The Winter Solstice is upon us, and the year is in its darkest phase. In many ancient societies the return of the sun and rebirth of the world was by no means seen as a guarantee. Monuments were built, sacrifices made, and ceremonies held to ensure that the sun would once again return to the [Read More…]

Episode 4: How does one apply Spiritual Naturalism to real world problems? Find out in this exciting episode, as the hosts tackle a real life problem as they hear it for the very first time. See how embedded spiritual principles come out in a real life struggle dealing with the challenges of a new job in [Read More…]

“The Self is the ear of the ear, the eye of the eye.  It is the mind of the mind, the speech of speech, and the life of life.  Not clinging to any of the senses, not attach to any thought in the mind, the wise become one with the deathless Self.”  (from the Upanishads) “Meantime [Read More…]

It may be the most wonderful time of the year for some people, but for many of us it is stressful. We have to deal with family, money issues, buying gifts, and the never-ending busyness. Whether you celebrate the Winter Solstice, Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or HumanLight day, it can be a stressful and busy time [Read More…]

Episode 3: An interview with Rick Heller, author of Secular Meditation: 32 Practices for Cultivating Inner Peace, Compassion, and Joy. You can get this book through the Society’s Amazon store HERE. Click here to get Email notices of new episodes and SNS articles Learn about Membership in the Spiritual Naturalist Society See a full episode list at our [Read More…]

Since I was a small child, I have suffered bouts of depression. Most of the time I muddle through but a few times it has been crippling: the kind where you spend months in bed, looking down at yourself and thinking, “JUST GET UP. JUST DO IT.” But you don’t. Because you can’t. I’ve been in remission [Read More…]

Recently I stopped by a music store in town to buy banjo strings. I hadn’t been in the store for at least ten years. I remembered it as a hive of kids and grown-ups trying out guitars, pianos, and clarinets, browsing through racks of sheet music and instruction books, going in and out of the [Read More…]

Every spiritual path begins with a purification stage. In the mystic way of Christianity, we have the purgative way, the illuminative way, and the unitive way. In Buddhism, we have the three trainings of virtue, concentration, and wisdom. Purification is the foundation for any genuine spiritual path. But what is morality or ethics all about? [Read More…]

Episode 2: Naturalists include Humanists, skeptics, Freethinkers, atheists, agnostics, and other rationalists, but how do Spiritual Naturalists approach knowledge and claims, as a part of their spiritual practice and what are the important differences in our approach? Click here to get Email notices of new episodes and SNS articles Learn about Membership in the Spiritual Naturalist [Read More…]

Reflection Two: On Pain In 2001, I injured my back lifting a box of books from the back of my car. I had never experienced such sudden, excruciating pain. For nearly three weeks, I could barely walk. Slowly, very slowly, the pain receded, and I was finally able to get on with my life. Little [Read More…]