Our government is following a general world-wide trend of beginning to loosen our social isolation so that society can get back to more ‘normal’ interaction patterns, work, and economic prosperity. Within this context, our team had to decide when we can start meeting with our patients, students, and participants in person again. […]
A friend of mine sent me the above picture of Northrop Frye with the following email: ‘Good morning, Stephane. Hope all is well with you. I was on campus of Victoria College at U of T yesterday (my Alma Mater) and noticed this fine gentleman sitting on a bench. Made me think of you.’ […]
In my previous blog ‘The core secret of mindsight – Get out of your own way’, I explored the notion of doing less to gain more, a fundamental principle in mindsight training. In this blog we are exploring three pairs of opposites students often confuse with each other, and that can get in the way of our getting out of our own way. The three pairs of opposites are ignoring versus suppressing or pushing away, surrendering versus giving in, and faith and belief. […]
Wherever you look, there is mind, and wherever is mind, the opportunity for mindfulness presents itself – that means everywhere and all the time. It is not just about meditation, but about insight into one’s inner world, empathy for others and integration of the energy flow within ourselves and between each other. The stories we tell are part of the landscape of mind to be mined for the hidden treasures of meaning our illusions have so deeply buried. […]
This topic was recently discussed in the Mindfulness Community Group (MCG) as one some people have trouble with. A few participants offered helpful clarifications to help understand what is meant. I remained unclear about whether the discussion really went far enough, as it seemed to stop short of the core issue at stake. Here is a short synopsis to shed light on what I mean. […]
What I teach can sometimes feel daunting, first and foremost because the brain is the most complex object in the known universe, the mind even more so, and there is no way around complexity in teaching and learning about the mind. I also consider my students experts in their own subjective experience of being alive. […]
A student graciously agrees to share an intimate insight with all, affording us a direct glimpse into the ‘heat of the kitchen’ and the intimacy of the soul. […]
Your doorbell rings at 2 o’clock in the morning. Startled, you get up, make your way downstairs and open the door. A man stands before you wearing diamond rings and a fur coat; a Rolls Royce stands behind him. He is sorry to wake you up at this ridiculous hour, but he is in the middle of a scavenger hunt. He needs a piece of wood about three by seven feet, two inches thick. Can you help him? […]