Last year on this day, the 16th of November, the anniversary of the death of Alan Watts in 1973, I wrote a small appreciation of Alan. And I find it not a bad time to pause and consider him, his life, and his contributions again. Watts remains an important figure in my life. And, more important I think he stands as a significant figure in the meeting of psychology and Eastern religions, as well as the... Read more

    In this world there have always been many opinions about faith and salvation. You need not think alike to love alike. There must be knowledge in faith also. Sanctified reason is the lantern of faith. Religious reform can never be all at once, but gradually step by step. If they offer something better, I will gladly learn. The most important spiritual function is conscience, the source of all spiritual joy and happiness. Conscience will not be quieted by... Read more

    It was on this day, the 14th of November in 1890 that the remarkable and almost too amazing to be believed, but carefully documented so so very much real Nellie Bly embarked on her famous trip around the world. Her journey was measured against the fictional Phileas Fog’s trip around the world in 80 days. She arrived home after a seventy-two day race, besting the fictional Fogg by eight days. Elizabeth Jane Cochrane, who wrote under the name... Read more

      The Five Ranks of Dongshan Liangjie Comments by Thomas Cleary Five Ranks, Three Roads, Three Falls, Three Leaks, Four Types of Different Kinds The Five Ranks The five ranks may be viewed as a progression of stages of development or an analysis of different degrees of integration. In the first, called the relative within the absolute one practices detachment and interruption of mental habits, thereby gaining a measure of freedom and rest from compulsion and confusion. Detachment alone, however,... Read more

    On Social media there’s a meme that’s going around, at least in my small corner of that world. I’ve seen a couple of versions. One is part of a larger poem by Damien Barr: I heard that we are in the same boat. But it’s not that. We are in the same storm, but not in the same boat. your ship can be shipwrecked and mine might not be. Or vice versa. The poem is longer and addresses... Read more

      Today the 11th of November is the feast for Mercurius, soldier and martyr in the Coptic Church. He is similarly honored in the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church on the 25th of this month. In the official story he was martyred at the order of the pagan emperor Decius. But there’s another story with a strong following, that it was he, guided by an angel who even provided the sword, who assassinated the emperor... Read more

    HISTORIES OF THE ZEN MISSION TO THE AMERICAS AND THE WEST What follows is a review of Richard McDaniel’s Zen Conversations. However it is much more than that. It’s a review of the histories of Zen’s mission to the West, focused on North America. I read it and found it an invaluable resource. I was able to obtain permission to reprint from the author as well as the original publisher, the Canadian Journal of Buddhist Studies.  JIF  ... Read more

    I’ve only been to King’s Chapel in Boston twice. They are a delightful anachronism. Arguably the oldest Episcopal church in the United States, King’s Chapel became Unitarian in the years following the Revolution. They’ve kept a version of the Book of Common Prayer which is the basis of their corporate and individual worship. The Reverend Carl Scovel, once minister of the church writes “King’s Chapel is an active institutional member of the Unitarian Universalist Association, but remains a... Read more

  Today is All Soul’s day. In the Western Christian calendar its the conclusion of Allhallowtide. It is a day to pray for the dead. For Christians its usually for the Christian dead. The Roman Catholic church has a developed theory of the afterlife and speaks of a place between death and paradise for believers who have issues clinging to them. It’s called purgatory. Whether it’s a place or a state, whether it involves fire or cleansing; well, that’s not... Read more