Abandon ill-will and hate Abandon envy and greed Abandon anger and sorrow Abandon ignorance and delusion Abandon all these like a sinking ship For that’s what they are Bloated with self-importance They will drag you down to the depths of suffering. Cultivate Gratitude and Loving-Kindness Be neither attracted nor repulsed…
Recently I went on a drug holiday. Because of the wonders of smart phones, it gave me time to read more articles, posts, and comments on Facebook than usual. In that odd close-knit virtual world, I discovered countless people with legitimate pain issues being treated with suspicion and asked to…
On Friday night, I discovered the Mark Hopkins is one of San Francisco’s most glorious hotels. It sits on top of Nob Hill, rising above the city lights like a castle. The 19th century architecture, with the intricate carvings on the archways, appeared like an entrance to a fairy tale…
A few nights ago, I woke from a dream, which played out before me like a movie: A white crane fluttered around a city street. Nearby, deeply concerned people were looking for the crane. The bird had once been human, and the people desperately wanted to break the spell before…
1. Everything is Transient During my last pain flare, for over a week I lived with the feeling of two nails shoved in my eyes, causing an intense headache. It would be easy to say the pain was constant since it bothered me enough to interrupt my activity several times…
Between adventuring and resting, there was not much time to write while on retreat in Hawaii. On the plane ride home, I wrote until my hand could write no more as I tried to capture all the magical moments of this retreat. Traveling with a chronic illness is never easy.…
When your entire body hurts all the time, and the breast soreness becomes intense with each hormonal cycle, it’s natural to avoid things that increase pain. So I put off my mammogram for what I thought was 2 years, but turned out to be 3. The day after the test,…
Wind, Earth, Water of the rivers and sea Fire of the sun and stars All contained within Me. Spirit animating Life yearning to be free The stillness of Death All contained within Me. Infinite space, Nothingness, Limitless Consciousness Emptiness is key The perfection beyond feeling and perception All contained within…
Enlightenment goes on forever. There is always more to explore in the endless play of consciousness. During my second trip to Arches National Park, this became even more evident. Three years ago on my first visit to this special place of power, Enlightenment awakened and I was reborn as Isis.…
A friend of mine often recommends my book, Peace with Pain: Your Guide to Life in a Malfunctioning Body, to clients in her counseling practice. It’s helped those with physical pain, as well as those who suffer from mental and emotional pain. There’s one chapter in particular that she points…