How do we read a haiku? A surprising primer on this art comes from a slim volume by Yoel Hoffmann titled Japanese Death Poems: Written by Zen Monks and Haiku Poets on the Verge of Death. In the introductory part of the book, we learn that a haiku consists of seventeen syllables written in three … Read more
Psych Central is a publication that aims to break the stigma of mental illness. It empowers readers to be proactive in their mental health journey, offering actionable advice to improve their lives. Its team understands the healing power of connecting people and provides evidence-based information to meet the reader with empathy and respect. This is … Read more
It has been said that solitude is the place of purification. It has also been said that the great omission in American life is solitude … that zone of time and space, free from the outside pressures, which is the incinerator of the spirit. Indeed, enjoying your own company can be a great catalyst for … Read more
We were sitting across from each other at our usual corner table, the afternoon sun cutting a sharp diagonal line between us. My friend—let’s call him John—someone whose intellect I admire and whose presence usually grounds me, was listening as I retraced a story about my week. Right in the middle of a sentence, I … Read more
As a poet and meditator, John Brehm believes that poetry can deepen our spiritual practice. Over the many years of teaching, he’s found a simple method of leading discussions that elicits lively engagement, leads to profound insights, and helps us live in the present moment. He begins by reading the poem aloud, or having … Read more