I’ve rarely heard the words “mission statement” as it relates to individuals. It was just in the last few months in a beautiful Sunday class I’m a part of that this concept was brought forth to me. And not in a work/career way (though this can be a part of it), but rather a soul way. It makes perfect sense – who doesn’t need a compass to refer back to, especially in times of stormy weather and plentiful pain? Having a soul missive to re-read when we are caught outside of ourselves is like touching a hot stove to see if it is still hot – it jolts us back to the present.

So, you think that meditation doesn’t work? That it may relax you for a moment, but then you just jump right back into the insanity of your day? That’s is too hard to do all the time? Well, if you’re into those pesky little studies, there’s a new one on Mindfulness Meditation that’s about to show up in the January 30th issue of Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging.

I felt it crawling up the back of my neck all damn day. Maybe even a couple of days before, though it might have had more of a prickle on the backside of my skull. I knew where I would take it out, and I fought it like it was a malaria-infected mosquito buzzing around my head. I failed.