Author: Dina Varano

  • A woman laughing loudly at a diner table while a man sits across from her looking on, surrounded by other restaurant patrons reacting with curiosity

    March 15, 2026
    A candid therapist of mine once called me the Meg Ryan of grief. You know that scene in the movie…

  • December 8, 2025
    A human being has so many skins inside, covering the depths of the heart … Go into your own ground…
  • A lone bare tree silhouetted against a hazy golden sunset over a rubble-strewn urban landscape with ancient temple spires visible in the distance

    August 21, 2024
    When I was 19 years old, I volunteered in a shelter run by the Missionaries of Charity in India. Crowded…
  • Solitary tree silhouetted against a radiant sunrise on an open field, symbolizing awakening, clarity, and inner light

    April 6, 2023
    You will not achieve your happiness. Or rather you will not "achieve" your happiness. I’m not saying it’s impossible for…
  • Man sitting alone in a leather armchair with his hand covering his face, appearing emotionally overwhelmed or distressed

    January 25, 2023
    John sat in the chair practically buzzing. His anxiety was palpable as he described the recent onset of panic whenever…
  • Underwater view looking up through clear teal ocean water toward the shimmering surface, evoking depth, calm, and the subconscious mind

    November 9, 2022
    Hypnosis FAQs The natural healing force within each one of us is the greatest force in getting well. —Hippocrates People…
  • An empty white-paneled screened porch with large windows overlooking a lush green tree canopy under a bright summer sky

    September 16, 2020
    Birdsong punctuates the steady hum of the insects in the background of the conversation I am having with my mother.…
  • Figure in a traditional grass skirt dancing amid a shower of fire sparks and smoke in a nighttime ritual ceremony

    January 19, 2019
    Many years have passed since my former website photo was taken. It feels like lifetimes ago. It probably feels that…
  • Person seated in meditation at the end of a wooden dock, facing a calm alpine lake surrounded by forested mountains reflected in the still water

    September 5, 2018
    Science has easily shown that plants grow healthier and stronger when their caretakers relate to them with kindness. Water forms…
  • Calm river reflecting dense evergreen forest on both banks under a misty overcast sky, evoking stillness and quiet solitude

    April 12, 2018
    A few weeks ago I was housesitting for friends who live along a river. The river snakes around the edge…