Awakening Self Blog

Be Like Still Water

All of us have a part of ourselves known as the Inner Witness. Developing this neutral aspect of ourselves, that can watch our thoughts, emotions, sensations, and experiences without judging, is essential to releasing stress, finding in…

Spiritual Health is Mental Health

It’s Mental Health Awareness month, and I feel there’s an aspect of our well-being that is often overlooked with the challenges of increased depression, anxiety, and loneliness in our era. And that’s spiritual health. Before you conside…

11 Easy Ways to Start (or Return to) Your Meditation Practice

Tried meditation but found it hard to sit still and quiet? Did it for a while but then it dropped off your priority list? Here are some tips to get back to (or start!) your meditation practice. I’ve been on a personal retreat for 3 weeks, and real…

Overcoming the Spiritual Grumpies

Ever been in a funk on the path of personal and spiritual growth? Those times when you feel discouraged, irritable, or angry, and can’t seem to shift out of it? “I’m not in the mood to be patient,” we might say, “I have to get to my appointment!” W…

I vs. i – A Grammatical Rule That Impacts Our Self-Concept

Recently, I have noticed more authors and writers choosing to put their name in lowercase letters (like bell hooks, or adrienne maree brown). I found it annoying and didn’t understand. I like rules of grammar and following rules – I t…

Have Your Emotional Poop

I know it’s crude – but it’s true. Just like we need to poop out what we eat, we also need to poop out our emotions. Here’s the why and how. My acupuncturist always emphasizes to me the importance of, shall we say, clearing my bowels. Every…