Insight and Energy

06/10/2026

Are you confused about how people can have beliefs that are so irrational (or appear to be)? Are you worried about where our country's mental health and society as a whole are headed?

𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿: https://smpl.ro/child-society-fb

Would you like to find out how to be a positive influence, while also better understanding others and yourself?

This webinar includes discussion of the source of conspiracy theories and the reason people move towards authoritarian choices for government.

The presentation and conversation will be about how we got here and how to improve things through real connections and self-knowledge. The result is to help make ourselves and those around us happier and healthier. Can you join us in that conversation?

Saturday, June 13 · 11am – 1pm ET Does it seem confusing and strange how American society, and to some degree many societies around the world, h...

06/06/2026

See other events: https://smpl.ro/wsp-fall-fb

Join me for a live, online presentation and conversation: how multiple factors shape our society, including our childhood and our choices as adults.

The presentation and conversation will be about how we got here and how to improve things through real connections and self-knowledge. The result is to help make ourselves and those around us happier and healthier.

05/25/2026

I would like to share with you my appreciation of a William Carlos Williams poem, "The Red Wheelbarrow".

But I will also share a small glimpse into the life I sometimes live in the Zen world, which is actually everywhere, but which is my special focus when I am at the Zen Mountain Monastery in Mt. Tremper, near Woodstock, NY.

Here is the William Carlos Williams poem:

so much depends
upon

a red wheel
barrow

glazed with rain
water

beside the white
chickens

******************

It requires a certain receptiveness to get what the poem is saying.

The simple imagery, and even the arrangement of the words and the white spaces between pairs of lines, all contributes to an experience that is the real poem behind the poem.

It is, for me, an American version of the Japanese haiku concept.

*** 𝗚𝗲𝘁 𝗺𝘆 𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝘄𝘀𝗹𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲: https://insightandenergy.simplero.com/page/210705 ***

So much depends on this very moment. It is even true for not just a red wheelbarrow, but also for a gray-brown wheelbarrow, next to some freshly growing plants. It has been there for two weeks, sitting patiently.

When the mind slows down and stops worrying where the next distraction, pleasure, or worry will come from, the world is amazing, as it is. Can we appreciate these moments, hours, and days?

For the last eight years, I have spent many mornings and evenings at the Zen Mountain Monastery in Mt. Tremper, near Woodstock, meditating and sharing in the community. I go back to Long Island for long weekends, and then return upstate.

Before that, for 40 years I have been in other practice communities, mostly in New York City.

What does this add up to? There is a "peace that passes all understanding" infusing not only this harmonious place, but everywhere.

It is all in the Mind! It is a peace not from avoidance of stress, but a peace that is a fundamental aspect of our human nature, and it is always present.

And beyond that is a realization that even the idea of "peace" cannot be held onto.

The idea of "peace" limits the true and ultimate freedom of our mind which we know when the mind is not stuck on any one thing.

Let's talk about all this: Zen and most important, what life can be.

05/09/2026

𝗦𝗢𝗟𝗩𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝗦𝗢𝗖𝗜𝗘𝗧𝗬, 𝗙𝗜𝗡𝗗𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗦𝗨𝗣𝗣𝗢𝗥𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗣𝗘𝗔𝗖𝗘

𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙕𝙚𝙣, 𝙉𝙤𝙣𝙫𝙞𝙤𝙡𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝘾𝙤𝙢𝙢𝙪𝙣𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙁𝙞𝙛𝙩𝙮 𝙔𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙋𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙘𝙚 𝙃𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙏𝙖𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙈𝙚 𝘼𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙊𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙋𝙤𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙡 (𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙋𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙡) 𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙛𝙡𝙞𝙘𝙩

Many people in this country are struggling to pay bills let alone to thrive. In addition, the strong disagreement of belief systems in politics, science, and health issues creates a background of conflict that can make it harder to progress in solving our problems together, as a unified society. And the conflict adds to everyone’s stress.

So what to do? 𝗕𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗯𝗹𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗼𝗻𝗲 (if you were going to do so), let’s talk.

Being positive in our perception and behavior towards other people makes life better. May I share with you how I see that applying, in quite a practical way, to things that are going on in the United States?

𝗧𝘄𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝗜 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗮𝗿𝗲:
1) it is easy to find individuals or groups to blame for any problem.
2) attaching blame does not fix problems, while exploring to understand causes can be helpful.

What I see online, and hear occasionally from people around me, is that “the others” are idiots, or are ignorant, or are intentionally destructive or even evil. Seeing that kind of sentiment expressed makes me wish that we could all see a better way.

If you stop thinking about “the others” as idiots, crazy, or evil, you can start to realize that is 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗲𝗹𝘀𝗲 𝗴𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗻!

I offer a different way to perceive and understand what is going on that is more real, and more helpful.

𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹 𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗹𝗲: https://www.insightandenergy.com/sosfasp

04/14/2026

How do you find peace of mind along with meaningful engagement? Join me in these interactive sessions (LINK IS IN THE COMMENTS) to explore communication, Zen, and understanding of today's society and how we shape the world we are in.

04/08/2026

Read more (and sign up): https://smpl.ro/nvc-intro-fb

How would you like all of your relationships and connections to be more joyful, more authentic, and less stressful?

Find out about the wonderful approach called Nonviolent Communication. On Saturday, May 2nd from 11am to 1pm ET, we will be having an interactive webinar that is both experiential and informative. You are very invited.

I am a licensed psychotherapist who has studied communication, especially Nonviolent Communication (NVC). I use that approach when helpful with couples, and want to share it with you. The fee for attending is $25 for a two-hour interactive online session.

11/04/2025

We voted. Recommended for everyone.

05/17/2025

You can still join this event (11am ET) if you are you interested in developing more peace, clarity, and energy in your life. Or have you ever been curious about what Zen REALLY is? Read more and sign up here: https://smpl.ro/zenintrofb. The webinar is free and interactive.

Zen and Buddhism are the study of our human nature, and not concerned with mysteries or forces outside of ourselves. Find out more, if you are interested. I would love to see you in our meeting!

04/01/2025

See the free online events that are coming up: http://smpl.ro/offersfb

The current announced offerings are:
* Modern Zen and Buddhism 101
* Karma and Finding Your Liberated Mind

Join our events and check out our other offers. Get access to resources that will give you insight and energy to experience a better life.

03/24/2025

When feeling joyful, practice gratitude. When feeling pain, practice compassion.

This will help each of us expand beyond the limitations of the small mind. Finally we can realize that the small mind is the expression in this moment of our immense capacity as human beings, like beautiful waves on the ocean.