The Nuance of Choosing Love

The Nuance of Choosing Love

(*Trigger warning: gun violence*) Today—May 1, 2020—is an interesting day for me, an anniversary of sorts but not one I ever wished to start. A year ago today, one of my hospice patients threatened me at gun point. Although I escaped physically unscathed, I have…

Face Masks as a Connectedness Practice

Face Masks as a Connectedness Practice

(Plus Simple Photo Instructions for Sewing a Cloth Face Mask) A few weeks ago, the CDC began recommending that everyone in the United States wear a basic cloth face mask while in public. In response, my friend, Sydney Morgan, created an easy-to-follow photo-based pattern for…

Christmas Changes for None(s)

Christmas Changes for None(s)

Please note: I recognize there are several religious holidays celebrated at this time of year (and throughout the year), and I similarly recognize Religious Nones come from a variety of religiours backgrounds. However, I have chosen to focus this post solely on the Christmas holiday…

Miracles in the Mundane: How Cleaning Your Bathroom Can Be a Spiritual Experience

Miracles in the Mundane: How Cleaning Your Bathroom Can Be a Spiritual Experience

This morning, as I was cleaning the bathroom, I was reminded that cultivating our spiritual health does not always require spiritually-dedicated activities like prayer or meditation, nor extraordinary experiences like going on a pilgrimage or attending a week-long silent retreat. Rather, with awareness and a…

Relinquishing Perfectionism

Relinquishing Perfectionism

I am a recovering perfectionist. I quit “cold turkey” a few years ago, and it was one of the best choices I have ever made! As a general rule, I feel much lighter and more peaceful now. However, I still slip up occasionally. Some of…

Spring Flowers

Spring Flowers

I have been noticing this year just how “plugged in” I am all the time. It takes me five minutes to walk from my apartment to Harvard Divinity School. Too often I have spent that walk with my head gazing at my phone, reading emails,…

Conscious Breathing

Conscious Breathing

My goal for this blog is to share spiritual tools that I have discovered and am continuing to discover through my research and personal seeking. To begin, I am writing about the tool I see as foundational for all other spiritual tools: conscious breathing. (Interestingly,…