On Facebook I saw a list purporting to be ten spiritual novels that one absolutely must read. I thought three of them might fit on such a list. I then googled around a bit about spiritual fiction. It revealed some good stuff, and along with that a bunch that reminded me of theologian James Luther Adams’ dry observation that “nothing sells like ego wrapped in idealism.” That set me to thinking about what novels have touched my heart on my... Read more

Beyond the conspiracies of the greeting card, chocolate, and flower cartels to squeeze every last possible dollar out of the public, Valentine’s Day is our culture’s great celebration of romantic love. There are various myths associated with the origins of Valentine’s day. I gather pretty much all of them are bogus, at least so far as history is concerned. I guess that’s romantic love for you. A fascinating mixture of deception and hope and, well, something else. The true in... Read more

Charles Darwin was born on this day in 1809. A great article at Wikipedia notes how his birthday has been observed as something special since his death in 1882. But in 1909 on the centenary of his birth a number of events marked the day out, including a gathering of over four hundred scientists and others at Cambridge where papers were read, and another event was held at the American Museum of Natural History, including the unveiling of a bronze... Read more

Some, most, all, I really don’t know but I hope all, variations on the Anglican calendar mark out today as a feast for the seventh century poet Caedmon. He is the earliest English poet that we can name. A monk in the monastery of the equally, if not more remarkable abbess Hilda of Whitby. The story has it that he was a lay brother charged with tending the monastery’s animals. He is thought to have been illiterate. One night he... Read more

As a young monk Mazu was practicing at Chuanfa temple. One day while it wasn’t a regular meditation period, he was sitting in formal zazen. Master Huairang Nanyue, one of the most renowned of the Sixth Ancestor, Huineng’s Dharma successors, saw him sitting there. He saw something of value in the young monk, and walked over to him. When the young monk looked up, the master asked, “Why are you sitting in meditation?” Ma replied, “Because I want to become... Read more

On this day in 1964. This little world would never be the same… Read more

There actually appear to be two dates in the solar calendar dedicated to Parinirvana, the anniversary of Gautama Siddhartha’s death. Both in February, the one on the 8th and the other, more common, I gather, date on the 15th. Me, I plan on taking advantage to celebrate this twice. The Mahaparinibbana Sutta is clearly, at least by my reading, a digest of his teachings composed with an eye to the continuation of the community he led. I have little doubt... Read more

I no longer recall when I first heard the verse. But, somewhere early on it became the great pointer for me, an invitation to something I didn’t fully understand, but which I fully desired. A special transmission outside scriptures, Not founded upon words and letters; By pointing directly to one’s heart mind We see into our own true nature and attain Buddhahood. It was sung to us by Bodhidharma, it was sung directly into my heart, it was a beacon... Read more

I was just “friended” as they say on Facebook by an old seminary friend, as in friend. He was on the Anglican path and ended up going off to Oxford, and we lost track. Glad for social media and the re-connect. I’ve long had a soft spot in my heart for the Episcopal Church, as they say, a bunch of Unitarians with a sense of style. Of course that’s not really true, and within that “true” why I’ve never crossed... Read more

Charles Lindberg was born on this day in 1902. Best known as the first person to fly solo from America to Europe, and with that the first person to be in New York City one day, and in Paris the next. Handsome and young, the acknowledgments rolled in. Already awarded the Legion of Honor, because he was in the US Army Air Corps Reserves, he became only one of three (I believe) awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for non-combatant... Read more