Do the Wrong Thing For many reasons Gregg likes to work in the living room, particularly in the winter. The dancing flames from our wood stove warm both his body and spirit. Our south-facing living room is often flooded with sunlight (yes, we have plenty of sun here in Vermont, despite what the statistics might…
A central principle of Morita Therapy is that we have much more control over the body (actions) than the mind (feelings/thoughts). During my 30’s I lived for a short period of time in a Zen temple in Japan. During long meditation periods I would find that my mind would be all over the place –…
Last year (2020) was not a year that made most of us happy. We may wade into this new year with the hope that it will be better and that we will find a bit (or a lot) more happiness. But the danger in wanting to be happier is that we become focused on happiness…
Well. Here we are. Many of us in the US didn’t get much sleep on Tuesday night and are still in a high anxiety state. We don’t know who our next president will be. We are worried about the state of our democracy, exhausted by our cumbersome election process, and angry that the validity of…
Sing While There is Voice Left by Trudy Boyle I read a book, as a young 20 year old living in Montreal, called Sing While There is Voice Left. It was written by a theologian and I remember nothing specific about it, other than the title. The title, however, has stuck with me my entire…
Managing Disappointment by Gregg Krech Life is full of disappointment. How long will it take you to remember something which disappointed you today? It could be related to the weather or your health, or maybe something you heard in the news. It takes courage to read the news these days, doesn’t it? How often…
“Every year some clients he knew well died from their alcohol and drug use, while others grew stronger in their recovery. When he saw new clients, he never knew which way they would go. It was a good sign when they felt this same uncertainty too. If they were certain things would go well, there…
Whether we like it or not, we have to work with the world’s impermanence. And the way to work with it is to respond to change according to what needs to be done. It’s not about how we feel (frustrated, disappointed) or what we’re thinking (doom and gloom thoughts). It’s about taking action according to…