By and large, at least for most of us, it seems very important that we appear strong in the eyes of others. That no one can push us around. That should we wish it… we have the power to pretty much take what we want. So we try to gather to ourselves the symbols of this “strength” that we imagine: […]

As we enter the holiday season, we celebrate the miracle of transformation as darkness begins to give way to the light. It’s a great turning, a change in direction, physically represented by the winter solstice, when (in the northern hemisphere) days stop growing shorter, and the hours of sunshine begin to increase. Every major religion acknowledges this celestial change, and […]

Cultures around the world set aside a day each year to express gratitude. Depending on the culture, the date varies, but it’s usually held around harvest time, when people have reaped the bounties of the earth, and pause to reflect on the goodness of life. Thanksgiving celebrations are held throughout Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Americas. I’m thinking about this […]

As I write this, it is early September. Later in the month, in the northern hemisphere, it will be the autumnal equinox, the day when summer ends and fall begins. You can already feel the difference in the air. The mornings are cooler. On some of the trees the leaves are already turning to flame. It made me think about […]

Throughout the sacred texts we repeatedly find the idea that there are two aspects to a human being. There is the earth aspect, living as any other creature in the world, fulfilling the needs of nature; living and dying. And then there is a higher aspect, capable of knowing the lower consciously, and at the same time realizing its alignment […]

We all love mysteries. And they can be fun to solve. But there’s one mystery that’s so much more than a simple diversion. Its solution can connect us to untold resources for solving problems, both our own and the problems of the world. It’s the greatest mystery of all, and the one with the greatest transformational power… It’s the mystery […]

Most of us have known many different kinds of love. There’s the love of sweethearts. The love of children and family. The love of the things we do, and of our homeland. These are personal and changeable loves. And then there’s a love not so easy to define. It’s a love without an object — in which we do not […]

It’s spring! This is a time for new beginnings, new hope, and new appreciation for the endless possibilities we are given each moment to start over. The power of spring lends us the fresh forces we need to break through and to let go of old patterns. The possibility of making a brand new beginning in life is never greater […]

With all the peace talks, global conferences, and demonstrations for peace that have been taking place around the world for what seems like millennia, wouldn’t you think that by now… there might be a little peace on earth? But human history tells a sad story: promising fits and starts that too soon fizzle away, leaving no lasting accord. Truth be […]

There is a perennial theme that weaves its way throughout all wisdom teachings: we human beings have come to believe that the ability to hide a limitation is the same as having transcended it. Of course, this is a lot like thinking that if we close our eyes the stalking tiger won’t see us! And we all know how that […]