2014
Thursday, December 25, 2014
A lot of good advice has been offered online on how introverts and HSPs can manage the social demands that might come their way over the holiday period. I was not intending to add to this well informed conversation, until I came across this short video (below) by Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche, a Tibetan Buddhist teacher who is based in Seattle. The advice that he gives stretches beyond the Buddhist world and applies to any time and place in our lives, not just the this holiday time.
Continue reading →
Thursday, December 18, 2014
The URL to this website is made up of the words “Crossing The Threshold.” While it informs my work, I have until now made no reference to its meaning. A friend and colleague recent asked me to what what I was referring. That question, along with a new logo and header on this site (and some more changes to come), has prompted this post. With the New Year only a couple of weeks away this feels like an opportune time.
Continue reading →
Saturday, November 22, 2014
Every Thursday evening at a yoga class that I use to attend we started class by sitting in a circle, introducing ourselves, expressing any injuries that we had and then naming something that we are grateful for. Once while going round that circle a fellow Brit in the class expressed gratitude for the “Attitude of Gratitude” that had been installed in him through the Thursday evening class. Even when he was feeling a little down the Attitude of Gratitude was always available to him, opening up the world around him and lifting him out of his melancholy.
Continue reading →
Saturday, November 15, 2014
We have been experiencing some very windy weather here in the Pacific North West. Accompanied by some unseasonably cold temperatures, the wind chill has been cutting through everyone. The skies have been clear and the strong winds have given a clarity to the air, while at the same time making swift work of the autumnal job of removing the trees of their leaves - piles are accumulating along the sidewalk.
Continue reading →
Sunday, November 2, 2014
How do you deal with those situations where someone dishes out an attack on you, offering accusatory remarks that are untrue? Their words are spoken before reaching out and trying to understand where you are coming from. You know that an image of you is now out in the world, however small a corner of the world, which is unfounded and not a true representation of who you are. What do you do?
Continue reading →
Friday, October 24, 2014
See if this rings true for you? You’ve just got off a telephone call or are out of a meeting where something was said to you that felt like a blow to the solar plexus. However, you barely have time to come up for air and take stock of the situation when your schedule calls you to your next appointment.
So you are sitting in your next appointment trying to stay focused on the people and task at hand, but that last conversation is banging at the door and won’t leave you alone.
Continue reading →
Sunday, September 21, 2014
Practice - to rehearse, to work at, to train; from the Greek, praktikos - active, practical.
Practice is a word that we use to describe our meditation and yoga training. We speak of a meditation practice, our yoga practice, our qigong practice. In this vein, what might practice have to say about our day to day endeavors that surround these trainings?
When we turn up for our yoga class or sit to meditate invariably there is that part of us that is looking to be better than last time - to have a clearer mind, to hold that position longer than last time.
Continue reading →
Sunday, August 31, 2014
Meditation and introversion have something in common - the mind. For introverts the mind is a place of activity, but also a place of refuge. Meditation is an activity for familiarizing ourselves with our mind, and for developing its unrealized potential. That might sound exciting and scary in equal measure, but hopefully this article will lend some perspective. With this close connection, I believe that there is a place where meditation can be of service to introverts.
Continue reading →
Friday, August 22, 2014
I’ll have to ask you to fill in the blanks on this one. I am writing about extroverts and introverts, but any dualism can be exchanged in replacement for these opposites. This article is primarily about awareness, a tool that is central to meditation practice. I’d also like to suggest that it is central to our interaction with others and in that vein it is also a post in support of introverts.
Continue reading →
Thursday, August 14, 2014
How much time do you give to be just with yourself? Why should you want to? For six mornings of the week members of Portland Japanese Garden have access to the Gardens for two hours before they open to the general public. The other morning I finally made it up there to benefit from this special privilege.
The silence and stillness on that summer’s morning, the sound of the birds singing and running water, the vividness of the views seen many times before, but being all the more precise with the absence of people.
