The Wake Up Call for Lawyers

What does it mean to approach each moment, each day, as if it’s the most ordinary day? How would it feel to do that? 

And what if it’s not an ordinary day? What if it’s the day of a big trial, or your…

The Wake Up Call @499

Ten years ago, the Wake Up Call was an unlikely dream, of a place for those of us who were practicing both law and mindfulness, to be together. And here we are, at Wake Up Call #…

I sometimes think the world would run more smoothly if I were in charge. Or let’s face it: I often think that. Do you? 

The problem, or one problem (because there are many), with this kind of thinking…

There are people in the world who, at first glance (or second, or third), don’t seem to me to deserve positive regard. At all. Maybe there are people like that for you, too.

But in an ancient tale, fi…

Even when my intellect and emotional life feel like they’re in tune, I still have so many old, internal, tangles in my mind. And in any given moment, those tangles can cause me to tense up, grab hold…

 What happens for you when your body or mind signals that it’s time to relax, and you pay attention to the signal? From a Netflix perspective, it might be just that: turn something on; turn off all t…

I feel like we’re trying, every day, to be kind, and ethical, and to serve well. We’re even taking the time to cultivate these qualities.

And I also feel like when we fail, it’s hard. And even harder …

Pretty difficult moment, and here we are at the 4th of July. How many more of these will we celebrate?

But that’s not so much my question. My question is more about how I can do my best to be kind and…

In Zimbabwe, there’s almost 90% unemployment. In South Africa, there are the remnants of apartheid. America has cancelled US AID to the poorest of poor, and is about to tax a huge lifeline: money tha…

I wonder about the power of generosity to  set the tone of the law, or change it.

Right now, we’re everyone to their corner and then knives out. What if we could be passionately on the sides of client…

Recently I said something snarky and it got back to the person.For the whole day, I dreaded what would happen. When the worst did happen, I felt even worse: a slow, painful remembering of how imperfe…

Are we “cultivating” love, compassion, and joy, or do we already have plenty and just need to access it?
 
If we have plenty, and just need to learn how to access it, what’s in the way of doing that? F…

There’s “ordinary” news: market whiplash; leadership/not leadership; greed, hatred, and delusion.
 
But there’s sweet news, too: the child of a friend and benefactor who cleans houses for living - a ch…

When I feel committed, it gives me purpose, energy, direction. But to fulfill my commitment, especially if someone else is committed to the opposite cause, I need to understand all angles, all sides.…

Signaling that we’re mindful, whether we’re speaking, writing, posting, or messaging, is simple.

There’s no lying, denying, or blame. There’s no harm done. We’re remembering that what we say and do, m…

What is an appropriate response when I get something I don’t want, or don’t get what I do want?

Bully the person I “think” is responsible? Chastise, criticize, frighten, and ruin them I’m following th…

I don’t know what we can do in this moment except stay in the boat, and when we get tossed into the ocean, grab the hull and crawl back inside to safety. That’s how it feels to me right now.

But I won…

Emotions are running high. Western mindfulness, quoting Rumi, says, ill will, anger, even hate: “Welcome and entertain them all….They may be clearing us out for some new delight.”

The ancient mindfuln…