In our book, The Well Life, Briana and I introduced three elements of life that are essential for happiness, balance, and peace: structure, sweetness, and space. I discussed the first two in my articles of the past two weeks. Now let’s look at the most…
Previously we looked at ways to sweeten your life, a concept from my and Briana’s book, The Well Life, which also forms much of the foundation material for the Dragontree Coaching Program. I discussed sweetness as one of three pillars of a balanced and joyful…
Several years ago Briana and I wrote The Well Life, a book on how to achieve wellness and balance in all domains of life – physical, mental, spiritual, financial, career, community, etc. It was a monumental effort; we put so much energy, care, and professional…
Over the years of practicing medicine and teaching, I’ve been increasingly drawn to the word “expansion” as one of my primary goals for clients and students. When we suffer, we’re in what I think of as a “contracted” state. Our perspective shrinks around our problems…
I believe that anyone can find ways to evolve and do their personal development work through whatever career they have. Whether you’re a custodian, a farmer, or the CEO of a lollipop company, you’ll inevitably encounter challenges that will push you to stretch and grow….
Several years ago, a growing number of people who had read my and Briana’s books or taken our courses began asking us to train them to coach others using the concepts we teach. Without consulting with me, Briana announced that we were going to do…
When Briana and I were creating the Dragontree Life Coach training program, we had lots and lots of meetings to discuss the curriculum. During one of those meetings I suddenly remembered something that happened in a classroom about 20 years earlier . . . I…
Among the 12 animals of the Chinese zodiac, the ox is probably the hardest working. Oxen are bred to put in day after day after day of manual labor – plowing, pulling carts, towing water, threshing grain, and more. Without the ox, countless humans would…
It seemed to take longer for winter to start but we’re finally in it, and I’d like to share some Eastern philosophy about this season. Much of my career as well as my personal spiritual practice has focused on the lessons of the natural world….
Desire is a confusing idea. We’re taught that desire is what leads us astray, that it makes us materialistic and unsatisfied with our lot. To be free from desire implies that we’ve achieved a state of moral and/or spiritual perfection – plus deep inner peace….
Are you someone who sets ambitious goals at the beginning of the year but then struggles to follow through on them? We’ve been there. It’s one of the reasons we created our Dreambook – to teach people how to set goals, how to break these…
The first of January has often felt to me like an arbitrary date to divide our lives by, since most of our projects and phases don’t conform to the calendar year. I’ve decided this as good a time as any to make resolutions, and perhaps…
Over the past several weeks, I’ve been discussing the 14 primary themes in our book, Rituals for Transformation. It’s a 108-day process with a short lesson each day, designed to help people release baggage, pain, and stories, and welcome a life of greater freedom, joy,…
As I explained last week, a few years ago Briana started writing a book that directly speaks about spirituality and the awakening of human consciousness. I like the word awakening because the condition of everyday consciousness is often like being in a dream. A dream…
As a teenager I spent a lot of time in the tunnels of Boston’s subway system. They were brightly tiled in red, blue, green, and orange, and there was a smell that I’ll never forget – not terrible, not pleasant – that poured forth in…
In early scientific experiments, scientists would give a drug to a group of test subjects and then report, for instance, that “70% of the participants improved due to this drug.” But some smarty pointed out that some of those people might have gotten better without…
In this video, Dr. Peter Borten explains the basics of Body Centered Releasing, and the powerfully positive effect this practice can have on your life. Learning to use your body to make peace with inner conflicts and let things go is always preferable to resisting…
I once took a required course in a subtle form of bodywork called Jin Shin Do. Rather than pressing, kneading, or stroking, the practitioner simply rests her fingers on specific combinations of acupuncture points and intends for healing to occur. During the first few classes,…
The crown chakra, called Sahasrara, is situated at the very top of the head, which is an energetic center or portal recognized by cultures worldwide. It’s part of why Jews and Muslims wear head coverings. If the soles of the feet are our closest connection…
The sixth chakra, called Ajna, is an energy center located between the eyebrows. It’s in the region that’s often referred to as the “third eye.” Even if you don’t know anything about chakras, you’re probably familiar with the notion of the third eye. You’ve seen…
In so many ways, the human social experience today is different than it has ever been. One of the most interesting developments is how the internet serves as a platform for public expression. It enables individuals to broadcast their voices to huge audiences they could…