by Dorothy | Aug 8, 2011 | Joy
Have you ever felt like, if you forgive someone, you are condoning what they did? Being able to forgive is one of the biggest challenges we face…and one of our biggest barriers to experiencing joy. I choose how I feel or react, so my anger at the other person...
by Dorothy | Aug 1, 2011 | Harmlessness
Every day we get violent messages on the news, in our movies or video games, and in interaction with others. All of these messages affect us, in much the same way as small bits of litter can add together to create a real mess. Without going into seclusion, how can we...
by Dorothy | Jul 11, 2011 | Maturing as humans
Why do we tend to think things are “either—or”? Is such duality truly an illusion? We are so used to thinking in simple comparisons that we assume duality is just the nature of things. But if we look a little closer, life is more complex. Take any polar opposites and...
by Dorothy | Jul 4, 2011 | Joy
Have you ever noticed that anger, especially righteous indignation, is energizing? When I believe I’ve been hurt, I might even brood over the indignity, refusing to forgive, to amp up that energy. But refusing to forgive actually hurts me more than it does the other...
by Dorothy | Jun 27, 2011 | Harmlessness
Is it possible that violence against women is so pervasive, as a violation of human rights, that we just assume it will always continue? What would actually make a difference? We have seen some shifts in what is and is not condoned. The media no longer says “boys...
by Dorothy | Jun 20, 2011 | Spritual effectiveness
Do you have a clear sense of your unique purpose in this life? Or do you feel that anything you could do you should do (a recipe for burnout)? We can think of our shared lives as a gigantic jigsaw puzzle that we are assembling together. My piece might be part of a...
by Dorothy | Jun 13, 2011 | Relation with our universe
How can we be unique individuals and also be part of a cosmic interconnected field of energy? Actually, we already have lots of experience at this. For example, we are members of our family and of social groups, communities and nations, each with their own distinct...
by Dorothy | Jun 6, 2011 | Maturing as humans
Feeling critical or judgmental of ourselves or others is a very damaging emotion. It creates a sense of separateness and a fear of experimentation. When we are critical of ourselves, we become tense and edgy. When we are critical of others, we start to feel superior....
by Dorothy | May 30, 2011 | Joy
Remember the feeling of joy – that sense of such extreme delight that you are radiant? Joy is similar to happiness, but it doesn’t require achieving some result. It is simply a state of being in the moment, in the “flow.” Our natural state, as souls, is joyousness....
by Dorothy | May 23, 2011 | Harmlessness
What do we need to do to be harmless? For me, it means taking responsibility for angry or demeaning thoughts about others instead of taking my feelings out on them, either verbally or in my thoughts. This doesn’t mean that I’m “bad” to have such thoughts, just that I...