Is God a continual presence in your life? Or does the sense of the Divine within you, the feeling you have a deep connection to something greater than yourself, come and go? I believe for most spiritual people, it is the latter. Some days the heavenly spark in our hearts burns brightly, while at other times it seems to flicker and is barely perceptible. It is during these times that we need to fan the flame and there may be... Read more
How do you measure the passage of time in your life? For most of us, the primary way is through the annual observance of birthdays—but birthdays aren’t always the best measuring sticks. Age doesn’t measure our level of maturity or our growth as human beings. Some of us bloom late, while others find their lives are marked by unexpected detours. For those of us whose lives have been full of twists and turns, our true potential, the place where our... Read more
Have you ever heard of the impostor syndrome, also known as the fraud syndrome? I hadn’t until it was brought to my attention by the blogger and cartoonist Carl Richards. For starters, here’s a description from Wikipedia: Imposter syndrome is a psychological pattern in which a person doubts their accomplishments and has a persistent internalized fear of being exposed as a “fraud.” Despite external evidence of their competence, those experiencing this phenomenon remain convinced that they are frauds, and do... Read more
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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