I’m about to step on what sometimes seems like the third rail of spirituality in the contemporary world, and talk about prayer. But before you decide to click on something more appealing, let me say at the outset that I understand and sympathize greatly with those who want nothing to do with that word. Read More
Is the pandemic over, or not? Are we safe in returning to something like our pre-pandemic routine, or do we still have to wait? Read More
In his 1977 film Annie Hall, Woody Allen’s character, Alvy Singer, says to the title character, played by Diane Keaton, “I’ve spent fifteen years in therapy. I’m gonna give him one more year, and then I’m going to Lourdes.” (The famous Roman Catholic healing site in France.) Read More
It used to be that when people heard about meditation, they often pictured someone with long hair and a beard, wearing Eastern-style clothes and a string of beads around their neck, sitting cross-legged in an excruciating posture like a pretzel, eyes closed and chanting some unfamiliar words. Read More
This is the time of year when there’s always a lot of talk about light in the air. Read More
I remember my first communion. I was thirteen, and it came after three endless years of confirmation class. I was primed for it to be a big event: not only joining the mystical body of Christ as a full, adult member of the church—a sort of Lutheran bar mitzvah—but also my first taste of wine. Maybe the top of my head would be blown off by some great revelation. I didn’t know what to expect. Read More
Do you have any problems? Then meditation may not be the right thing for you. That might seem to be the message that’s emerging from some sources that are pushing back against the increasing popularity of meditation over the last decade or more, especially under the banner of “mindfulness,” which has become a buzzword in spiritual and therapeutic circles. Read More
Nonetheless, having a few hints and suggestions to try out does no harm. So I want to offer here some ideas that I’ve found useful—not so much to say “do this” as “try something like this,” in your own way. Read More
For at least 2,500 years, there was general agreement in spiritual circles around the world that some form of meditation was the best, quickest, most powerful way to deepen and transform the mind and gain access to the wiser, more real self within. Read More
We all have addictions, big or little…. We might, for example, be addicted to our own point of view, causing unnecessary harm through bigotry or hypocrisy. We might be addicted to coming in first, or never trying because it is all too hard. We might be addicted to getting people to say nice things about us, or making them angry with us so we can blame them for our misery…. In the end, we are addicted to our own self-pity. Read More
One of the main points about Buddhist teachings is that we can change our minds for the better. “Better” … means being in balance…. It means we accept the world for what it is and ourselves for what we are…. It means we give up the blame game…. It means accepting the things we cannot change and doing something about the things we can change, whether…inside our heads or outside in our homes and environment. Read More
Building bridges between the different aspects of our human nature has been something of a passion of mine. Read More
