Being able to hold opposing emotions is one of the hallmarks of good mental health. Something can be both bitter and sweet, and we tend to feel that we must pick sides. To our confusion, we often can’t stick with one or the other feelings — either getting pulled back and forth, or stuck in […]
Social Anxiety Disorder: (SAD) Looking at life from the outside
Nothing could be more fundamental than wanting to be liked. It is what leads us to seek and maintain relationships, allows us to fully develop who we are in the world. But for people with Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) the ability to engage fully in life takes a drastic detour. People with social anxiety—also called […]
The Benefits of Cultivating Forgiveness
It’s impossible to get through life emotionally unscathed. We’ve all been hurt at some time or another, and not just by enemies; those close to us, like a teacher, coach, parent, friend, or partner, can also inflict pain. Emotional hurts range from those that don’t affect us deeply or for long, like annoyances, slights, and […]
How Anxiety and Worry Affect Memory
Have you noticed that you forget things in times of particular stress? This is both common and normal. Cascading thoughts that tumble unchecked make it hard to focus as our attention gets shifted from one worrisome task to another. The rabbit-hole pull of worry makes letting go of such thoughts difficult. Most people recover their […]
Staying Grounded During Meditation–Earth Touching Mudra
In meditation, we notice thoughts, feelings, and physical sensations, and then return our focus to the breath. This photo of a Buddha from the Metropolitan Art Museum in New York shows bhumisarsha mudra: the right-hand reaches down, marking the moment of enlightenment when Buddha called upon the earth goddess to witness his resistance to the forces […]
