David Smart 
Growing up, my family and I drove six hours from Dallas, Texas to Fayetteville, Arkansas every year to spend Christmas Eve with our paternal grandparents. Each night my brothers, cousins, and I would sift through a small stockpile of VHS tapes hidden in my paternal grandparents’ closet, trying to decide what movie we should watch. … Read more
I started writing a fiction novel. It’s still unclear what it’s about, but so far, it has a beginning and something of a middle. I’m not sure how it ends, so I’ll find out when I get there. After writing two books about my life, I think I’ll stop there for now. I’ve found that … Read more
I didn’t know what I was looking for,I only knew it was something different. The year was 2015 and I was 23.I’d just quit my job to hike the Pacific Crest Trail.I wasn’t prepared,but something inside me said,“Go on ahead, you’ll be just fine.” It took six months.I walked from Mexico to Canada,met beautiful people,immersed myself … Read more
When I set out to write my first book, I didn’t think much about the quality of my process. Of course, I wanted the book to be good and as well written as possible, but I mean that inwardly, I was going to be the tough guy, determined to do whatever it took to make … Read more
If we are ever feeling stuck in life, whatever that domain might be, developing a renewed perspective of failure can bring a fresh sense of aliveness to this moment. We can step boldly into the darkness, knowing everything is going to be alright. If there is nothing to lose, there is everything to gain. Enjoy: … Read more
Unlearning When we unlearn,we question and deconstructpreviously untouchedbeliefs and biases.We go to the root of thinkingone rung at a time. By examining old ways of thinking,or even letting go of thinking itself,we might find new pathwaysand growth. But the mind is stubborn.It tends to movelaterally or downwardlywhile retaining mostly the same behavior.The content changes,but the … Read more
This topic is usually approached through a psychoanalytic lens. While that’s one useful method, I want to offer a different path, one that acknowledges the aforementioned intellectual, storied, and thought-based perspective while also focusing more on our sensing faculties to cultivate presence. I hope this approach and these words benefit you. “Until you make the … Read more
This week’s self-inquiry goes deep into understanding thought and the true nature of awareness. It requires space and attention to digest properly. It’s two weeks’ worth of content combined into one. I guess I had a lot to write about on these subjects! At the end, I also share some questions for self-examination as well … Read more
When we block boredom,We block creativity.Learning to allow for boredomto enter our experience,allows for creativity to flow.In that moment of boredom,The mind will want to escape,To distract itself from this feeling,And will default to what is easy,the path of least resistance.If we allow the feeling to be as it is,To face and observe boredom,we gain … Read more
If we don’t pay attention,we can allow our practice to become mechanical,to fall dead and dying.Whether it be in our meditation, movement, writing,or even our relationships,the same patterns repeat,things get stuck in the grovesof how they’ve always gone,and the quality of aliveness fades.We can lose our lusterfor that which we already believe to know.This is … Read more