Happy Tuesday, everyone! This is a bit of a promotional post because my new book, Unmasking the Inner Critic: Lessons for Living an Unconstricted Life, is now officially available for purchase! “In Unmasking the Inner Critic, Andrew Lang has created a beautiful and accessible guidebook to help you do the inner work central to the act of being human.” —Brian D. McLaren, author, activist, and teacher with the Center for Action and Contemplation I wrote this book... Read more
(UPDATE: My book, Unmasking the Inner Critic: Lessons for Living an Unconstricted Life has now been released! You can check it out here.) If you’re anything like me, I bet you have a creative and innovative history of developing negative inner narratives for yourself. You know the kind: the stories of terror you tell yourself about yourself. Because in an imperfect world, none of us come away unscarred. We respond to what we see and experience by creating illusions of our... Read more
There are two paths in life I always want to keep my eyes on. The Path of the Curmudgeon The first is the path of non-intentionality. This is the path taken by folks who ignore their inner work, reject therapy because they “don’t have a problem” and instead opt to skim over the surfaces of their lives. This is the path of institutions that claim the word “traditional” as a way of hiding from change and for whom... Read more
We’ve all been handed ratchets. You’ve probably used one before – a ratchet is a tool designed to tighten nuts and bolts with ease (sometimes called a socket wrench). Using a mechanical gear and teeth, they work in one continuous direction – there’s no going backwards, which makes them easy to gain leverage with and easy to operate. The thing is: we’ve all been handed emotional ratchets. And you’ve probably used these before as well. You know the experience: someone slights... Read more
Last month I had a conversation with Agrita over at the Mind Full of Every Thing Podcast about sacred space and inner work. During our conversation, I found myself sharing this story: When I first started leading workshops, I would guide people in a visualization practice. I would ask folks to close their eyes and imagine themselves walking along a path outside on a warm sunny day. “Picture yourself walking along a wooded trail…it’s not too hot, not too cold…the... Read more
We crossed into the town, exhaustion in each of our steps. This stretch of the Camino had brought us through 16 miles of industrial areas and highway onramps, following nothing but spray painted arrows and the occasional image of a scallop marking the direction of our destination (as is custom along the Camino de Santiago.) Coming to a stop at the first intersection, we hopefully glanced left and right. No arrows in sight. No scallops pointing the way. But we... Read more
I can think of a few in my personal life – the folks who I’ve learned deep lessons from. The kinds of lessons that shape a life, a way of seeing, a way of experiencing the world. The thing about wisdom teachers is they can’t be grasped and held onto; they come and go with the seasons. Their wisdom speaks to us in the moments of our lives when we’re able to hear…and then the moment moves on and we... Read more
When I was younger, I had several teachers who served as mentors for me – perhaps you did too. They were the ones who led by example, inviting me to understand more about myself, the world around me, and how to use my voice in it. And as an educator for the past seven years, I’ve seen from the other side the impact a good teacher can make in a person’s life. Unfortunately, when I moved into adulthood, I learned... Read more
As I wrote about last month, I’m heading out on the Camino de Santiago on pilgrimage for all of September. My dad and I will be walking about 250 miles of the northern route along the coastline before dropping down into Santiago. And to pay homage to my radical tendencies: I’m bringing zero technology. No phone No headphones No beard trimmer Just me, my walking gear, and reality. Disappearing for a Bit Because of this trip, I’ve decided to... Read more
(UPDATE: Unmasking the Inner Critic: Lessons for Living an Unconstricted Life is out now! Grab a copy here.) I am beyond excited to finally announce the big news here on Patheos: my new book, Unmasking the Inner Critic: Lessons for Living an Unconstricted Life, will be coming out on November 1st! If you follow me on Instagram or are a part of my newsletter crew, you’ve been hearing about this for a little bit as I’ve given progress updates throughout the... Read more
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