Our life is shaped by our mind; we become what we think.     The Buddha, Dhammapada v1   As a woman thinks within herself, so is she.  As a man thinks within himself, so is he.   Christian and Jewish scripture, book of Proverbs  Words born of the mind are not true.  ...

Imagine you have a small octopus attached to your head. It’s legs are wrapped around you obscuring your vision and changing what you see. It has been there so long you think this is how the world really looks. When the octopus is cranky, you feel cranky and you see...

 The Golden Rule says to treat others the way you want to be treated. Many of the world’s great religious traditions contain a version: Christianity: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. (Gospel of Matthew) Judaism: Love your neighbor as yourself....

 I have the honor of working with families to craft meaningful memorial services when a loved one dies. Each time I am deeply touched and deeply taught. Every life carries a message and has something to teach. Not long ago I offered a funeral service for a woman named...

If I were to ask you — what matters most to you — what would your answer be? Specifically, what are the five to eight things that mean the most in your life and that you cherish? Another way to get at this is to ask yourself: What am I longing for? You’ll know some of...

I have the honor of working with families to craft meaningful memorial services when a loved one dies. Each time I am deeply touched and deeply taught. Each life carries an important message and has something to teach. Not long ago I offered a funeral service for a...

Some years ago, I started a tradition where every year around my birthday I would write The Sara Manifesto. (Here is 2014’s version, for example.) My manifesto offers the words I want to live by. It represents a horizon toward which I walk, more than a point at which...