by Barbara Emrys This Hallowe’en, let’s take a minute to consider our fascination with zombies and blood-sucking vampires. Death is both a terror and a curiosity to most of us. Naturally, we cringe at the idea of the ‘walking dead,’…

A student of mine recently quoted a phrase from class notes taken years ago: You are the light that shines on you. It’s a phrase that has given her comfort but always seems challenging to put into action. “How do…

Summer’s almost over! Maybe you went on vacation for part of the summer, or maybe not. In any case, it’s not too late to reflect on the past weeks with clarity. You may have documented every moment on Instagram and…

Lately I’ve noticed how eager people are to associate self-love with obnoxious behavior. I’ve heard a few people criticize ‘this perverse celebration of self-love’ as the reason there’s so little compassion in the world. They blame self-love for the open…

As you read over these blog posts, you’ll come upon the word ‘surrender’ now and then. Surrender typically means relinquishing power and control. That’s how we’re used to defining the word; surrender calls for us to admit defeat and throw…

The human dream is structured and restrictive. Our physical bodies are by nature restrictive. Being a part of a social group, with its many rules and accepted standards,  limits us. Thinking and acting the way everyone else thinks and acts…

The subject of shamanism comes up a lot in Toltec teachings. People are naturally intrigued. They want to know what kind of beings shamans really are. Are they magicians, sorcerers…scientists? Do shamans have superpowers? Are shamans born, or can anyone…

We all know the irresistible pull of self-importance and self-judgment. Although they seem to be two opposing things, they offer clear evidence of only one thing: the self. The self is difficult to define, and yet it’s used to having…

I like February. It’s a modest month, lingering just long enough to remind us that winter isn’t over before yielding to the madness of March. And right in the middle of our cold weather fatigue, February gives us a heart-warming…

Getting along with other people is a constant challenge, but one that’s worth our time and effort. Relationships are the most important part of being human. We’re happiest when we’re able to share love with another person. We feel safe…