A friend recently introduced me to David Steindl-Rast, a Benedictine Monk who survived Hitler's Germany, emigrated to the U.S. in the 1950s and, today, when he isn't living as a hermit, still gives inspiring talks at nearly 92 years of age. I particularly love this quote, which gets to the core of the problem with [...]

In my garage sit several boxes filled with the after effects of my father's life, including hundreds of photos of unfamiliar faces stretching back to equally unfamiliar places and times. The thing is, nobody is left to interpret those for me anyway, meaning that those 'family' photos are about as meaningful as photos I'd find [...]

I feel compelled to start this post with yet another giant disclaimer: this blog is a confessional not meant to teach anyone anything. As the saying goes, all minds, including the one behind these words, make for wonderful servants but terrible masters. In other words, the mind can't know anything of real value. Two plus [...]

So there's this thing called the 'Perennial Wisdom' that's composed of the accumulated teachings of mystics and masters, gurus and prophets over the ages. You know the types, Jesus of Nazareth, Guatama Buddha, Ramana Maharshi, Teresa of Avila, Lao Zi, Shankara. The core of their teachings lies at the heart of all great religions and [...]

As I see it, we move through this thing called 'my life' until, at some point, our sense of ownership and control over it is exposed as the illusion it's always been. We spend years - decades - believing otherwise; that we have the reins, are making decisions, are responsible for the accomplishments and failures [...]

Think I've shared this before, but in my early teens I kind of got swept up in stories about near-death experiences, about how all over the world and cultures and across history these NDEs have largely shared many of the same traits. And about how various studies have confirmed these patients were indeed dead - [...]

So here's what I can tell you about the spiritual journey in the event you're one of those types who mostly pays lip service to it or barely dips a toe in and might be wondering what some ordinary, every day schmuck like me sees in it. It'll drive you half mad because you're already [...]

I wrote a lengthy, thoughtful, deeply meaningful post on the sages' call to silence - how only in silence can our true nature be discovered, God revealed, peace attained. I clicked 'Save' and the server gave me an error. Followed by a blank screen, all those well-intentioned words obliterated. And there are those who do [...]

I read somewhere that the Truth in mystical teachings is revealed to the degree the reader or listener is ready. Until then, the mind will focus on the meaning of the words themselves, but the wisdom to which they point will be utterly missed. Take, for instance, a central precept to many teachings: to avoid judging [...]

Beginning many years ago, when my suffering sent me to my knees begging god for help, I apparently was granted a few small mercies. In an early morning parking garage: The truth will set you free. In a desert canyon: Know yourself, the rest will take care of itself. And others like them. Problem was [...]