by DT Strain There are a lot of things that could be a part of a transformational spiritual practice. But will the average person have the time or inclination to really maintain a practice? Lately I have been wondering about this. The journey I went through before founding SNS was incredibly transformational. You could say I am quite a zealot for Spiritual Naturalism – a true believer! But it was a series of experiences, peppered by the occasional ecstatic epiphany, over... Read more
by Thomas Schenk Creator: A. Davey In his book, Nothing Holy About It, Tim Burkett lists the four foundations of mindfulness as: Mindfulness of our body; Mindfulness of our feelings; Mindfulness of mental formations; and Mindfulness of our environment. These foundations listed by Burkett were originally presented in the Satipatthana Sutra of Buddhism, but I am not interested here in delving into the question of the correct translation and interpretation of this Sutra. I will work with the translation that Burkett provides... Read more
by Leigh Anderson My recent article discussed Finding a Balance Between Individualism and Connectedness. This month I’m looking at the role of community, in both the physical and virtual aspects. In a world increasingly driven by individualism and material pursuits, the role of community in Spiritual Naturalism stands as a beacon of interconnectedness. This time I will explore the impact that a supportive community can have on our spiritual and naturalistic journey. From fostering emotional well-being to encouraging ethical growth, community is... Read more
by Jeff Worthy The ancient Stoics worked to practice the four “cardinal” virtues (the word “cardinal” coming from the Latin “cardo,” meaning “hinge”). Our lives “hinge” on making the right decisions, and following those four virtues: wisdom, courage, justice, and temperance. These are ancient, time-tested character traits that ensure genuine and lasting happiness if one is able to consistently adhere to their demands. The path of virtue is not an easy one. To help guide you on that path, here are... Read more
by Gregory Gronbacher Created by Leo Reynolds The Age of Personalized Spirituality Hardly a week goes by without another study or survey showing the growth of the Nones. The term None describes those individuals who do not subscribe to or identify with one of the mainstream religious traditions. As of my last look, a few surveys had the Nones at around 40% of the US population and growing quickly. The numbers are higher in Europe. Many interpret the None phenomenon as signaling the end of religion and... Read more
by Thomas Schenk In general usage, the words “contemplation” and “meditation” are used as synonyms. There are, however, two distinctive forms of mindfulness for which either of these words can be used. Below, I provide a brief description of these two forms and my practice of them. For the purpose of this piece, I call one of these practices contemplation and the other meditation. I am not implying that this usage is the correct one, only that it would be... Read more
by SNS Guest Creator: gece33 – Credit: gece33 (Today’s article is by guest writer Shahreen Quazi. Brief bio is provided below.) Giving from the heart has many forms and names, but at some point, humanity started considering it as a way for attaining spiritual rewards. This could indeed have started with indigenous cultures but one of the first known recorded words for giving for spiritual reward or purification, was and is “dana”. Dana is a word from the Pali language, used in... Read more
by James Jarrett I offer the following in dialogue with Thomas Schenk’s two recent SNS articles, Being a Brain and, A Light in the Clouds. (1) I am drawn to Sci-Fi stories dealing with the question, “What does it mean to be human?” Bladerunner, The Matrix trilogy, Ghost in the Shell, Altered Carbon, Battlestar Galactica, and the aptly named, Humans are some examples I have enjoyed. If my human sense of self is an effect, the cause of which lies somewhere within the un-consciously-knowable parts of my brain,—and, I do not... Read more
by Thomas Schenk This morning as I sat on my patio drinking coffee, I looked up at the sky where the rising sun was shining on the clouds. And it struck me again how beautiful this world is. I basked in that beauty for a while; centered myself in it. Yes, there is ugliness also. Humans in particular bring ugliness. Human cruelty, destructiveness, vulgarity, stupidity, etc. etc. is all so present. Yet the beauty of a lighted-filled sky is above that... Read more
by SNS Guest (This week’s article is by guest author Gregory Gronbacher. A brief bio on Gregory, is provided below.) A quick glance at recent Pew Foundation surveys on Judaism reveal that many Jews – as many as 60% of American Jews – identify as atheist or agnostic. Jewish views on God have always varied and the tradition avoids definitive explanations of the nature of the divine. There has always been much less emphasis on the supernatural in Judaism than... Read more
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