What if there’s more to the story of Jesus and God than what’s found in the Bible? What if the Bible is only telling part of the story—and if you dug a little deeper you could find a rich trove of knowledge that could both better inform and enlighten you? During a recent conversation with the Christian theologian Matthew Fox, he made a simple but profound statement: “God did not stop speaking to us after the Bible was written.” Think... Read more
As we grow spiritually, we can sometimes get ahead of ourselves. We may think of ourselves as spiritual, reading the latest spirituality best-sellers, taking yoga classes, engaging in a meditation practice. But we can sometimes forget the basics—the simple daily acts that can enrich our lives and most importantly, the lives of those around us. I was reminded of this when I picked up a book by a person I consider my spiritual mentor, Sir John Templeton. While best known as a financial... Read more
Being humble doesn’t make you weak. It actually makes you a better person. I wrote those words several years ago and I thought it time to revisit them. It happens each time I meet a man or woman whose ego seems to have outpaced their humanity, whose preoccupation with themselves supersedes their concern for those around them. They are not alone. I admit there are times when my ego gets a little too big for its britches and needs to... Read more
Do you dream at night? That’s really a trick question because the fact is everyone dreams. It’s just that some people have an easier time remembering their dreams than others. But if you’re interested in dreams, and are having trouble recalling them, I’ve got a few tips that may help. Personally, I’ve been recording my dreams for over 20 years. I have a foot-high stack of notebooks to show for it. I go through stretches where I’ll record several dreams... Read more
What is your first thought upon awakening? How often is it about physical or emotional exhaustion, time pressures, or worries about the new day? Are you aware of the process of waking from sleep, or do you immediately and automatically move through a series of activities to get yourself up and out of the house? How does the beginning of your day affect the hours that follow? The questions above were posed by Richard Rohr in his weekly newsletter from... Read more
Q: Any advice for the spiritual practitioner who may be stuck or who needs to dust off their practice? A: Keep your practice simple and portable. Travel lightly. I asked the question above of Matthew Fox while talking to him about his latest book, Essential Writings on Creation Spirituality. Fox is one of the greatest living spiritual practitioners and academics of our time, with a robust CV that includes writing a total of 37 religion and spirituality books, gender and... Read more
I’m sure that at some point you’ve witnessed this scene. You’re out to dinner and glance over at the table next to you—only to see that the entire family has their heads buried in their phones. Mom, Dad, teenage daughter, even preteen son. If you’re like me, you find something unsettling with this picture. In my own home, we have an unspoken rule that bans smartphones and iPads from the dinner table. I once had someone tell me that they... Read more
In The Believer, Encounters with the Beginning, The End, and Our Place in the Middle, Sara Krasnostein looks at the core beliefs of several people and groups across our society. This includes evangelicals who run the Noah’s Ark and Creation museums in Kentucky, a group of believers in the paranormal and UFOs, and a death doula. Have you ever heard of a death doula? Like me, you may have heard of a birth doula, “a trained professional who provides emotional,... Read more
Wouldn’t it be great if, during times we were stressed or in need of spiritual guidance, we could simply snap our fingers and summon God for assistance? Well, that may not be possible, but in the book Finding God in the Body, Benjamin Riggs offers us the next best thing. It’s an ancient spiritual technique that any of us can master and can put us in direct touch with the divine. It’s known as centering prayer. Centering prayer is a... Read more
Are you familiar with Unity, also known as Unity church? Founded in 1889 by Charles Fillmore and his wife Myrtle, it started as a small church within the New Thought* movement. Classified today as “a spiritual nonprofit,” there are currently almost 1,000 Unity “churches” across the US. I was recently reminded of Unity, a group I vaguely knew, by Jim Blake. A former CEO of Unity, Blake has just published a book title The Zen Executive, Gems of Wisdom for... Read more
