The Mischievous Paradox Lurking Within Enlightenment
Read enough stories on the topic of spiritual awakening and you'll discover a common vein running through all of them: the eradication of the one doing the seeking. Spiritual awakening, writes David Carse, is letting go of "this constant propping up of the belief in yourself as a separate individual self, and in so doing [...]
I, Salmon
The motorist in front of me driving 10mph under the speed limit. An angst-ridden friend on the phone wondering how to increase his company’s sales. The blog post of a young woman bemoaning the absence of a man in her life on Valentine’s Day. A child’s psychosomatic illness because he has again forgotten his homework. [...]
When Universes Collide – Conclusion
In the late 1800s Swiss geologist Albert Heim was enjoying a climb in the Alps when a powerful gust of wind lifted him from the mountain and sent him plummeting to almost certain death. But a peculiar thing happened during his fall: instead of terror Heim experienced an overriding sense of love, joy, peace. “I [...]
What Condition Am I In?
When you think about the sheer volume of conditioning each of us undergoes in this life it is a wonder anyone emerges into any semblance of consciousness. From the moment of conception the conditioning of “me” begins in the form of the biological predilections of mom (egg) and dad (sperm). In that instant the architectural [...]
Forget Good vs. Evil
I just finished Deepak Chopra’s book, “Buddha.” Say what you will about Chopra, but the man has created quite a cottage industry for himself. His other recent book on Jesus was also quite good. These are “fictional histories” not intended to be taken literally, and Chopra does an admirable job of explaining not simply what [...]
Mirror, Mirror….
It took me a long time (we’re talking 40-plus years) to realize that an argument or fight with another is an ideal opportunity for personal growth. Yet for years I did just the opposite, pointing my finger at my partner and desperately trying to show her the error of her ways. “If only YOU hadn’t [...]
From our Suffering Comes Spiritual Growth
As the global economy melts down and stress levels rise, it’s a good time to remind oneself that only in the darkness does real human growth come. Anyone can jet ski around the Bahamas and feel good about the world, much harder to find inner peace in the cold gray days of January with no [...]
There is No Such Thing as a Victim
Your mate cheats on you. You’ve never done anything even remotely like this. You are devastated, outraged, crushed. Over the ensuing months the many flavors of betrayal are played out. Ultimately, your relationship comes to an end and over the succeeding years you “forgive” your mate but never forget. Again and again you replay the [...]
The Mischievous Paradox Lurking Within Enlightenment
Read enough stories on the topic of spiritual awakening and you'll discover a common vein running through all of them: the eradication of the one doing the seeking. Spiritual awakening, writes David Carse, is letting go of "this constant propping up of the belief in yourself as a separate individual self, and in so doing [...]
I, Salmon
The motorist in front of me driving 10mph under the speed limit. An angst-ridden friend on the phone wondering how to increase his company’s sales. The blog post of a young woman bemoaning the absence of a man in her life on Valentine’s Day. A child’s psychosomatic illness because he has again forgotten his homework. [...]
When Universes Collide – Conclusion
In the late 1800s Swiss geologist Albert Heim was enjoying a climb in the Alps when a powerful gust of wind lifted him from the mountain and sent him plummeting to almost certain death. But a peculiar thing happened during his fall: instead of terror Heim experienced an overriding sense of love, joy, peace. “I [...]
What Condition Am I In?
When you think about the sheer volume of conditioning each of us undergoes in this life it is a wonder anyone emerges into any semblance of consciousness. From the moment of conception the conditioning of “me” begins in the form of the biological predilections of mom (egg) and dad (sperm). In that instant the architectural [...]
Forget Good vs. Evil
I just finished Deepak Chopra’s book, “Buddha.” Say what you will about Chopra, but the man has created quite a cottage industry for himself. His other recent book on Jesus was also quite good. These are “fictional histories” not intended to be taken literally, and Chopra does an admirable job of explaining not simply what [...]
Mirror, Mirror….
It took me a long time (we’re talking 40-plus years) to realize that an argument or fight with another is an ideal opportunity for personal growth. Yet for years I did just the opposite, pointing my finger at my partner and desperately trying to show her the error of her ways. “If only YOU hadn’t [...]
From our Suffering Comes Spiritual Growth
As the global economy melts down and stress levels rise, it’s a good time to remind oneself that only in the darkness does real human growth come. Anyone can jet ski around the Bahamas and feel good about the world, much harder to find inner peace in the cold gray days of January with no [...]
There is No Such Thing as a Victim
Your mate cheats on you. You’ve never done anything even remotely like this. You are devastated, outraged, crushed. Over the ensuing months the many flavors of betrayal are played out. Ultimately, your relationship comes to an end and over the succeeding years you “forgive” your mate but never forget. Again and again you replay the [...]