“If I lose my direction, I have to look to the north star, and I go to the North. That does not mean I expect to arrive at the North Star. I just want to go in that direction.” – Thich Nhat Hanh How many times have we obsessed about an outcome, only to find that the value lay in the journey towards it? Consider your favorite moments this past holiday season. The carefully planned meals and celebrations have long been over and enjoyed, yet sorting through family recipes and cooking together with loved ones will remain a favorite holiday memory. As we press on with resolutions, intentions, planning and projects, let’s keep this knowledge in mind and accept what arises with compassion. A balance of …

“Resting and restoring are just as important as working.” 1. Mindfulness and enoughism are hot topics today among politicians economists and thinkers globally – in your opinion why? Our lives have sped up tremendously since the internet revolution. Businessmen and women, politicians, and other highly successful people alike are bombarded with stimulation to attend to more and more. This acceleration is hurting people in terms of their physical and mental wellbeing. People are suffering as a result, and are starting to question what is truly meaningful in their lives. Do we really want to keep up with an always on and accelerated lifestyle? Is power, fame, status, or money all we want? Or, is there something else that will make us more fulfilled and happy. Visit The …

  While continuing my journey into learning about the cuisines of people in my life, I have recently become intrigued by the foods of Nepal. My friend, Shailini Sisodia’s father was a diplomat and would return home from such places as Kabul, Hong Kong, and Paris with edible gifts, opening his family’s horizons to a myriad of tastes and flavors. Shailini recalls summer evenings filled with adventures like raiding the neighbor’s garden of delectable produce from peas to Asian pears. There was much family camaraderie created around an evening fire enjoying juicy dumplings in hot soup and shelled peanuts.  As a result, she developed a childhood interest in food and (much to her parent’s chagrin) chose to study cooking rather than science in the 9th grade. An authentic…

Ellen Agler is CEO of the END Fund, an organization dedicated to the fight against neglected tropical diseases which impact over one and a half billion people globally. This post appears in its entirety as part of the tricycle.com article “In the Spirit of Service” where four international aid leaders explain how loving kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity manifest in their work. She writes: Sympathetic joy is a heartfelt gratification that accompanies the awareness of another’s wellbeing. It’s a joy entirely devoid of expectations. Instead, it carries one of life’s greatest pleasures: celebrating the happiness of others. A common misconception holds that working in humanitarian aid and global health does not involve much joy, as the work puts participants on the front line, face-to-…

When we’re swept away by our stresses and anxieties, making the time to pause and calm down can seem like a challenge—even if we know it’s exactly what we need. If you find yourself in this situation, try to take just two minutes to give yourself a bliss break. Breathe easily and freely focusing on your in-breaths and out-breaths. Absorb Thay’s words and the sound of the bell with each inhale, releasing all the tensions in your body with each exhale.     To meditate does not mean to fight with a problem To meditate means to observe Your smile proves it It proves that you are being gentle with yourself That the sun of awareness is shining in you That you have control of your situation…

“Avocado” was an adult word that I learned later in life, as my New Orleanian mother referred to them as “alligator pears,” an expression not common outside of the deep South. While wintering in SoCal this past year, I had the luxury of being introduced to various specialty Mexican and Californian types of this Central and South American vegetable (though it is technically a fruit). Full of healthy, mono- and polyunsaturated fats, avocados are a superior component of a mindfully vegan or vegetarian diet. I learned much from my new Mexican acquaintances at San Diego’s incredible farmer’s markets, where I added the words “Fuerte” and “Zutano” (avocado varieties) to my culinary vocabulary. I even encountered the “Bacon” avocado, which does not evoke the flavor of the…

Building a healthy, supportive community is very important to mindfulness practice. Within this caring community we are liberated from our perceptions of separateness. We are free to share our practice, our reflections and ourselves, openly. This nurturing environment allows us to let go of judgment and misperceptions because we know that in this group, there is positive company, love and support. Plum Village explains the strength of a community (Sangha): “We can relax into the collective wisdom and insights of the Sangha. We can see clearly that the Sangha eyes and hands and heart are greater than that of any individual member of the Sangha.” Thay explains that community building is a thoughtful activity. We must be aware of the conditions necessary for our supportive community…

When hunger arises, a small, healthy snack can be quite satisfying. Something as simple as a handful of mixed nuts can be enough to tide you over, helping you approach your next meal without feeling the urge to overeat.   But often we turn to snacking not out of physical, but emotional hunger. Cravings arise out of anxiety and stress, and boredom has us staring into our cupboards and refrigerator. In these cases, food may provide a temporary distraction from our feelings, though it will not truly bring us peace or satisfaction. So how do we transform this autopilot response? As Thich Nhat Hanh says in his bite-size book How to Eat, try snacking on mindfulness instead: “A mindful breath is a good way for your body…

These fabulous fruits are such a staple in so many diets and lifestyles that I felt the need to continue with with the culinary inspiration they provide.  Around the time I was writing the previous blog, I must have been giving off avocado vibes, as my hairdresser suggested I mash a ripe avocado and apply it to my hair for 20 minutes before washing. Whom would have ever thought?! Since then I have found that there is a flourishing subculture of alternative uses for avocados. Most popular are simple, easy, soothing face masks. What a great idea, to take some time to relax and enjoy this nutritious, hydrating food. Another note on the wide-variety of these fruits: at the farmer’s market in Paris I bought “cocktail avocados”…

Have you ever walked along a road, trail, or beach when a small stone caught your eye? Perhaps it was the unique shape, color, beauty, or the ways it reflected the sunlight, but for whatever reason you were moved to pick it up. Maybe you even took it with you as a reminder of that place or moment. When the majority of us spend most of our weeks working at desks and staring at screens, it is easy to feel disconnected from the many wonders of our natural world. Looking deeply, we know that we are one with nature—however this concept is easy to forget as we get caught up in our projects and schedules. Small items, like a stone or pebble, can serve as portable reminders…