Oprah & Deepak 21 Day Meditation Experience
There is a place within you where you can find solace, comfort, and peace. It’s not using your mind to problem solve past issues, ruminations, or events. It’s a place of stillness where you can tap into the wisdom of your body and improve your health, stress levels, and connectedness to nature and the universe.
Starting February 3, Deepak Chopra and Oprah Winfrey are providing a free 21-Day Meditation Experience where you can learn to meditate and create a more balanced life. This is a global event, and I have to say, it sounds rather fabulous.
I’ve been a practitioner of meditation for about five years but I’m looking forward to this experience as I always believe there are things I can learn and implement into my practice.
Read More»Rituals for Winter Solstice
- At December 20, 2019
- By Lisa
- In Experiences, Musings, Wellness
- 0
It surprises me how dark the days of winter are in Boston. Daylight here falls somewhere between the golden glow of afternoon which I experienced in Connecticut and the dark nights of Sweden. Over the years, I’ve become very aware of the rhythm of nature and how I adjust to those rhythms depending on my place on the planet.
As I write, the third snowstorm of the season has just passed and Winter’s Solstice is upon us. I embrace the Northern winter — the beauty of a snowfall, crystals which form on my windows making delicate patterns in frost, and the opportunity to follow nature’s lead for a season of rest and regeneration.
Read More»Forest Bathing – Our Connection with Trees
- At October 22, 2019
- By Lisa
- In Experiences, Features, Wellness
- 2
There is a concept, known as biophilia, introduced by American biologist E. O. Wilson in 1984, that humans have an innate need to connect with nature. Wilson believed that because we evolved in nature, we have a biological imperative to be close to it, and this affinity with the natural world is fundamental to our health and well-being.
Experts in forest therapy say that being in the forest reduces stress and blood pressure, strengthens your immune and cardiovascular systems, and boosts your energy, mood, creativity, and concentration. In addition to the philosophy of forest bathing, or what the Japanese call shinrin-yoku, there is some compelling science behind it as well.
Read More»Women, art, and the future
- At October 14, 2019
- By Lisa
- In Art, Current Events, Editorial, Experiences, Features
- 0
I have great business associates — it turns out that most of them are women. On a Tuesday afternoon in October, I had the good fortune to speak with two of them. The conversation was familiar and light. We were coming down from our summer vacation high and now enthused by what we see as an active future. We’re making connections.
There was talk of arts and artists, lovely autumn weather and summer getaways. We spoke about climate change, politics, publishing, and the things women are doing to stop the madness permeating our society. The world needs healing and women have ideas.
Read More»What now – In pursuit of purpose
- At October 03, 2019
- By Lisa
- In Experiences, Musings, Writing
- 2
I’ve been silent, I know.
For the last few weeks (months) I’ve been considering my state of what Lyn Slater at Accidental Icon, has called her “whatnowness”. We are not alone.
Thirty year olds are moving toward a new decade of numbers. Seventy year olds, first time empty nesters, college grads, political activists, women’s rights leaders … It seems we’re all considering what has gone before, where we are now, and questioning where we go from here.
Read More»Playing Smash Bros taught me not to be afraid to suck
- At April 25, 2019
- By Lisa
- In Experiences, Musings
- 0
My son studies physics at UMass Boston. He studies a lot but in his free time he enjoys playing video games. Like most his age, he has been playing an assortment of genres since he was six years old. So when he received a Nintendo Switch for Christmas last year, he wanted me to play with him … as a way of bonding, I guess. Or perhaps he thought it might be good for me to work out some aggressions. But I was intimidated.
Read More»Becoming entangled with a narcissist
Many people wonder how it is that we get entangled with a narcissistic personality that is not only abusive but is hell bent on destroying us. How could this possibly happen? I too was ignorant of how victims get caught up in abusive relationships. Until I learned.
“There must have been signs,” friends say.
“How could you have not known?” family asks.
“What was it about you that attracted this abusive individual into your life?” says your shrink.
The truth is, one of the hallmarks of narcissistic personality disorder is the narc’s ability to very effectively hide the monster within until it is time for him to begin his campaign of devaluation. This is known as the false face. In fact, the narcissist constructs an entirely false reality.
Read More»Teaching myself to read, again
- At October 21, 2018
- By Lisa
- In Narcissistic Abuse Recovery, Wellness, Writing
- 4
Nearly everyone has had the experience of reading a paragraph or a page in a book, getting to the bottom of it, and then realizing they have no idea what they just read. In 2017, this was happening to me on a regular basis. In fact, it was happening all the time. As a writer, not being able to focus or comprehend reading material was obviously problematic.
This had never been an issue for me in the past. Prior to my experiences in Sweden, I had laser focus. But after my return to the US, I found I could read news articles and the simple short posts people would write on social media, but I couldn’t focus on longform or fiction. My abilities to research and to stay on task were also significantly reduced.
Why the change?
Read More»