Monthly Archives: April 2014

Ask a Luminary

How Do I Move Past My Fear?

"I have been overwhelmed by FEAR of almost everything my whole life. I have been diagnosed with GAD (Generalized Anxiety Disorder). but it all boils down to fear. I am 47 years old and want to finally live life instead of just safely exist!" ~ Nadine, Mountain View, CO Dear Nadine, The problem is that we all resist emotions, even though we have no control over what first shows up in our minds. The Buddha refers to this as having two darts in the body. The first dart is what shows up without our control. It's the fears, the moment we…

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Woman in a Red Coat among Trees

The Heart is Where the Soul Resides

The heart is contained in four ways: first by the physical body, next by the emotional armor we all carry, next by the physical heart itself, and finally, at the very center of everything, is the inner heart, the heart within the heart: Ananda Khanda. This is what desires to be cracked open to the world. [av_hr class='short' height='50' shadow='no-shadow' position='center' av_uid='av-1k60vls'] Heart opening is a symptom of personal growth. We might call this emotional opening, or psychological breakthrough. But if we use the lens of spirituality, of soul growth, and we accept the idea that the heart is where…

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The Top 10 Things I’ve Learned From Richard Branson

Today's Brilliance is a bit different from other days. I had the honor of spending a few hours with Sir Richard Branson at his home on Necker Island, in the British Virgin Islands. As I walked into his home, I found him lying in a hammock in an alcove of the great room, open to the warm tropical breezes, overlooking the multi-colored turquoise Caribbean Sea. Bliss. Barefoot and dressed in swim shorts and a tee shirt, he looked more like a Jimmy Buffett fan rather than the founder of the Virgin Group, best known as the only person in the…

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Ask a Luminary

How Can I Get Over Shyness?

"How can I stop being shy? I have had this problem since my early childhood and I can't get rid of it. Every time I try to make a change and finally become sociable and be comfortable with talking to new people or to stop blushing, something embarrassing happens and I fail. I feel like I'm stuck in this endless nightmare for the rest of my life. I always think my particular situation can't be solved because I BLUSH a lot and I can't control this. Please help me overcome this shyness and perhaps stop blushing and becoming more comfortable…

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Embracing the Whole Person Concept

Philosopher Dr. Mortimer J. Adler was the first to introduce the Whole Person Concept, which challenges us to strive for a proper balance in all aspects of our lives—spending meaningful time with family and friends, maintaining our health, enriching our lives, becoming all that we can be, giving back to our communities, learning to manage our financial affairs, and growing in our spiritual lives. At its core, the Whole Person Concept is learning to balance our work, our lives, and our successes. The Whole Person Concept encourages us to remember the importance of growing and learning, and it reminds me…

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