Apathy...it's a good thing.

This past Saturday I was seated on my yoga mat and I was intrigued by the morning's dharma talk.

The topic was 'Apathy'.

Almost all of us are familiar with the concept of being apathetic. In political and social circles individuals displaying apathetic traits are referred to as being indifferent or lacking emotion. In American culture the presence of apathy is deemed to be a negative quality in a person. The apathetic person is stigmatized as not caring, depressed and unenlightened.

The yoga teacher went on to say that in the yoga tradition the act of being apathetic is a value one is to be inspired to attain through mindfulness and meditation.

The yoga interpretation of apathy speaks to the strength and depth of one's ability to remain solidly connected to their inner peace and to be unaffected by the turmoil that emanates from those circulating around them in a caustic, negative and aggressive manner.

The bottom line is that to cradle apathy really means that you know your core convictions and you are stable and unwavering in your ability to stay your course even in the midst of a hot headed, disarming and volatile person.

Need I say more, in order for an analogy to divorce to be self-evident?

The divorce mediation session can become a loud, finger pointing and accusatory space, which can drain the energy out of any couple. As mediators, we strive to refocus and reframe our client's mindset so that they tap into their inner peace.

Please, do not misunderstand...being in touch with one's core needs and self esteem does not translate into being indifferent and without a voice. The intensity and clarity of what one wants and needs can be formidable. Our commitment to our clients is to provide an environment within which each person can speak their truth without judgment.

Mediate for Life is situated to help draw out from our clients what they organically need and want for themselves. It is not optimum to explode as a reactionary outburst in retaliation for another's strong abusive language and derailing objectives. We are here to allow you to hear and be heard.