If you have something to say...
Say it on the Huffington Post
If you have something to say...
Say it on the Huffington Post
The truth is that roses -- if you buy the RIGHT roses (old or new) for your location and climate -- are incredibly tough shrubs that can survive almost anything -- even the gardener's ignorance.
Growing up believing you are an abomination is strange. But, if you are gay and grew up in Kansas (or many other parts of the world) -- like I did -- it's not all that uncommon.
We make 70 important decisions per day and our 'lead organ' makes us who we are.
Empathic men often have a harder time than women because in Western culture sensitivity may be seen as a weakness or too "feminine." This is a huge misconception. The new evolved man is skillful in balancing both the masculine and feminine in himself, embodying his full power.
Perspective is important. We should all keep in mind that our problems could be worse, and that all suffering is relative. This can help us feel less overwhelmed by our own challenges, more grateful for our many blessings, and more compelled to empathize with and help others.
By noticing how difficult it is for you to say something different than "sorry," you'll have taken a small step toward more personal freedom and individual expression.
Taking a compassionate perspective, considering the potential limiting impact of bias in ourselves, seeing individuals instead of group members and identifying areas to strengthen as opposed to prejudge are critical in providing a quality education.
I have been arguing for many years in books like Rethinking Depression that the DSM ought to be repudiated. In recent months this idea has been gaining tremendous momentum and just recently the National Institute of Mental Health essentially repudiated the DSM.
In an effort to get at "the heart" of things, to understand our temporary time here in the Land of Eros, I will tell you about a recent experience I had while on a date in the middle of the afternoon with a man I will never hear from again.
Over the past couple years I have stopped my clinical psychiatric practice after 35 years and have been searching for anything that will lessen the stigma and that will cause those with mental disorders to seek and receive treatment.
Our optimal psychology is one where we're fully engaged in life -- effortless, joyful, and as a result extremely productive. And as our neuroscience advances, we can build tools to help all of us move into this optimal state more and more.
At the heart of Buddhist teachings is a crucial ambiguity that has become increasingly problematic as Buddhism has globalized. This ambivalence needs to be resolved if the Buddhist tradition is to help us address most effectively the challenges that now confront us.
The mental health profession, not content with trying to solve real problems, has over the years proposed solving imaginary ones. The current debate is over the right to even try to cure homosexuality. The adage that there's no harm in trying doesn't hold. There is great harm in trying.
In the era of relocalized food and relocalized everything, what if we help local people do well and develop their talents rather than just rewarding well-marketed folks from far away?
We all have secret pain. We all have brokenness. We all have wounds that do not fully heal despite all the salve we put on them. The truth is that no matter our circumstances in life, there is still heartache and pain.
What we know, is that terrorists often have a sense of being disenfranchised. Hence, they bond with an ideology-driven group, which gives them a feeling of belonging. This experience is not unlike that of joining a gang.
If we had a chronic illness, no doubt we would tell our friends and welcome their support. If we were hospitalized for cancer, we would want our family by our sides to rally for our health. Mental health is no different, and deserves equal treatment.
The simple truth is this: Our self-concept is our destiny. So if we want to change our destiny for the better, we need to change our concept and beliefs about our selves also for the better. We always have the freedom to choose better thoughts.
Temptation is more than just the promise of reward. Recent advances in neuroscience allow us to peer into the brain, providing a greater understanding of what makes us want.
Art can have its own unique resilience and endurance. My mother is now in her sixties, and she is thriving. She has a wonderful husband who ensures she takes her medicine and gets consistent care. They live a very modest, very meaningful life.
