MSI Press Blog

  Let’s begin with a confession: I used to think emotions were like weather—unpredictable, inconvenient, and best endured quietly until they passed. I preferred the sturdiness of logic, the clarity of action, the safety of detachment. But somewhere between caregiving crises, spiritual retreats, and late-night porch conversations with my multigenerational household, I began to suspect that emotions weren’t interruptions to growth—they were the curriculum. Emotions as Teachers, Not Tourists We often treat emotions like uninvited guests. Anger? Slam the door. Grief? Hide the good china. Joy? Let it in, but only if it promises not to rearrange the furniture. But what if emotions aren’t visitors at all? What if they’re residents—part of the architecture of our inner lives? Personal growth isn’t a tidy staircase. It’s more like a spiral—revisiting old wounds with new wisdom, circling back to joy with deeper reverence. Emotions guide that spiral. They point to what matters, what hurts...

  Precerpt (excerpt prior to publication) from   Pathways to Inner Peace  by Diane Dreher, currently available on pre-order. TAKING A MINDFUL PAUSE WEEK 1, DAY 6 Taking a mindful pause throughout our days can help us overcome the constant rushing of the hurry sickness and restore our oneness with the present moment. Many of us are caught up in hurry because we cram too many activities into our days. Pausing to reflect at the end of the day and mindfully review the next day’s plans can bring us greater perspective.  If tomorrow’s schedule looks too busy, we can delay, delegate, or delete some tasks to make our day more manageable. We can also pause throughout the day, taking slow, deep, mindful breaths to become more present. My colleague Andre Delbecq, former dean of Santa Clara’s business school, used to encourage busy Silicon Valley CEOs to pause each morning for a mindful moment before getting out of their cars at work in order to be more fully present that ...

  Precerpt (excerpt prior to publication) from   Pathways to Inner Peace  by Diane Dreher, currently available on pre-order. STRESS SKILLS WEEK 1, DAY 3 Today’s practice is a two-step process you can use whenever you’re feeling stressed. Your natural stress reaction can help you survive in an emergency—you can run away from a wild animal or jump out of the way of a speeding car. But most of the time, this stress reaction does not serve you. Problems with work, home repairs, bills, or relationships cannot be solved with the stress reaction of fight, flight, or freeze. if your stress reaction becomes constant, it can tense your muscles, shut down your digestive and immune systems, keep you from thinking clearly, and compromise your physical and emotional health. The good news is that instead of surrendering to constant stress, you can take charge of your life. By recognizing when you’re feeling stressed and responding more mindfully, you can create a new reality for yo...