The Power of Presence – What Nature Can Teach Us
“The ancient rhythms of the earth have insinuated themselves into the rhythms of the human heart. The earth is not outside us; it is within: the clay from where the tree of the body grows.” John O’Donoghue (Poet, Philosopher) I recently read two nature books by Robert Macfarlane, The Old Ways and The Wild Spaces. […]
Finding Positive News
“Bad news travels fast. Good news takes the scenic route.” Doug Larson (Columnist and Editor) “If it bleeds, it leads” is an old adage in newsrooms. How much of our mental bandwidth do we give up to stories that relentlessly batter us with misery and despair? If these stories truly inform and sometimes inspire a […]
Changing Routine to Ritual
“It seemed to be a necessary ritual that he should prepare himself for sleep by meditating under the solemnity of the night sky… a mysterious transaction between the infinity of the soul and the infinity of the universe.” ~ Victor Hugo Rituals, both religious and secular have been part of human cultures the world over, […]
Physicians: Are you designing your career or is it designing you?
Have you thought about this question? At some point in our careers some form of this question will probably arise. Ideally, it would be something that we might reflect upon before we are in crisis. For years, we as physicians are focused on acquiring the knowledge and skills necessary to practice our profession. Skills that […]
Hard Work vs. Martyrdom: Physicians Beware!
I’ve come across many hard-working people in my professional life. I’ve also known my fair share of devoted martyrs. Martyrs rarely inspire, instead they immerse others in their self-sacrifice. Despite their dedication, joy struggles to permeate their self-denial. What is the Martyr Complex? Although, some individuals may be more prone to martyrdom than others, it […]
Phil’s Camino
A Stage Four cancer diagnosis in 2011 completely changes Phil Volker’s life, an islander from Vashon, WA. His regular cancer treatments upend his plan to walk El Camino de Santiago. Instead, he creates a path behind his house through the forest and pastures of the land surrounding his house. He walks the 500 miles of […]
Wisdom @Work- The Making of a Modern Elder
“To attain knowledge, add things every day. To attain wisdom, remove things every day.” Lao- Tzu Chinese philosopher We acquire knowledge and experience as we progress through our lives and careers. It is not a shiny object that we decide to pursue and check off our list of achievements. Instead, developing wisdom is a process […]
A Physician Who Thinks Like a Gardener
“We don’t need to remake our health-care system or rebuild it from the ground up. We don’t need to do very much. It’s pretty simple, quite attainable. Just an added perspective and a change of pace.” Victoria Sweet PhD, MD (physician, historian, author) What is the practice of “Slow Medicine”? This movement began in Italy, […]
Are You Sure You Are Having a Conversation?
“Most of us don’t listen with the intent to understand. We listen with the intent to reply.” Stephen Covey (American educator, businessman and author) A moment of magic occurs when you know that someone is truly listening to you. Their body language, their eyes, their focus and above all, sometimes, their silence create engagement. Intense […]