The Glorious Both/And

Can you see that when we deny and reject the existence of something in the name of oneness, spiritual truth, for example the ego and the world of form, we're actually denying and rejecting it - because we're rejecting its actual, real expressions. To recognize this is to recognize that there are aspects of god that are not purely peaceful, blissful, joyful, or even  likeable  and that god cannot be relegated to or sanctified in a dimension that is cut off from anything else.  This can be disillusioning to those who cling to a vision/experience of god as the untarnished, transcendent/absolute only . To recognize this is to admit that god is not perfect, at least not in the way that we tend to see perfection as something that can only exist in isolation from the blemishes, flaws, and stains of imperfection, it's opposite.  But paradoxically, in seeing this, we open ourselves to experiences of a strange perfection  within  this bittersweetness, one ...

The proliferation of mindfulness and meditation practices has been met with widespread acclaim, as its health benefits have been widely touted and experienced by many individuals. However, it comes as a surprise to some that these practices can actually have adverse effects, and it is not a one-size-fits-all solution that should be prescribed to everyone without caution. Thanks to ongoing research, we are beginning to understand the factors that contribute to the severity, prevalence, and nature of these adverse effects, and to shed light on the previously unknown dangers of these practices. This growing body of research has been crucial for enabling proponents and facilitators of mindfulness and meditation practices to better safeguard their students and audiences, and for individuals to take steps to protect themselves. Many programs, retreat centers and individual facilitators have been taking pro-active risk prevention steps including getting trained in how to help support someone ...