The Temptations of Self-Sabotage

The opposite of love is not hate, it’s indifference. The opposite of art is not ugliness, it’s indifference. The opposite of faith is not heresy, it’s indifference. And the opposite of life is not death, it’s indifference. — Elie Wiesel Are you having any trouble relating to our discussion about enthusiasm and lavishing love on … Read more

The Bind That Blocks Us

We but half express ourselves, and are ashamed of that divine idea which each of us represents. — Ralph Waldo Emerson We are beginning Chapter Nine, Recovering a Sense of Compassion, by examining the power of words. As you know, words have enormous power, from spells to curses, from treaties to laws. The old childhood … Read more

Goal Search Exercises

Ideas in secret die. They need light and air or they starve to death.— Seth Godin We continue with the exercises that will finalize our journey through Chapter Eight. First, Julia warns us that this task may be difficult, but we should do it anyway. I did not find it difficult, personally. I found it … Read more

Excuses

Grandmother Frier © Carol GerbingI cannot count the good people I know who to my mind would be even better if they bent their spirits to the study of their own hungers.— M.F.K. Fisher Concluding our ruminations today on how we use our age and other methods to stay blocked, it is time to reconsider … Read more

Wishes

Self-creation is an art of fire.— M. C. Richards How are you doing at this point? I would love to know how you are feeling about the pace of this work. Too fast? Too slow? We are about to cross into the half-way point, and I am wondering if you’re still with me. Is this … Read more

Forbidden Joys

I want to sing like birds singNot worrying who hears orWhat they think.— Rumi I really love how many of you decided to color outside the lines on our last exercise, and add an eleventh question, so that it would not end by focusing on what makes us sad! Well done! As we wind down … Read more