Left Brain Buddha
the modern mindful blog
My Favorite Books About Mindfulness
Whether you are new to mindfulness, or have already begun practicing, there are LOTS of books out right now that provide a wealth of information and support. I’m sharing my favorites with you today — organized into very specific categories. Because of course.
My Word for 2015: abunDANCE!
For 2015, I am choosing abunDANCE. I am choosing to appreciate what I have, rather than thinking I always need more. I am choosing to embrace wonder and awe and possibility, rather than thinking I already know all the choreography. I am choosing to trust, rather than worrying about whether the ending pose will come together perfectly.
Welcome, Christmas
As we count down the last few days until Christmas, I'm wrapping presents, baking cookies, and enjoying the leisurely pace of Winter Break. I'm sharing this post I wrote last year about teaching my children about the true meaning of Christmas. Enjoy -- and have a...
You are an Artist. Make Art.
"I don't have a creative bone in my body." "I am SO not an artist!" "I have many talents, but art is not one of them." My whole life, I've told myself variations of these statements, insisting that I am NOT AT ALL ARTISTIC and I DON'T DO ANYTHING CREATIVE. I dreaded...
Honoring the Ambivalence of Motherhood
Maternal ambivalence is completely normal. What we need to change is our attitude toward ambivalence! On embracing ambivalence with equanimity.
5 New Books to Read Now {and TWO Giveaways!}
Looking for a good read? Check out some of the best new books I’ve read, and enter the giveaways to win a book!
The Benefits of Mindfulness and Meditation
You're hearing about mindfulness everywhere, right? That's because there are amazing benefits to mindfulness and meditation! Much of the research on mindfulness and meditation reveals the amazing neuroplasticity of our brains -- while we used to think that our brains...
Mindful Parenting Q&A
Got questions about mindful parenting? I’ve got some strategies to share with you — about keeping your cool, creating family rituals, & finding balance.
To the Mom Who Wishes She Wasn’t a Mom…
If you’ve ever thought, “I wish I wasn’t a mom,” this letter is for you. To the mom who wishes she wasn’t a mom, there IS a path to joy.
The Space Between: Help Your Toddler Thrive
I get nervous when I hear about parenting approaches that are "child-centered." Perhaps it's because I'm a teacher and I don't like the phrase "student-centered." It's not that I don't care about my students or their needs, but I don't think they are the center of the...
10 AWESOME Things About a Vacation With Kids!
Does the thought of a week-long, trans-Atlantic European vacation with kids terrify you? Let me tell you why ours was AWESOME!
The Pursuit of Public Happiness
This week we {in the United States} celebrate the 4th of July, the signing of the Declaration of Independence, and “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” But did you know that this famous phrase by Thomas Jefferson originally read “life, liberty, and the...
10 Ways to Teach Mindfulness to Kids
Mindfulness is good for us, AND good for our children. Get started with these strategies to teach mindfulness to kids!
A Nighttime Meditation for Compassionate Parenting
Don't you love it when they're asleep? Don't they look so sweet and innocent? For me, checking on my sleeping children at night is a treasured ritual. Stepping into their dark, quiet bedrooms becomes a moving meditation. The whining, sassing, yelling, and fighting...
THRIVE and BE HAPPY This Summer ~ A Giveaway!
Happy Summer! WOW! Lots of goodness on the blog today -- summer, books, and my FIRST GIVEAWAY {and of course, it's a giveaway of books for your summer reading! 🙂 } I know some of us are still in school, and technically summer doesn't start until the solstice in a few...
A third-of-the-way upon the journey of my life… {An Atheist’s Spiritual Journey}
How we can approach the world’s religions not just as interesting ideas, but as wisdom to live our secular lives? An atheist’s spiritual journey…
My Summer Reading List
Check out the books that made my summer reading list for 2014!
Inside My Writing Process
A few weeks ago, Allison from Go Dansker Mom tagged me in a post about writing -- specifically, a series of posts that bloggers have been sharing lately to take us inside their writing process. I have loved reading how other writers approach their craft, and I am so...