MSI Press Blog

  Recently released: the audiobook edition of the popular book, A Guide to Bliss by Shai Tubali. Book description: This practical guide and the method presented in it are based on a very simple principle: all our negative emotional and mental states are the result of our currently limited and contracted mind; when we expand our mind, these states dissolve. A Guide to Bliss is a rich introduction to the 'Expansion Method' that has already gained popularity in German-speaking countries and Israel. The book leads the reader carefully through the practice, illuminating the way by the direct experience of practitioners of the method and the extensive philosophy behind it. Whether determining your next step in business, clearing away some sad memory, or just improving general well-being, all you need is to systematically tap into the tremendous potential of your own mind, as shown in this guide. BOOK AWARD LITERARY TITAN GOLD AWARD Paperback copies of this book can be purchased at ...

  BOREDOM “Behold, I am making all things new.” --Revelations 21: 5   We often use slogans to guide us through life’s complexity. I recently learned two slogans popular among young people today. YOLO: “You only live once.” It proclaims that we have only this one precious and wild life. So, we must make the most of it. This maxim reiterates the ancient wisdom, “Life is short.” Take advantage of our allotted time. A second piece of complimentary guidance is FOMO: “Fear of missing out.” There is a sense of urgency to fill our brief time here with stimulating activities. We want to cram as many experiences as possible in our available time. Only then can we feel satisfied and happy. We Americans assume that a fast-moving, active life is a fulfilled life. “An idle mind is the workshop of the devil,” a time-honored epithet reminds us. A boring life is a useless one. We want to do as much as we can as quickly as we can. Our goal is to be productive and efficient. We confess...

  You cannot write a blog day in and day out without once in a while becoming personal. Last week was personal. CB (my Charge Syndrome son who makes me a septaguanarian single mom) and I took off for Sacramento, about a three-hour drive last week to watch my grandson, Nicholas (had to have that name - he was born December 25), graduate from UC Davis in electrical engineering. Not sure how the "baby" became the "engineer" overnight! Neko, though, went through the covid years in high school -- and did not get a high school graduation -- and spent the first year in college learning long-distance before things settled down out here in California. Still finished in four years, though, which apparently is an accomplishment for science degrees.  Oh, yes! That hair is real. Like his father's before him (before his dad, my older son, had to crop it when CHP hired him). Neko is taking a few months off to figure out his next steps (working, probably). Clearly, he is as st...

  SMILE An old friend recently died. I met Jean and her husband 60 years ago at our parish. I was a young seminarian, and they were active parishioners. We often prayed together at church and in their home. The depth of their faith inspired me. They nurtured my vocation. Last week, Jean died at the ripe old age of 102. Regrettably, I had lost contact with Jean and her husband for many years. During that time, her husband, three of her children, and many family and friends had passed away. When I reconnected with Jean two years ago, she was bedridden with severe dementia. Each of our visits followed a ritual. She asked, “Who are you?” I told her my name. She then enquired, “Why are you here?” “To visit you,” I responded. “Why do you want to visit me?” she asked. “Because you are a beautiful person, and I love you,” I said. Then, she smiled. With every visit, I looked forward to that smile. She never failed me. Even in our last visit a month before she died, she could not speak o...

  Excerpt from  Anxiety Anonymous  by Dr. Dennis Ortman --  Introduction   “Whoever can see through all fear will always be safe.” —Tao Te Ching  In our fast-paced society, living with stress seems normal. There is so much to do and so little time to do it. You may rationalize the stress as the inevitable price of ambition and success.  What you call stress is really anxiety. It is your fearful, nervous reaction to the many challenges of your life. That anxiety may escalate and persist to the point that you tell yourself: “I’m powerless over my anxiety, and my life has become unmanageable because of it.”   If your anxious reactions become harmfully excessive and beyond your control, you have crossed a line. You have become addicted to your anxiety. You experience it as powerful as any drug, taking over your life.  Nancy’s Story   Tonight was a special night for Nancy. She planned a surprise thirtieth birthday dinner...