We MUST Choose “This above all: to thine own self be true.” – Shakespeare, “Hamlet” Yes, but what part of thine own self to be true to? What’s best in oneself? Or what’s less—sometimes even much much less—than best in one’s self? “For human beings, there is a possibility of making a choice of influences; [...]
Real Intimacy versus Other-Dependent (or Other-Validated) Intimacy The only reason we don’t open our hearts and minds to other people is that they trigger confusion in us that we don’t feel brave enough or sane enough to deal with. – Pema Chödrön (The following is adapted and modified and riffed on from David Schnarch’s book, [...]
[E]very time you make a choice you are turning the central part of you, the part of you that chooses, into something a little different from what it was before. And taking your life as a whole, with all your innumerable choices, all your life long you are slowly turning this central thing either into [...]
A Native American grandfather was speaking to his grandson about violence and cruelty in the world and how it comes about. He said it was as if two wolves were fighting in his heart. One wolf was vengeful, resentful, and angry, and the other wolf was understanding and kind. The young man asked his father [...]
