Healing

I recognized at a young age that when I expressed myself in ways that were seen as ‘different’ it wasn’t received well. As a trans kid in this world, you learn pretty early on what folks around you believe to be right and what they believe to be wrong. Because difference in the Western world is often used as a substitute for wrong, I knew that to survive I’d have to hide parts of myself away. This experience, unfortunately, is not exclusive to me. There have been moments in all of our lives where we’ve sacrificed pieces of who we are for fear of being seen as different or ‘other.’

We’re living in a time that is reflective of imbalance at every level, whether it be in physical and tangible space, or reflected in the depths of energies within us. What the Western world has created is a society that favors specific qualities, often related to masculine energy, and shies away from other qualities, related to feminine energy. This carries out into our personal lives, in our relationships, actions, and interactions, and can also be seen on a much larger scale. The Western world has defined narrow lanes of existence, for all of us to participate in, through the lens of imagined binaries.

Embarking on a journey from chronic illness to healing that reshaped my identity and purpose.

There are now thousands of studies spanning five decades to validate the benefits of meditation. As widespread as this information is, the effect on everyday life has been limited. In my new book, Total Meditation, I wanted to correct the under-use of meditation and the large problem of non-compliance, as a doctor would call it. Too many people start meditating only to quickly give it up or use it only when they are in the mood.

Hay ahora miles de estudios que abarcan cinco décadas para validar los beneficios de la meditación. Por muy difundida que esté esta información, el efecto en la vida cotidiana ha sido limitado. En mi nuevo libro, Meditación Total, quise corregir el poco uso de la meditación y el gran problema de la falta de cumplimiento, como lo llamaría un médico. Demasiadas personas comienzan a meditar sólo para abandonar rápidamente la meditación o la usan sólo cuando están de humor.

Today, September 21, the world celebrates the International Day of Peace—a day declared by the United Nations in 1981, asking humanity to commit to peace. On this day, we press pause on our disagreements, set down our weapons, and join together as one human race.

Traumas can leave a physical imprint, and your body often retains them until they are consciously processed and released. Here are three ways you can help release stored traumas.

If you need to forgive in your life, take some vitamin F. It’s good for the brain and heart, literally and figuratively.

Originally published by SF Gate.