Continue reading →
Thursday, July 3, 2014
When I hear the word “warrior” I usually think of a fearsome character going off into battle, probably on horse back. Such a person appears to me as an ancient and noble figure, adorned in ornate clothes, and carrying some masterly crafted weaponry.
In this article I’d like to introduce to you to two other types of warrior. One is established and known within some circles. This warrior is motivated by altruism to battle the ignorance and suffering in the world.
Continue reading →
Friday, June 13, 2014
British winter days are short. Throw in a blanket of grey cloud cover and any daylight there was soon diminishes. For some this sort of weather is just too much - I think of those suffering from SAD. For me though, and I’ve lived in and loved many other climates, I feel a deep affinity with the British winters. Access to a warm, dry house does help.
While living in South Wales, the winter times were particularly quiet.
Continue reading →
Saturday, May 31, 2014
Life can be a game of give and take at times. We’d prefer things to be one way but for one reason or another we are called to meet the situation halfway. One area where this can be a real challenge is when our comfort zone is confronted. Unless resolution is strong to push through resistance, we’ll spew forth with reasons why we couldn’t, shan’t, are not able to show up.
Continue reading →
Saturday, April 26, 2014
When people ask what I do and I reply that I work with introverts I am surprised how often I hear back the comment, “I used to be an introvert, but…,” and the person then proceeds to explain how they managed to transform themselves. As I listen to them speak, I invariably get the sense that they feel as though they have overcome an impediment that was holding them back.
Continue reading →
Tuesday, April 8, 2014
Whether introverted or extroverted in nature a change in perspective can help navigate trying times, indeed even make the seemingly impossible possible…even if just temporarily.
On one of my walks into town I pass a man sweeping the road. Morning seems to be the time to catch him. I have no idea what his age is, but I would guess that he is around the 70 mark. He sweeps with intention and strong focus.
Continue reading →
Tuesday, April 1, 2014
In the last article we looked at scenarios where you find yourself becoming overwhelmed. That is you are at an event, whether business or social, and you start to notice a creeping sensation of exhaustion enveloping you. There might be pain involved, physical or mental, and consequently you have to muster all of your strength just to stay present.
If you have the opportunity to excuse yourself and leave, you are free.
Continue reading →
Saturday, March 22, 2014
This is the first part of a two part article exploring ways of helping yourself when you feel that you are hitting overwhelm. While written from my experiences as an introvert, these techniques are applicable to anyone. We all have our limits. When we reach them if we are still called to act, we need ways to keep ourselves afloat and stay focused.
Here are some scenarios:
You’ve had a long day, the conference has been very interesting but perhaps your stimulation levels have maxed out.
Continue reading →
Sunday, March 9, 2014
Sometimes it is just about showing up.
No matter what our resolution is for a project, and despite what I wrote about in my last post, sometimes getting anything done can feel like near impossible. For some reason the chances of us moving ahead with our undertaking feels like a trudge through treacle. Enthusiasm is thin on the ground, self-belief seems to be taking a day off and reasons to just run for the hills seem to far out weigh doing any work.
Continue reading →
Thursday, March 6, 2014
This article first appeared on Arthur Coddington’s Peak Performance website.
Call to adventure… The vision is set. The goals are in place. You are positioned in front of your computer, note book, or on your way to your office (even if that it is 30 second walk from bed to another room in the house), and nothing is going to stop you. Today is not only the first day of the rest of your life, but also the day that your life vision is to take birth – business, sport, learn a new musical instrument, walk round the world – the “what” does not matter.
Continue reading →
Tuesday, March 4, 2014
This is an experience of mine, see if this rings true for you. I am out walking, let’s say on my way somewhere as opposed to just being out for a walk. I am in the world, but also in my own world, living in a world of thoughts that people around me are completely unaware of. That inner world can be harmless, but it can also be your worse enemy.
Continue reading →