I sat on the bench of a picnic table. A short distance in front of me, a steep hillside dropped down to a stream of blue water fed by glaciers. Further on the horizon were majestic mountains. For about two hours, I enjoyed this view while watching the skies change.… Read More »Expanding Awareness
My understanding of life has changed a great deal since I was a child. I remember learning about evolution in grade school. The evolution of life on Earth was depicted as a seamless process with one form of life evolving to the next until human beings emerged. I also learned… Read More »Cosmology: The Spiritual Implications
I was lucky enough to receive an amazing inheritance from my parents and grandparents. I suspect that they didn’t realize what they gave me. I know they received it from the older generations of my family. I prize it as one of those riches that’s been part of the family… Read More »My Inheritance
The conversation was very thoughtful. She chose her words with great care. As I listened to her responses to my questions, I found myself going deeper into her life experience. Rebecca (not her real name) is a participant in a research study I’m conducting on spirituality and its relationship to… Read More »Spiritual Practice and the Fear of Death
Meditation is a spiritual practice that I was informally introduced to in my youth. A few of my teachers in Catholic school encouraged me to practice “quiet prayer” as they called it. Later, in college, I read some books about meditation and tried to figure it out on my own.… Read More »Things That Would Have Been Helpful To Know When I Began a Meditation Practice
I have the impression that many people assume I only read books on spiritual themes. It’s true that in recent months my reading has included works by Christian mystics, including Francisco de Osuna’s Third Spiritual Alphabet (the book that most inspired Teresa of Avila to pursue contemplative prayer) and Teresa… Read More »What I’ve Been Reading This Year
I remember being told as a child that the reason to study history was that history has a tendency to repeat itself. In other words, if we don’t learn the lessons of the past, we’ll repeat them again in the future. While I think there are many reasons to learn… Read More »Freedom to Practice One’s Own Religion?
“That which does not kill us makes us stronger.” That’s what philosopher Fredrick Nietzsche wrote about 150 years ago. This sentiment is echoed in Kelley Clarkson’s hit song, “Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You).” I recently spent time with a young woman. While she’s bright, professionally engaged, and living what many… Read More »If It Doesn’t Kill You It Makes You Stronger?
