I grew up in a small upstate New York town in the afterglow of WWII when the US was economically flourishing. I had the good fortune to live in a peaceful neighborhood, with loving parents and a stable home environment.

Most of us struggle to change habit patterns that cause us pain and confusion. It’s often a “one step forward, two steps back” process. Whether we’re trying to quit smoking or lose weight, end a drug, alcohol or sex addiction, or recover from trauma, we often feel helpless and demoralized when these patterns seem to take over.

This article has insights that are a good preparation for the January/February webinar that begins next Wednesday, the 15th: Emotional Healing Begins in the Present Moment The Buddha said:  “You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.”

I once took a weekend seminar at NalandaWest in Seattle with a wonderful Tibetan teacher, Tsoknyi Rinpoche, author of Open Heart, Open Mind. Rinpoche has a down to earth, humorous way of presenting the teachings, filled with personal anecdotes.