Inner work

Reclaim Your Power

By Nicole Urdang | September 29, 2009
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    “He who controls others may feel powerful, but he who has mastered himself is mightier still.”    Lao Tzu in the Tao Te Ching    “When you doubt your power, you give power to your doubt.”   Anonymous   “The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don’t have […]

Fearless Open-Heartedness: Risks and Rewards

By Nicole Urdang | September 2, 2009
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Yes, you’re right.  If you open your heart you risk getting hurt.  But, what’s the alternative?  A life devoid of love and passion?  How alluring is that?  The illusion of safety may be appealing, but over-protection usually leads to isolation.  Is there a way to shield yourself and still be receptive?  Not that I know […]

Awaken To Awareness: Tips For Dealing With Life

By Nicole Urdang | July 5, 2009
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Transitioning from the person you were to the person you are becoming is like birth: messy, painful, and unpredictable.  Allowing yourself to awaken to awareness, as the yogis say, can be a real boon to the process. What does awakening to awareness really mean?  It’s when you let all the material that lies just beneath […]

Embracing Failure

By Nicole Urdang | June 9, 2009
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A few weeks ago, our minister was welcoming a new baby into the congregation.  He asked us all to help this child fail safely.  What a great concept. This fit so perfectly with one of my pet issues: the importance of nurturing compassion for oneself.  It reminded me of a sermon I heard about a […]

Your Highest Good

By Nicole Urdang | June 8, 2009
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  With each passing day, I believe more deeply that everything is happening for our highest good.  The problem is we can feel mighty low in the moments, days, and months before that becomes apparent.   It’s quite a challenge to remember this optimistic aphorism when feeling lower than a snake’s wiggle, but you can […]

The Most Important Relationship You’ll Ever Have

By Nicole Urdang | May 31, 2009
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  The most important relationship you’ll ever have is with you.  Considering that you are with yourself every minute of every day, why not make this your most loving alliance?   While there are many reasons for not having developed a great bond with yourself, there’s no upside in cataloguing them.  In lieu of focusing […]