Now that the warmer weather is upon us, a lot of us are turning our thoughts to summer–and enjoying a well-earned vacation. But since the summer vacation season is still a few weeks off, I’ve been thinking about a quote by Stoic philosopher Marcus Aurelius. Though written almost 2,000 years ago, the words still hold true today: People try to get away from it all—to the country, to the beach, to the mountains. You can get away from it anytime you… Read more

Over the years, I’ve kept journals in which I write down my thoughts, as well as jot down quotes and passages that have meaning to me. After I fill in all the pages in one journal, I start a new one. I recently came upon a journal that I had completed a decade ago, and within it found a list of 11 “rules”. I actually don’t recall putting together the list, but it’s written in my hand so I’m sure… Read more

I have a friend who lives in an ashram in a rural part of  my state. The ashram is comprised of about 20 men and women who live a life of simplicity and religious meditation under the guidance of a spiritual leader, a man she refers to as “the guru”. The guru leads the community in daily chanting and meditation sessions that begin each morning at 5am sharp. He shares his wisdom in individual and group sessions, where he instructs… Read more

If you have a good relationship with your intuition and know how to trust your gut, then you have a gift that most people lack. But even with this gift, sometimes it can be hard to follow up on what our intuition/gut tells us. Especially when it means doing something outside of our comfort zone or anything that might disrupt our personal status quo. When that happens, when we say “no” to something that we should be saying “yes” to,… Read more

What happens so much in life is that we let others dictate our outlook. The slightest criticism, real or imagined, can often change the way we view our work and our world. It’s why I find the following quote, from the artist Georgia O’Keefe, so refreshing. When asked if she got nervous before her art was put on exhibit, she said: “I have a show for myself before I show it publicly. I make up my own mind about it–good,… Read more

I have several notebooks of quotes and sayings that I’ve collected over the past 15 years or so, some of which I’m now re-reading for the first time since I wrote them down. There is one quote I stumbled upon that puzzled me, as I wasn’t sure how to take it. Perhaps it is no surprise that it comes from a figure often seen as polarizing, the former pro football coach Bill Parcells. Commenting on his refusal to look past… Read more

I’ve always believed there is a certain order to life–that the world turns in a manner that places the people we are supposed to meet, and the life lessons we are supposed to learn, right in front of us. It is the hand of God at work. Yet, even with this help from God, it does not mean that we should experience life as spectators. We must be full participants in life, looking for the people and signs that can… Read more

There was an interesting piece on the different ways people pray in a recent edition of the NY Times magazine. It included the tale of a man who was finding traditional prayer meaningless. He received the following advice: Tell this to God directly and see what happens. While there is no one way to pray, this strikes me as the best possible advice for anyone looking for guidance. Talk to God directly. In time, with patience, you will find that… Read more

You don’t need to read much more than the title of John A. Sanford’s book The Kingdom Within to walk away a wiser person. (Another favorite title of mine: the even more telling The Kingdom of God is Within You by Leo Tolstoy.) Sanford is an Episcopalian priest and noted author and while he preaches that the kingdom can only be found within, he also points out that actually entering the kingdom can be a difficult task. As evidence he… Read more

“Everything emerges from a hidden mystery. The point of life is to be in harmony with this hidden source.” Thomas Moore The hidden source lies within and when you’re in synch with it, everything becomes a little clearer. There’s no hesitation in your life. You know what to do and when to do it. What to say and when to say it. You know if you should change jobs or stay put. Know if you should buy a new car… Read more