One can’t be mad at the mind for being unable to fulfill the desires of the heart or the Soul. It has nothing to offer because it spends all of its existence in a territory that doesn’t intersect, in a land that speaks a completely different language – thus no solace to offer. Only in silence can a bridge be built. Take No Thought. Instead, seek direct experience; this is the truth against which nothing can assail. If we become … Continue reading →
I woke up this morning in a bit of a slump, nothing serious, just ‘ho hum’. On the heels of ‘ho hum’ I realized that I’ve carried a fantasy (for more years then I’d like to admit) that I hoped one day to become a great writer. Hot on the heels of this thought was the recognition that such a hope had more to do with desiring to have a purpose or to produce something of value, then passion for … Continue reading →
The beauty of living in a small town, of having space around me is there is space to hear myself think. Normally that wouldn’t be a good thing, for my thoughts can lead me down crazy paths of worry and obsession. But just as it is difficult for me to hear others if they are shouting seeking to be heard, my ‘still small voice’ can get lost in the shouting of a busy life. Hearing myself think can lead me … Continue reading →
Over the years I’ve recognized that my ability to turn to God (or turn within) as a means of calming my disturbance hasn’t always been automatic. In the beginning I was a bit hard-headed, and full of fear, seeking to find solutions that ‘made sense’ or wouldn’t necessarily require complete surrender (for fear of losing something I treasured). Eventually, I would find my way back to understanding that being at peace was more important to me than winning at the … Continue reading →
Becoming a Spiritual Seeker can originate from one of two ways – either from outside circumstances, such as pain, failure, humiliation, or profound powerlessness or hopelessness, a brokenness that leads to surrender. Or from within – a call, deep sense of dissatisfaction, feeling of emptiness, or desire for ‘something more’ that can’t be named or described. Both paths spring from a sense of lack, and recognition that we don’t know the solution. Some Souls are more stubborn then others, demanding … Continue reading →
I’ve never been in a war, never been under fire (literally), so I can’t assert the truth or falseness of the statement: “There are no atheists in fox-holes.” But I have lived in my own version of fox-holes, have found my way into and out of them, and can assert that I’m not an atheist. An atheist is SURE there is no God. Well I’m sure there is – but I can’t convince you of this, life convinced me, the … Continue reading →
For as long as there have been humans, there have been people who debate the existence of a God or Spirit of the Universe. Some have asserted that God is merely an opiate for the masses (thank you Karl Marx) serving as a crutch for those who live life as sheep. Others have asserted that God (S/He) has always been, pointing to the creation of the Universe as evidence that there is a Source for all of Life, and thus … Continue reading →
In moments of peace and tranquility, it is difficult to imagine that there is any moment but this one. Walking on the sand at night, watching the waves crest gently, flow into the shore, catching glimpses of the moon reflected upon the foam or deeper within the water, spying a flash of glowing protoplasm sparkling in the darkness, we become mesmerized. The gentle push and pull of the wave, as it crashes down and pulls itself back out into the … Continue reading →
It has become the norm in liberal society to admonish each other to remain Open-Minded – to be willing to see the other person’s viewpoint, to be open to new experiences, and ways of being in the world. We’d like to believe that we do this exceptionally well, but in truth, probably most of us average a C+. But as a mentor once told me, awareness is 90% — so if we are aware we desire to be open-minded, we … Continue reading →
Last week I rediscovered the magic of speaking the Language of the Heart. Coupled with Keeping it Green, I sought to be present to myself, to tell on myself, to describe my inward condition. Yesterday’s spiritual insight was sufficient for that day, but not for the moment I was in – I sought to connect with my innermost self, to express myself, and felt in that moment the link-up with others in the room. In Quaker practice during Meeting for … Continue reading →
