My Heartsongs

My men’s group had one of its bi annual extended gatherings this past week. Our connections with each other provide many possibilities to explore both the longing to share our creative endeavors, and the celebrations that always have a place at the table of our life—despite aging and health challenges.

Isolation affects millions of people around the world, especially the elderly. This is different from loneliness, which is more of a subjective experience, harder to quantify. Ongoing research suggests that loneliness has adverse health consequences as profound as smoking or obesity.

A couple of months ago, I was one of 21 adults arrested at the NM State Capitol in support of Youth United For Climate Crisis Action. Catastrophe can be averted through community, companies and countries getting their collective act together, and realizing that the time to act is yesterday.

We each have some daily dependence & intimate relationship with our devices, and the emerging deep learning algorithms that continue to transform every aspect of human endeavor and experience. Are we really paying attention about how to align Artificial Intelligence ethically and legally with our most cherished values?  

New day new year new decade new chapter in the book of our life. New Year’s resolutions might be a good example of our lack of individual emotional smarts, since half of them are dropped within a month. Here are five emotional barriers that may get in our way in terms of following through on what we say we are about this new year.

 

Holidays – with their expectations of joyous celebration and social niceties – are anything but for millions of people who find little comfort in old family wounds, and re-igniting of addictive or personal less-than-skillful habits and triggers. Here are my “three chords and the truth” to get through.

How to find a space of appreciation no matter what is unfolding? Solstice is always a time, as we begin anew to enter the light, to focus on what is good and true. I am blessed to be alive…

 

From ancient Egyptians to Australian aborigines, sound healing is a primordial practice that uses musical instruments that vibrate at particular frequencies, or the voice chanting mantras, to cultivate immersive meditation or relaxation. This week I had the privilege of listening to the Drepung Loseling monks offer their sacred multiphonic chanting for individual, social, environmental and global healing.

Link to 10 WHO story: 
https://www.santafenewmexican.com/news/local_news/promoting-healthy-holistic-masculinity/article_6c2c00ac-8154-5c08-9b34-f9ffba00fdbf.html#utm_source=santafenewmexican.com&utm_campaign=%2Fnewsletters%2Fyour-morning-headlines%2F%3F123%26-dc%3D1575288009&utm_medium=email&utm_content=read%20more

 

 

The reality is always that ENERGY FLOWS WHERE ATTENTION GOES.  Whenever we bring ourselves back to right here right now, our bodies respond with a burst of life force. The paradox is that during duress trying to escape the present is always less effective – and often more destructive – than fully entering into our pain and discomfort, consciously softening it and working with it rather than against it.