Let go. When you feel someone “should” be acting in a certain way… Let go. When life isn’t working out the way you’ve planned… Let go. When you start to worry, obsess, or panic… Let go. When you want to control… Let go. When you are filled with grief about your past… Let go. When […]
Category Archives: Teens
Articles, Elite Member Materials, Families, Mindfulness, Parents, Teens, Young Men, Young Women
Do I Matter to You?
14
Jan
Jan
A commonly unspoken feeling in family life is, “Do I matter to you?” It might sound strange that people sharing a home and a last name could question that of each other, but in the work I do, I see this question all the time implied, without being explicitly asked. I’ll give you an example. […]
Articles, Elite Member Materials, Families, Mindfulness, Parents, Teens, Young Men, Young Women
Listening Deeply
29
Dec
Dec
Why is listening so hard? Because it means we will hear things we don’t agree with. Because we will fight the impulse to share the “correct point of view.” Because we want to fix it for the other rather than share in their emotion. Because we can’t let them get away with that. Because we […]
Articles, Elite Member Materials, Families, Mindfulness, Miscellaneous, Parents, Teens, Young Men, Young Women
Falling in Love With Life
16
Dec
Dec
I find myself almost daily falling deeper in love with life. It’s a little odd for me to say that I’m in love with life because I know that I still feel pain. The holidays were once effortlessly happy, and I never understood why people moped around saying, “The holidays are tough.” Yet in the […]
Articles, Elite Member Materials, Families, Mindfulness, Miscellaneous, Parents, Teens, Young Men, Young Women
Secure Attachment Can Be Learned
17
Nov
Nov
When we are born into our families, we are essentially given a template for attachment. We learn that our needs will be met consistently and lovingly, thus creating secure attachment. Or, we learn that attachment is inconsistent and unreliable, creating insecure attachment patterns. We bring this template with us throughout our lives, particularly in our […]
Articles, Elite Member Materials, Mindfulness, Parents, Teens, Young Men, Young Women
Isvara Pranidhana: The Yogic Art of Surrender
27
Oct
Oct
Isvara pranidhana is the yogic practice of surrendering to something higher. I can’t think of any other practice that reminds me how small I am and how important I am, all at once. The art of surrendering acknowledges how little we have control over in this life. We can try to outsmart, outmaneuver, cajole, […]
Articles, Elite Member Materials, Families, Mindfulness, Parents, Teens, Young Men, Young Women
Loving Kindness
22
Oct
Oct
“Nothing ever goes away until it has taught us what we need to know.” -Pema Chodron Pema Chodron’s words mean something new to me today than they did when I first read them several months ago. The lesson I’m currently being taught by my life’s circumstance is the need for compassion and forgiveness. When I […]
Articles, Elite Member Materials, Families, Parents, Teens, Young Men, Young Women
Care vs. Overcare
14
Oct
Oct
Relationships are an interesting balancing act. Between any two people, there’s a dynamic exchange at play. We give, we receive, we interpret meaning, we push each other (hopefully into growth), and ultimately we learn more about ourselves in the process. The best relationships I’ve been in are those with a mutual level of care and […]
29
Sep
Sep
One of my teachers recently posited the question, “What would the wisest or most caring being that you know want for you?” When I think of the people who love me the most, I know all they want is my happiness. When I search inside myself, I recognize all I want is my happiness too! […]
Articles, Elite Member Materials, Families, Miscellaneous, Parents, Teens, Young Men, Young Women
Sankalpas: The Practice of Resolve
23
Sep
Sep
Sankalpa (Sanskrit: संकल्प) means conception or idea or notion formed in the heart or mind, solemn vow or determination to perform, desire, definite intention, volition or will. A sankalpa reflects our resolve to become the highest version of ourselves. Gandhi reflected, “My life is my message.” This kind of resolve allowed him to change the […]