I don't know anyone over 50 who does not complain about his/her memory. Former poet laureate Billy Collins' poem "Forgetfulness" comes to mind. The first stanza convinces me that my friends and I are not alone:

"The name of the author is the first to go
followed obediently by...

We all know habits are hard to change, but each year it's a tradition on Jan. 1 to try to do something differently. Our intentions are heartfelt. We've thought through what we want. We're motivated by our suffering or our desire to be better in some way. At the fitness...

A few years ago, our British guests were touched and in awe at our Thanksgiving dinner tradition of telling each other why we are grateful. My 3-year-old grandson's "I'm happy for the movie, 'Cars'" gave everyone a laugh. Some comments are funny, some sentimental and others thought-provoking. They certainly enrich...

I often hear, "I don't have time to meditate." In our society where time equals money, this statement is hard to dispute. The new movie "In Time" takes this concept to the extreme. Time has become the currency. A cup of coffee costs four minutes of one's life.

The very...

Recently, my friend was excited because she was driving by herself to the airport to pick up a friend. I remember this feeling when my children were toddlers and I had a dentist appointment. I looked forward to the drive there, sitting in the dentist chair, listening to mindless music...

Eyes open or closed? Focusing on an object or your breathing? Repeating a word or mantra?

Different traditions advocate different methods. Transcendental Meditation suggests 20 minutes of meditating with a mantra in the morning and 20 minutes in the evening. I'm familiar with one Buddhist teacher who suggests...

You've mapped out the pros and cons and assigned values and weight to each factor, yet you still can't decide. Neither choice feels like the right one. You know the decision may not be perfect, but you want it to feel right.

When we make a choice, especially a difficult...

Sometimes I feel like the stereotype of the snake oil salesperson as I tout the benefits of meditation. It reduces anxiety, depression and physical pain. It increases concentration and creativity. With regular practice, relationships and self-regulation of intense...