Posts by Colette Lafia
Finding the small spaces inside
It’s 11 a.m. and like most of us the morning has been busy — getting up, packing lunches, driving to work, and responding to all the demands that have come my way in the school library. But I am ready to burst. I need a minute to detach and find the small space inside of…
Read MoreCan buying potatoes be a Holy Moment?
The other day, it was my morning off work, and I just wanted to stay home and be more contemplative–slow down, and have time to mediate in a more leisurely way. But that didn’t happen. When I took my husband to the bus stop, there was no bus in sight, so I agreed to drive…
Read MoreHouse of Love, House of Fear
The days roll in and out, and time is like the ocean. But when fear overtakes me, I see myself as separate from the flow of life. There are so many reasons for fear, and each one of us must observe and learn how and when fear seeps in. I was reading in a book…
Read MoreEverything’s a practice
I am noticing the tiny moments that call for practice. Yesterday, I was tired and hoping my husband would meet me at the gym so we could go grocery shopping and head home after our busy days at work. But at 5:45 I get a text: could you pick me up. I looked at the…
Read MoreSeeing life with open eyes
I am being watchful of the mindset that drains me (self critical, unfulfilled, restless). It’s a familiar story and I easily fall into it, if I’m not alert. I know the story, and what is behind it, so there is no longer a need to analyze it. So rather than focusing on it, I need…
Read MoreMaking a shift in habits
The antidote for self-criticism is self appreciation. I used to believe it was self acceptance, yet sometimes acceptance can feel too much like resignation. Self appreciation on the other hand allows us to recognize what we value about ourselves. There are times when I feel self criticism is beating down on me like the hot…
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