In “The Merchant of Venice”, Portia asks Shylock to show mercy. He asks, “On what compulsion, must I?” She responds: The quality of mercy is not strain’d. It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven Upon the place beneath. It is twice blest: It blesseth him that gives and him that takes.” Wikipedia, on Mercy. … I’ve loved Pope Francis since the first time I saw him emerge from the balcony, asking us to pray for him. That gesture radiated humility, and became his signat

"I'd be a fool not to be a little bit afraid. But if I'm too afraid, I'm frozen. " Alex Gibney I was caught by these words during the CBS Sunday Morning program this past week. Mr. Gibney acknowledges the need for fear. We know in recovery and Yoga that we need to learn how to know our emotions without being frozen. Fear, unmanaged, can turn into panic and paranoia. As a practicing addict, I faced my emotions by numbing them, by medicating them. I did not know how

Let nothing disturb you, Let nothing frighten you, All things are passing away: God never changes. Patience obtains all things Whoever has God lacks nothing; God alone suffices. — St. Teresa of Avila I’m not the answer guy; more like the question woman. When people come to me for counsel or advise, I find myself asking them questions, and they often come to their own conclusions. Some problems are tough though, and they don’t yield right away. It’s when I have to say I

Five lovely Australian folks sat next to me on the plane from Dallas this weekend. We were all traveling to Madison Wisconsin; I was going home, and they were going to train for the Ironman race, which is to take place in Madison on September 13. We laughed at how small our plane was, and that I landed in the best seat on it; the one with the most leg room. I’m only 5′ 2” on a good day, so I offered a taller woman my seat. She declined, and our conversation continued. “How lo

“….and the wisdom to know the difference.” The Serenity Prayer Notice the title, “Y 12 SR”? We are now certified through the program of Y 12 SR to provide yoga for recovery with the resources of hundreds of leaders, researchers, Yogis, and 12 -steppers. This gives us additional saints, sages, and individuals working through the 12 steps of recovery as offered by Bill W. and Dr. Bob, and as integrated with the ancient Yoga philosophy. Wow! I am very humbled and excited

Step 1: We admitted we were powerless over _______________ -- that our lives had become unmanageable. 12 steps of Alcoholics Anonymous As an addict, we fill in the above blank with alcohol, drugs, sex, gambling, food, work, and we are now told that we can add our electronic devices to this list. Regardless, whether you are an admitted addict or not, I expect that most of us can fill in the blank with a behavior which is not healthy for us. In the Yoga world, we define h

Heroes of Love is the title for my next book, at least so far. It’s about what happens after you slay a dragon or two. The Hero has to come home, right? Will there be more dragons? It was such a potent question I asked of God when I surrendered to accept help over seven years ago. “What’s in the way?” How did I know that I didn’t need anything else, I needed to see clearly? There was no where left to run and I was exhausted by trying to behave correctly, and still feeling

“The Yoga Sutras suggest that we stand in our divinity, that we consciously experience ourselves as miraculous.” Rolf Gates: Meditations from the Mat I really needed to hear this today. The political campaigns are in full swing. Social media is over flowing with attacks from the left and right. News stories abound with reports of tragedy, destruction, and agony. Then on the other hand, there are peoples’ postings of sayings of spiritual enlightenment. Sometimes, I g

“I have all day to sit and ponder.” My friend, Ray I met Ray sitting in his wheelchair, alone in his room a few days following a severe stroke. His words came with struggle, halting, awkward. My role was to serve as his Speech Therapist. I asked if he had any preferences for topics with which we would conduct our ‘Speech Therapy’. He nodded toward his night stand where his Bible and daily devotional lay. That was the start of a sacred relationship. I learned that th

Today I wake up empty and frightened. Don’t go to the door of the study and read a book. Instead, take down the dulcimer, let the beauty of what you love be what you do. There are a thousand ways to kneel and kiss the ground, there are a thousand ways to go home again.” – Rumi It’s not where I go or what I do that matters, but who I am being when I do it. The last month or so has left me feeling rather cut off, from my simple life, many of my loves, and yes, myself too. It’