by Daniel Scharpenburg You may call it mind, or Buddha or sentient being, yet you should neither become attached to the names nor make any distinctions or understanding. The essence of things is just like this: if even one thought appears, that is already a mistake. This is a quote from the text “Mirror of Zen” by Master So Sahn. I find a lot of meaning in this so I want to share it with you. “The essence of things... Read more
by Thomas Schenk In his book, Dear Colleague, geographer and cultural polymath Yi-Fu Tuan writes: Culture, to the extent that it is quaintness and superstition, has rationality as its enemy. Let me illustrate with the emperor T’ai-tsung. An enlightened man, he found many of the beliefs and practices of his time tiresome. One day in the ninth month of the year 628, it happened that some albino magpies built nests in linked pairs on the palace grounds. Officials, believing this association... Read more
by Gregory Gronbacher Most of us have heard the expression, “I’m spiritual, but not religious.” Whether we have heard the phrase in conversation or came across it while reading, most of us have a basic, if not vague, sense of what the statement means. Yet often people use the terms spiritual and religious interchangeably. Even if we grasp the differences and nuanced meanings of these two terms, there’s no harm in reminding ourselves of such and hearing how other people approach them. Therefore, in this post, I’d... Read more
by Jeff Worthy Every lie we tell incurs a debt to the truth. Sooner or later that debt is paid. — Valery Legasov, “Chernobyl”(1) As a secondary-level instructor of composition, one method I often share with my students to bring closure to an argumentative essay is to offer the reader a “call to action.” Once you have successfully convinced a reader of your position, it is necessary to empower them to take some action regarding the issue you have presented. You... Read more
by Leigh Anderson Photo by Felix Koutchinski As I get older, I find it easier to learn things by experience than by reading about subjects or listening to someone wise and sage talk about them. It wasn’t always that way, but now concepts tend to “stick” more when I experience them. Recent events prompted me to contemplate the real benefit of forgiveness and who gains the most from it. My mother passed away after a long bout with dementia last month.... Read more
by Thomas Schenk The late paleontologist, Stephen Jay Gould. coined the term non-overlapping magisteria (NOMA) to describe his position about the relation of science and religion. In this view, the two domains, or magisteria, are each authoritative for their particular area, and have little to contribute to the other. To quote a Wikipedia article on Gould, his view is “The non-overlapping magisteria (NOMA) principle therefore divides the magisterium of science to cover “the empirical realm: what the Universe is made... Read more
by Dennis Oliver How many humanists, atheists and agnostics want to discuss how “God” might be relevant to their lives? A few years ago, I certainly didn’t, having left Christian ministry & its underlying framework behind. Perhaps the strongest reason behind my hesitancy was the way so many refer to the divine. God can be an excuse for violent pride & prejudice, for childish relinquishment of responsibility, for blind accepting of social convention, for authoritarian pronouncements, and (my favourite critique) for... Read more
by Jeff Worthy I am a high school English teacher. This job isn’t easy. You are working to impart critical, empowering, lifelong literacy skills to young people who are struggling with a multitude of challenges over which you as a teacher have no control. Their skill levels as readers and writers can range from elementary school capabilities to those exceeding what you might expect from a third-year college student—and these kids are often in the same room together. Motivation to learn is something... Read more
by SNS Guest (Today’s article is by guest writer Brock Haussamen. See bio below.) I’ve been reading and re-reading certain works in snippets. They are not actually daily readings, and they are not even all readings. But partly because they have become a habit, they support me, help me manage life, and bring me a sense of sanity. They are of three types. Word for the Day A red Lululemon shopping bag sat in our living room for a couple of weeks. Along with... Read more
by Thomas Schenk I first learned to meditate more than forty-five years ago and I’ve been meditating fairly regularly since. People have asked me if I get bored while meditating. My answer to that is an unqualified “no” — I find meditation as interesting and fresh as ever, perhaps even more so. Fritz Perls, who helped popularize Gestalt Psychology, said “boredom is a lack of attention.” We can never have a lack of attention in meditation — the moment attention wanes,... Read more
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