The Same Sun And Moon Often I think I chose the wrong career. When I see anything about archeology and anthropology, I’m hooked. I’d do anything to be Dr. Indiana Jones. Attention Albert Lin from National Geographic Network: if you’re hiring apprentices, please call me! What I’m saying here, is that I see the world…
The Thing About Technology Is That We All Have It
The Missing Wonder, Part 2
Prolonged Tech Engagement The thing about technology is that we all have it, and we have it all the time. We can look at our phones and computers and tablets and fall into a trance within seconds. Thumb ups and hearts and comments can lift us up. The lack of them, or the bad ones,…
The Missing Wonder, Part 1
Remember That? Wonder?
Awesome Mystery or Toxic Wonder And so begins the season of wonder. The time of year when we slow down, give thanks, give presents, and relish in the bliss of the season. Oh, what, what? Black Friday started a week early, this year? Oh right, Halloween began in August, so that made September insignificant, and…
Lovers
Teach Me How To Love Me Series, Part 5
Fun At Parties, Hell At Home For me, it’s the small things. The text replies with emojis. Making me laugh. Watching a new show. Giving me a few hours of solitude. Philosophizing. For me, I’m all about the classics. Dinner and a movie. Bonus points if it’s a Mexican restaurant and a comedy (or a…
Self-Care
Teach Me How To Love Me Series, Part 4
Handle With Care You gotta admit, self-care is the like the new “being present.” Remember when that’s all everyone said, all the time? Now, it’s about taking care of self, first. I’ve even seen T-shirts. “Self-Care Junkie” comes to mind. Saw that design one morning, of course at brunch. And if brunch isn’t the most…
Boundaries
Teach Me How To Love Me Series, Part 3
Where The Line Is There’s a lot of talk these days about personal boundaries, and not just the physical kind. The new boundaries are ones people can’t see. Instead, they’re felt, often communicated indirectly, the lines often drawn without warning. Boundaries are good things. They are meant for protection. They keep the issuer of said…
Friends
Teach Me How To Love Me Series, Part 2
Find The Right Ones A not so fun fact about me: I was bullied from about third to fifth grade by the boy I believed to be my best friend. His tactics varied. From preventing me from making other friends, or excluding me from the friends he was trying to make, to belittling me for…
Energy Vampires
Teach Me How To Love Me Series, Part 1
Be The Slayer Dear Me, There’s a timeless legend about creatures that live forever and survive on the blood of humans. These creatures look like beautiful humans themselves, eternally young and alluring. These creatures are called vampires, and they can make other vampires by sucking the blood of living humans and making those humans drink…
Healer in Training, Part 10
My Daily Colibrí
Welcome Happiness Sometimes I see them when I open the kitchen curtains, first thing in the morning. Other times, I see them zip by overhead on evening walks. Once, one flew right into the doorway of our open garage when I was folding laundry, and it just hovered there, as if looking in on me.…
Healer in Training, Part 9
The Forgiveness Prayer
Receiving The Blessings Just before I started my healing journey in the early summer, my Tía suggested I say the Forgiveness Prayer every day for the next 30 days. She’s been suggesting I do this for years. For the past few years, I’ve been telling her: I’m not mad at anyone! I forgive them all!…
Healer in Training, Part 8
When Men Cry
Opening The Valve After tennis icon Roger Federer’s final pro match last Friday in the Laver Cup in London, something beautiful happened. He cried, and so did Rafael Nadal, his doubles match partner. With Federer’s retirement announcement earlier this month, this final moment was coming. After a few post-match emotional words, the audience responded with…
Healer in Training, Part 7
Urgent Care?
Listen to Your Body Dr. H came into the room at about 10:00 pm that Friday night. By then, my four-day headache and puffed temporal vein had subsided. I had taken two Aleve’s five hours prior, when I first decided to get a doctor’s opinion. Dr. H spoke to me like a preschool teacher speaks…
Healer in Training, Part 6
My Patient, My Friend
A Patient Journey If we’re lucky, Felix and I meet for lunch maybe twice a year. We became instant friends years ago, both of us in near identical places in life. We call each other brother sometimes. We’re both busy men with careers and families, and so the very act of meeting up is challenging.…
Healer in Training, Part 5
Doors Opening
Treasure Maps The universe has a funny way of showing you the way. For me, it was an anthropology student’s dissertation poster. I was taking a break from the death and dying demonstration during my two-week course at the University of New Mexico’s Curanderismo seminar, wandering the halls of the Anthropology building. At that moment,…
Healer in Training, Part 4
Comida Como Medicina - Food As Medicine
Inside Out Healing A few recipes for your consideration… First, how I destroyed my insides: Breakfast –Fried Egg & Pork Sausage –Oatmeal with brown sugar and whole milk –Wheat toast with butter –Coffee with cream and sugar Lunch –Turkey, bacon, lettuce, and tomato hoagie on wheat bread drenched in vinegar and oil –Bag of Lays…
Healer In Training, Part 3
Talking to Heal
Camp Counselor From a young age, I noticed that people shared things with me. Their histories, their stories, their secrets, their wishes. This continued into adulthood with friends and work associates. Over the years, I’ve heard a lot of people’s deepest, and sometimes their darkest. I’ve received the calls for help. I’ve read the texts…