Adult attachment theory is a tool for a better understanding of ourselves and others. Learning about ourselves and becoming more aware is a crucial first step in understanding how we typically respond to closeness, intimacy, and emotional needs in relationships. It is not a perfect tool, as we are complex beings, but it is a good start when it comes to relationships, both romantic and other. And we know that good, honest relationships are essential for our well-being and happiness. This is the second part of the attachment series. The first, available here, was an intro to this subject. In this post, I will discuss the importance of understanding attachment styles and cover each in detail. In the next, I will focus on the dynamics of different combinations of attachment styles.
While, for many, the holiday season is all about joy and happiness and (re)connecting, it brings anxiety and stress for some. This happens for many reasons, including spending time with friends and family we don't often see eye to eye. A spiritual teacher, Ram Dass, once said, 'If you think you're enlightened, go and spend the week with your family.' Still, the challenges are often opportunities to learn and change. Last year, I wrote about ‘navigating the holiday season using Buddhist principles’. This year, I will focus on a more contemporary type of wisdom offered by Social Psychology and the theory of perspective-taking.
Trauma seems to be a buzzword in yoga and wellness circles lately, with various modalities, from movement and breathwork to chanting and various ceremonies, advertised as trauma healing. However, can trauma be something we can move, breathe, sing or dance out? Of course, it is not that simple. When it comes to something as complex as trauma, there are no one-size-fits-all solutions. While a particular asana, breathing pattern, or any other practice or technique might be healing for one person, it can be triggering for another.
Today's Earth Day falls on a New Moon day, and new moons symbolise a chance for a new beginning, a fresh new start, a much-needed change. It’s almost as if the Universe is telling us it’s never too late or too early to change our ways and start anew. Just as Mama Nature does. Everything in Nature is cyclic; a constant rhythm of death and rebirth, a constant pattern of change.
A stray dog followed us a few days ago as we walked home from the beach. She seemed scared but decided to trust us and follow us home. We fed her and let her take shelter to rest and sleep on our terrace. She was restless at first and would startle at every louder sound, but after a while, she relaxed.
I am sitting at an airport lounge waiting for my flight back to Europe, contemplating the last couple of days. After my psychotherapy training and completion ceremony in Mendocino, I decided to stay in San Francisco for a few days and revisit the city I loved and knew quite well, as I spent a month here in 2005.
Even though we shouldn't dwell in the past but always face forward, I believe reflecting on what was is important. History is a great teacher; it provides information and insight so we can easier put the pieces of the puzzle together, and even though the future is still unknown, we can use the lessons learned yesterday to create a brighter tomorrow.
Today and this weekend, we celebrate Earth day (April 22-24). Of course, we should be celebrating the wonder and beauty of our home every day, but this weekend we are reminded to do so even more. We should all spend a day or an entire weekend somewhere in nature, reconnecting to Mother Earth, teaching our children the importance of being in nature, of loving and preserving our home.
photography: Sanjin Kastelan / web design; Nina Vukas
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