false self—born out of fear and defensiveness.” ~John O’Donohue
“The soul is like a wild animal—tough, resilient, savvy, self-sufficient, and yet exceedingly shy.” ~Parker Palmer
Does it sometimes seem like the world is just a little too much for you? Do you feel that you need to protect yourself from the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune? (Thank you, Hamlet.) Are you a fragile flower being buffeted by life’s storms?
Then I think you’ve been listening to your ego too much. I understand all of those feelings very well, but I’ve recently discovered something life-changing…