The traveler has to knock at every alien door to come to his own, and one has to wander through all the outer worlds to reach the innermost shrine at the end. -- Rabindranath Tagore Nearly every day I speak with people who are confused, bewildered, disoriented, or conversely, extraordinarily clear about what is happening to them. A few years, months, or weeks earlier, they … [Read more...]
Spirit
Teachings and practices from the world's great faith traditions and humanistic philosophy to help us stay sane and remain courageous during the Transition time.
A walk in January
The only sounds are crows and wind. The winds resemble distant trains without the reassuring rhythm. They persist too strongly, and while I can't say that the trees object and are complaining, many have retreated to their shelters for the winter. No, this is not a pulse of power; it seems a determined, endless current, though it really is only a wave, the rhythm of which is … [Read more...]
Not enough time to hurry
In his classic existentialist novel, The Stranger, Camus wrote, “I’d read, of course, that in jail one ends up losing track of time.” He then has his protagonist reflect upon how worrying about time had governed his life before he had become incarcerated. This is interesting — and relatively recent as the whole concept of linear time is a construct of modernity. Before … [Read more...]
Without a spiritual dimension, activism will fail
I realize that I cannot stand by silently as my government executes its citizens. If I do not speak out and resist, I am an accomplice. -- Helen Prejean, Activist Nun and author of Dead Man Walking For decades Sister Helen Prejean has resisted the death penalty and devoted her life to educating citizens regarding its economic, social, and spiritual costs to a society. She is … [Read more...]
‘Tis a gift to be cold
The beauty of the universe expresses itself in simplicity. --Margaret J. Wheatley Winter is the time of year when we are confronted head-on with simplicity. In the latitude where I live, as the earth turns away from the sun, temperatures drop. Water molecules slow down to the point where water freezes as cold envelops the landscape. Most plants go into a state of rest - … [Read more...]