The Spiritual Workout: Mastering the 3 M’s

July 9, 2019 By Tom Rapsas

In the book Stress Less, Accomplish More, Emily Fletcher preaches the benefits of what she calls the 3 M’s—mindfulness, meditation and manifesting. Now you may have heard of these spiritual activities as stand-alone pursuits, but Fletcher believes the 3 M’s should be linked together. Think of her approach as a circuit work-out for your spiritual health. While the 3 M’s aren’t physical in nature, I should point out that Fletcher, a former Broadway dancer, also believes in engaging in a... Read more

Jesus: On Finding God Within You

July 1, 2019 By Tom Rapsas

What if there were words in the Bible that had hidden meanings–that when truly understood, had the power to help you find God and make the Divine a living presence in your life? An example can found in the book The Kingdom Within, The Inner Meaning of Jesus’s Sayings, where the author John Sanford brings to light the hidden meanings of the teachings of Jesus. He explains that many passages in the Bible have been misread over the years, taken literally when they were... Read more

The Easy Guide to Starting Your Own Spiritual Practice

June 24, 2019 By Tom Rapsas

Are you “spiritual-but-not-religious”? You’re in good company, as it’s now the fastest growing “religious” affiliation in the US. I recently came across a great definition of what being a member of this group means, via the Rev. Jody McDevitt of First Presbyterian Church in Bozeman, Montana: They may have had negative experiences with religious rules, rituals, or hypocrisy. They may sense sacred presence in nature and in human relationships. They may even pray regularly, outside the bounds of a religious community.... Read more

10 Valuable Life Hacks from The Urban Monk

June 18, 2019 By Tom Rapsas

The world is crazy but you don’t need to be. These words appear prominently on the website of Pedram Shojai, a man otherwise known as The Urban Monk. A couple of years ago he published a book, appropriately titled The Urban Monk, that serves as a guidebook to remaining calm and focused, even when chaos is breaking out all around you. Shojai himself lives in the Los Angeles-area and is well-acquainted with the stresses and challenges of urban life. He... Read more

Brother John and the Purpose of Life

June 12, 2019 By Tom Rapsas

Sometimes real meaning can be found in the small events of life, when a seemingly innocuous incident reveals a bigger truth. Such is the case with the story of Brother John and the purpose of life. Author August Turak has been telling the story for years and recently put it in book form in the aptly titled Brother John. Through illustrations and words, the author tells the story of his regular visits to a Trappist monastery named Mepkin Abbey near... Read more

Feeling Lonely? Try the 8-Step Heart Meditation

June 6, 2019 By Tom Rapsas

Have you ever felt lonely—even though you’re surrounded by people? Today, it’s easier than ever to become disconnected from those around you. One reason: There are so many potential diversions in our lives, the leading culprit being the smartphone you may be holding right now. Too often, our online connections supersede the relationships we have with the people sitting right next to us. The result can be an emotional vacuum or empty feeling inside, because our online relationships just can’t... Read more

UFOs, Angels and Fairies: Do You Believe?

May 31, 2019 By Tom Rapsas

Is there a direct connection between angels, including guardian angels, and the other mysterious entities that people encounter, like aliens, ghosts and fairies? Possibly. All of these unearthly beings often appear out of nowhere and disappear just as quickly. They defy rationale or scientific explanation. Yet, to the people who witness them, they are as real as you and me, and seem to represent first-hand proof that there is more to this world than meets the eye. You may have seen a... Read more

How to Worry Less—and Enjoy Life More

May 25, 2019 By Tom Rapsas

If you can solve your problem, then what is the need of worrying? If you cannot solve it, then what is the use of worrying? ~Shantideva How often do you find yourself worrying about something, big or small? Once a week? Once a day? Hourly? A recent Gallup Poll showed that 55% of Americans feel stressed or worried on any given day. (Compare that to the global average of 35%.) That’s not a good thing. Why do we worry so... Read more

5 Things to Experience Before You Die

May 20, 2019 By Tom Rapsas

There’s a dude named Aubrey Marcus who has a regular podcast—what might be better termed a bro’cast—and I tune in every few episodes. Marcus may put some people off with his sometimes off-color, occasionally self-absorbed banter, but this guy frequently delivers valuable insights and wisdom on how we can become better, more complete human beings. Marcus leads what might best be described as an unconventional life and freely admits that many of the lessons he has learned have come via... Read more

Stillness Speaks: The Eckhart Tolle 2-Minute Reader

May 15, 2019 By Tom Rapsas

What’s the best spirituality book of our time? If you asked most spiritually-minded readers to come up with a short list, The Power of Now, A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment by Eckhart Tolle would probably be on it. First published in 1997, The Power of Now has sold over 3 million copies, helped by a big push from Oprah Winfrey who has promoted the book in online webinars, on her TV show and most recently in a series of podcasts in which each... Read more