From the Emissary Mindfulness archives 2022 Update: I've fallen in love with electrocuting myself. Gently. When I have injured some part of myself. Yes, I am talking about using TENS units. You can buy these little devices that send a low current through your injured muscles. Not only does my... Read more →
Want to knit stronger neurons? Crafts can help. Being in the zone, or a state of flow is the latest positive psychology terminology for having energized focus, full involvement and enjoyment. Although it is an ancient idea, entire books are now being written on this rather specific state of mind. Certain tasks may enable you to reach a state of flow. I propose that it is good brain exercise. Being in the flow is good for us. What puts you in a state of flow? Read more →
Some people may be tempted to buy brain training programs. My mom hears the advertisements and keeps asking me about whether they will help her. Here are some alternatives backed up by research. Read more →
The process of being aware of what you are doing—thinking about the past, present or future—and doing it consciously, being able to move from one state to the other at will, that is the skill that is worth exercising. It is about not getting stuck in the past, the future, or even the glorious now. Read more →
"...people were less happy when their minds were wandering than when they were not and this was true during all activities, including the least enjoyable." Read more →
Have you ever played the game Apples to Apples? You randomly pick adjectives and nouns and then try to pair them together. Often the combinations are funny, ridiculous, or even informative. I've turned this into a meditation exercise for myself, and it's one of my top favorites. Read more →
I'm obsessed with my dreams. I'm shocked when I hear someone say that they don't dream. An important piece of their life is missing, I think. Read more →
The form of the mother has changed, but she persists all around me. I'm grateful for her advice. Read more →
In people and pets, I have experienced death both fast and slow. I prefer slow. I like to have time to say goodbye. As much time as possible. Life changes, we try to adjust. Rinse, repeat. Read more →
It's taken me a number of years of grouchy fumbling around to figure out how to get certain healthy habits to stick. And...they HAVE been sticking. For over five years as of now. OMG. Something is working! Read more →
If you have ever been held captive by a talking person, you have been pinned. The standard Pinner holds you firmly in place with this distinctive zombie-like stare. While pinned, you are force fed a steady stream of words that you feel obliged to swallow and digest. The irony here is that the root of your suffering is your instinctive politeness, a personality trait that in any other situation you should have every reason to boast about. Read more →
Write down 10 things: they can be things you like about yourself, or things you think you are good at, or both. Use paper. It triggers different neural pathways than mere thinking, or writing on the computer. It requires more effort to write on paper, but this makes it more real. Read more →
Most people think of heart arrhythmia as something they don't want. Indeed, atrial fibrillation, extra beats, and excessively slow or fast heart rates should have you seeking the advice of a cardiologist. But respiratory sinus arrhythmia, or RSA appears to be an exception. Read more →
Cells—the basic constituent of life—recycle and reuse their constituents, and they have survived on Earth for over three billion years. All cells do this. Three billion years. They are on to something. Read more →
The answer, researchers are finding, is helping people at risk for burnout. This research surprised me. Compassion and empathy activate different brain structures. Read more →
I am fascinated by the mechanism required for us to sense the bottoms of our feet. This simple exercise will increase the resolution of the sensory map in your brain. Read more →
Just as an audience senses your fear, they also sense your love. They will relax if you can find a way to feel love for them. This may not be easy. This is an exercise. But it works. Read more →
iI is human nature to want instant results, be it from diet, exercise, or meditation. When we don't get instant results we get discouraged. It doesn't have to be that way. Read more →
Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, researchers were alarmed to learn that loss of the sense of smell was associated with all-cause mortality in a way we still don't quite understand. Now, more than ever, there is interest and encouraging research in smell training as treatment for anosmia. Read more →
One of my favorite meditations is dialoguing with monsters. Read more →
Especially after a meal, focus on the memory of the meal, and how you are not hungry, immediately after. The Not-Hungry-Contentment feeling is a real sensation that I believe you can become more and more sensitized to. Read more →
During your lifetime, many of your atoms go through multiple hosts. We just borrow them, rearranging them into our particular configuration. Read more →
Possibly several ancient stars contributed to making your heavier elements, stars that existed prior to the formation of our solar system, and that's over five billion years ago. You are ancient. Read more →