Why do you need a guru? If you fall down, then pick yourself up and continue to walk. ~Krishnamurti I first published a version of this story titled “Guru? You Don’t Need No Stinkin’ Guru.” in early-2013 while writing for Elephant Journal. Recently, a reader at that publication stumbled upon the original piece and wrote a long opposition piece that he shared with me, as he has a guru who has done wonders for him. It was well written—but it... Read more
You might think the cure for loneliness is a simple one: just get out of the house and spend time with other people. But there’s a contrary point-of-view, and it comes from the man who may know more about our collective inner world than anyone around today: Thomas Moore. Moore has made his name by writing over a dozen books that deal with the deepest, most complex part of our selves, the soul. In his most recent book, Ageless Soul,... Read more
Professional photographer. Museum curator. Author. Composer and musician. College professor. Brian H. Peterson may be one of the last creative Renaissance men, a person seen as having vast talents and knowledge or, as the Urban Dictionary defines it, “a man who does everything, and does it well.” In his new book I Give My Eyes, Stories + Conversations + Dreams, Peterson has brought together a sprawling compendium of art, essays, photography, conversations, letters, and even a sermon or two, that... Read more
Do you like your job? If you’re like me, this question gives you pause to think. Because as much as you may enjoy what you do, for most of us work is ultimately a means to an end—the end being the weekly or biweekly deposit that appears in our checking account. Given the choice, you’d probably prefer to spend your time in more leisurely or rewarding pursuits. But since most of us don’t have the option of devoting our lives... Read more
If you looked into the world’s most honest mirror, what would you see? The question above comes from the writer Sean Illing. In a recent issue of the online publication Vox, he wrote a story titled “What the psychedelic drug ayahuasca showed me about my life,” after taking ayahuasca for 4 consecutive days. The “honest mirror” he talks about is a byproduct of the drug. Are you familiar with ayahuasca? It’s a tropical vine grown in the Amazon and through... Read more
I’ve long collected quotes related to spirituality and life philosophy and am always looking for new ones. When it comes to quotes, I get very picky. Not any old quote will do. I like quotes that get me thinking, where the words hint at something greater and more meaningful. Over the past year or two, I’ve been pairing quotes with images on my Wake Up Call Facebook page and post a new one about 5 times a week. (Like... Read more
You may be wondering why there’s a story about committing suicide on the pages of Patheos Spirituality. Read on and you’ll find out why. I’ve written before about the blues. I get them each winter and they can last for days on end. But I am fortunate. They don’t fall into the category of clinical depression, nor have I ever once thought about killing myself. But I do see how… Some people fall into a deep depression they see no... Read more
He is the wisest who seeks God. He is the most successful who has found God. ~Yogananda, The Law of Success Before Apple founder Steve Jobs died a few years ago, he carefully pre-planned his memorial service. Among the special requests he made: that everyone who attended his service receive a copy of the book Autobiography of a Yogi by an Indian guru named Paramahansa Yogananda, whose ideas about self-realization had greatly influenced Jobs. Story here. I too have a book by... Read more
This week marks the 20th anniversary of the release of one of my all-time favorite movies, The Big Lebowski. The lead character is a guy named The Dude and is played by the actor Jeff Bridges. While Bridges has acted in dozens of roles over his storied career, this may be the one he is most associated with. He was so convincing as a live-and-let-live philosopher/stoner that The Dude seemed to be an extension of Bridges himself. In some ways,... Read more
Thomas Merton is perhaps the most influential Catholic author of our time, writing over 60 books including a best-selling autobiography, The Seven Storey Mountain. Yet, his spiritual path was a crooked one. A graduate of Columbia University, Merton spent much of his early post-collegiate life partying in New York City. While he liked to spend his evenings drinking beer and hanging out at jazz clubs, a spiritual side began to emerge as well. He began reading religious texts, attending church,... Read more
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