Dana Gornall is the co-founder of The Tattooed Buddha and mom of three crazy kids and a dog.She has been writing stories since she could put words into sentences, writing books and poems from early on and is still completely in love with language of all kinds. The desire to connect with people on a deeper level has always been the catalyst for writing and still is every single time she sits down at the computer to bleed her heart onto the page. A sign language interpreter and lover of language, she finds bits of enlightenment in all of those connections. When not working or writing, you can find her lying outside in the dark night gazing up at the millions of stars or dancing in the kitchen with her children. She has written for elephant journal, Yoga International, Rebelle Society and Meet Mindful and Be You Media.
A Merry COVID-giving
By Dana Gornall The holidays were always centered around chaos in my family. As a kid we went to both my maternal grandparents' and paternal grandparents' houses, and celebrated on Christmas morning at home. Then Christmas night we went down the street...
No-See-Ums in Florida
By Dana Gornall Sitting at the table on the outside patio with a cup of coffee, I spot the bug---miniscule---crawling this way and that. My daughter said they were ants, but I'm wasn't sure. My dad calls them, no-see-ums, which seems like a hilarious name...
Resting in the Center Space
By Dana Gornall I set the timer. My hips are propped up on bed pillows---not quite a meditation cushion, but it does the job---I sit, the ceiling fan swishing above my head. The dog sighs. I find that center space quickly tonight...you know the one. The space...
Just an Ordinary Jane Looking for a Bit of Zen in an Extraordinarily Mixed-Up World
By Dana Gornall I'm not a fan of column title changes---to be honest. The left-brained, business minded part of me says consistency is key to success, not to mention hiccups in SEO (search engine optimization) that can poke holes in our site. Mind you, minor...
Acts of God Will Not be Covered
By Dana Gornall "Sunsets, like childhood, are viewed with wonder not just because they are beautiful but because they are fleeting.” ― Richard Paul Evans, The Gift An ordinary day just like any day in March. The air temperature has shifted a bit,...
The Experience of Insight: A Simple and Direct Guide to Buddhist Meditation {Book Review}
By Dana Gornall In 1976 I watched Nadia Comaneci gracefully scale the balance beam in the Summer Olympics. I sat wide-eyed, at four years old, watching her complete each spin, each tumble, and I decided right then I was going to be a gymnast. I begged my...
No, I’m Not a Yoga Teacher
By Dana Gornall "Aren't you a yoga teacher?" I burst into giggles. I was out walking my dog sometime in mid to late July earlier this year and had run into a friend. We walked together for a bit and the conversation somehow circled over to exercise and...
48 Candles
By Dana Gornall If you have seen the 80's movie 16 Candles, you might remember it as a coming of age movie about liking a popular boy, feeling different and invisible and finding that even in confusing times, family is still there. You might also remember it...
A Mother’s Prayer: Whispering Thin Wishes to a Chaotic Universe
By Dana Gornall Growing up Catholic, prayer was a big part of life.Watching my grandmother kneel on the vinyl upholstered thin bench, that I often tried to use as a balance beam while passing time in church, she'd bow her head, a rosary entwined between...
A Hungry Ghost Looking for a Guru at Target
By Dana GornallPushing the cart through Target, I feel my warm breath against the cotton mask, and adjust it, pulling it down a little.I can see it in my line of vision. I swear this mask also clouds my thinking, and yet I don't complain. We are in the...
May I Be Happy: Metta When You are Emotionally Drained
By Dana Gornall I met my friend Kate when I applied for an apprenticeship with Elephant Journal.She was one of the main editors there, and she had this calm, motherly presence about her. She was a few years younger than me, and yet felt wise beyond her...
The Truth of Suffering: When Things Go Wrong
By Dana Gornall Growing up as the only girl on a dead end street, I learned to keep myself entertained.My older brother had friends that lived nearby (other boys) and I tried to play with them but they seldom wanted the little sister around, unless it...
Emerging from the Ashes: Easter During the Pandemic
By Dana Gornall When I was growing up, I loved looking for Easter Sunday shoes.Whether they were white sandals or patent leather shoes with a wide strap that would cross over the foot with a snap, the bottoms were always a little slippery and perfect for...
Meditation Made Steve Jobs’ Brain Better, So What Can it Do for You?
By Dana Gornall The headline jumped out at me for a number of reasons: When Steve Jobs Died at 56 his Brain was Only 27. The words flashed in front of my eyes on my phone. I have a lot of respect for Steve Jobs. I realize there is quite...
Naked in the Zendo {Book Review}
By Dana Gornall We get a lot of books to review at The Tattooed Buddha. As a book lover, it can difficult to decide which ones I want to read and review and which ones I want to pass on to other writers.When Naked in the Zendo came in the mail I knew I...