Dr. Howell’s Reflections
Everyday, Dr. Howell writes a reflection, inquiry prompt, and a prayer.
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Holding Our Breath
February 29, 2024
“It was so beautiful that it took my breath." Have you uttered those words when you saw something so stunningly beautiful that you gasped with amazement? When we come upon something shockingly beautiful, our amygdala, the small part of our brain that senses sudden differences in our environment, sends the following warning to the brain: "What you see is out of the ordinary; get ready to run or fight." So, we gasp for more oxygen to fly away or fight through. But quickly, we perceive that the difference is an unexpected pleasure, not a threat, so we soon relax into the beauty before us.
Holding Our Breath
February 28, 2024
The Hollywood film "Waiting to Exhale" (1995) is based on a novel by Terry McMillan. It's about upwardly mobile African American women and their relationships with married men. Each character has its own way of holding their breath until they land a relationship with a man who commits to them.
Holding Our Breath
February 27, 2024
We have all heard the expression, "I am not holding my breath while waiting for it to happen." This means that, regardless of promises or predictions, we don't think it will happen, at least in the foreseeable future. In other words, if I hold my breath waiting for it to happen, I'd likely die of oxygen deprivation first.
Holding Our Breath
February 26, 2024
We have all heard the expression, "I am not holding my breath while waiting for it to happen." This means that, regardless of promises or predictions, we don't think it will happen, at least in the foreseeable future. In other words, if I hold my breath waiting for it to happen, I'd likely die of oxygen deprivation first.
Holding Our Breath
February 25, 2024
A well-known expression is: "I am holding my breath." This means we're hoping the outcome is what we want, but we are unsure. We have such high expectations that our wish will come true that we suspend our breath in anticipation of the outcome.
Holding Our Breath
February 24, 2024
I remember a game we used to play when we were kids. Whether in a swimming pool or the ocean, someone would say, "I can hold my breath longer than you!" Then everyone would take a deep breath, hold their nose, and duck beneath the surface. The longer we stayed under, our lungs felt like they were on fire. You remember the game; the loser was the first to resurface and gasp for breath. The ones who held their breath the longest won the contest.
The Other
February 23, 2024
There are several categories of people that I tend to other. I am not proud of it, but I tend to other people whose yards are full of parked, rusty cars that no longer run. . Usually, such yards also have other clutter. I other people who look down on my religious beliefs. I tend to other those who do not seem to live the beliefs they espouse. I other people who are aggressive.
The Other
February 22, 2024
Do you recall a time when you were othered? It could have been in your school years, on the job, or in your neighborhood, but you knew you were excluded, shunned, or ignored. When othered, we feel defective, different, or inferior. Many of us can recall the painful times when we were othered, and the pain comes right back as if it were happening now.
The Other
February 21, 2024
Most of my Christian behaviors and attitudes, such as being polite, honest, kind, and trying to love my neighbors, were accepted values of the culture into which I was born. Therefore, many of these attitudes and behaviors were not intentionally “Christlike” but were enculturated. However, I saw these attitudes differently after beginning my journey into wholeness and consciousness.
The Other
February 19, 2024
When we "other" someone, we are not necessarily looking down on them. Sometimes, when we other someone, it is to set them apart and above us. There is a well-known phrase used a lot in the dating world: "They are out of my league." This phrase asserts that "the other" is better than they are and that they would never be considered their equal.
Fun
February 14, 2024
One of the opposites of fun is grief. In soul work, there are two major categories of grieving. One is ego grieving, and the other is soul grieving. The unconscious ego grieves over our losses from an egocentric stance. The soul, however, grieves losses under the umbrella of spiritual surrender, a function of soul-centricity. The core qualities of these two griefs are very different.
Fun
February 13, 2024
My father was an outstanding provider for our family and was a perfect embodiment of the Protestant Ethic. He worked hard all day and didn't tolerate me and my brother sitting idly watching television. He always said to us, "Television is the greatest vice perpetrated on the American public!" He finally gave up his struggle to keep the TV off. For Dad, having fun was a waste of time, and he thought it replaced work all too often.
