In This Quiet
In This Quiet by Chuck Craytor I breathe into the stillness,where thoughts drift like leaves on waterand the current carries what I no longer need. The light does not need to be just right.I do not need to find the focal point.All that is necessaryis right here, now. Hear the still point of this moment—not […]
The Bullets: A Reflection on Courage, Commitment, and Dignity
At nineteen years old, I was stationed in Okinawa, Japan, serving in the U.S. Army (1975-1977). I didn’t know it then, but a decision to encourage a friend to coach a youth basketball team would grow into one of the most meaningful leadership experiences of my life. What began as an innocent suggestion evolved into […]
How Do We Create Courage in the Face of Distressing Circumstances?
“When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.” — Viktor Frankl How can you cultivate and maintain courage in the face of overwhelming circumstances? This is not just a theoretical question for me; it’s something I’ve experienced firsthand. In January 2013, after completing graduate school, I found […]
A Practice For Troubled Times
Pause for a moment. Gaze into this scene from nature, and as you gaze upon this scene, notice. Be attentive and aware of the detail, color, and context. Name what you see:A rock sitting in the middle of a creek.Water surrounds the stone in stillness.Forest shadows resting upon the water.Branches covered in green moss. Please […]
Creating New Life
Outside of Blue River, Oregon, where the community was devastated by the Holiday Farm Fire less than two years ago. Nature is coming back, giving birth to new life. May we find new life through these disruptive, sometimes devastating, times.
Adversity
Adversity—if you know how to approach it—is a powerful means to awaken and grow. “Bad” karma is an opportunity.
I’m Alive!
I’m alive! How amazing, I’m alive! Recently I was reading conspiracy theories to learn what some of them are. After a couple of days of reading conspiracy theories, I noticed increasing sensations of fear and doom! Fortunately, I shifted my reading and thoughts to lessons and words of courage, compassion, wisdom, discernment, and love. The […]
How Do You Create and Sustain Hope in the Face of Adversity?
How do you create and sustain hope in the face of distressing circumstances? The world is woven of interconnected threads–we are each linked together. These links are not limited to the human world; they extend to the natural world and all existence. You exist in relationship. In the most challenging times, you have an opportunity […]
Taking the path less traveled
During a bike ride to the office, I paused to share an experience that seems relevant during this time of uncertainty.
Being the Master of our Mind
Early this morning, I was lying in bed with thoughts of the current crisis in this county. These are simply some wandering thoughts that came to me long before sunrise. It truly is a crisis in the sense that the impact of the coronavirus will likely have a devastating effect on our economy nationally and […]