In my neck of the woods, the name Walt Whitman is associated with a bridge that connects the southern part of Philadelphia with Camden, New Jersey. You’ll usually hear about “the Walt Whitman” in connection with traffic jams or lane closures. But while reading Mary Oliver’s Upstream, I was reminded that the real Walt was perhaps our greatest American poet. In 1855, at the age of 37, Whitman first published what was to become his masterwork, Leaves of Grass. He... Read more
The role of a fully realized human being is to arrive at the door of death having become oneself. ~Michael Meade In an old issue of Sun magazine, I ran across an article that featured the words of the author and storyteller Michael Meade. They struck a chord. Meade tells us about an African proverb, “When death finds you, may it find you alive.” At first glance the words seem meaningless, of course you’re alive before you die. But Meade... Read more
Do you have a code or set of rules you live by? I often resort to my favorite authors and books for guidance, but I recently came across a short, but compelling 21-point list from a legendary figure that I’m going to put into my spiritual arsenal. It comes from Mahatma Gandhi. First, some background: Gandhi was the leader of the Indian independence movement that challenged British rule during the 1930s and 1940s. Through nonviolent civil disobedience, Gandhi helped lead India to independence,... Read more
Could we be any more divided as a country? It seems like Americans are now standing on two sides of a divide as wide as the Grand Canyon—and it’s impossible to get inside the heads of the side that doesn’t agree with you. What are they thinking? I’m as outraged as anyone. But on a certain level, I know that’s not good. You see, like you, I’ve got friends and family members on the other side. And the easy thing... Read more
Perhaps the great religious scholar of our time died last week in Berkeley, California. His name was Huston Smith and he lived until the age of 97. I know Smith primarily through the book The World’s Religions. Originally titled The Religions of Man, it has sold over 3 million copies since it was first published in 1958. There is a well-worn copy sitting on my bookshelf and I refer to it when I need a quick lesson or refresher on... Read more
Blaise Pascal was a true Renaissance man. A Frenchman who lived during the 1600s, Pascal was a mathematician, inventor, physicist and philosopher. And right before his death, at the too-young age of 39, he was writing a book that was posthumously published as Pensees (which translates to Thoughts). Pensees is comprised of ideas that Pascal had jotted down in a notebook. As a whole, they show a man who thought deeply about God and his Christian faith and how these elements... Read more
Do you have a family ritual you engage in each Christmas? In The Soul of Christmas, Thomas Moore mentions how each year he takes on the task of stringing up Christmas lights both inside and outside his home. He sees it as a way to “shed light on the world and dispel a little darkness.” In our home, we have an unusual family tradition: On Christmas Eve, we will plug in our light-up baby Jesus. The plastic baby Jesus (pictured... Read more
Christmas offers an opportunity to get in touch with your mystical side. We are all potential mystics. ~Thomas Moore, The Soul of Christmas There’s a section in Thomas Moore’s new book that’s titled “A Mystical Christmas” and it tells us how, with a simple practice, we can become a mystic this holiday season. For me, being a mystic is about achieving a sense of oneness with a higher power (Jesus or God), and Moore writes it takes more than just... Read more
During the dark, heavy days of late-fall and winter, I find myself retreating within, spending more time at home, often in contemplation. It’s the time of year when I enjoy curling up with a good book, though the types of books I read are different from other seasons. I’m attracted to stories that don’t just stimulate my intellect or curiosity, but that speak to me on a deeper level, that talk to my soul. And for this kind of book,... Read more
The Bhagavad Gita is an ancient Hindu spiritual text whose name means “the song of the Lord”. Hindus believe the book, which they often refer to as the Gita, contains “the direct message of God” and it is common to find it on bedside tables in hotels in India, much like we find the Bible in hotels in the US. Like the Bible, there are mysteries that surround the Gita. Scholars do not know who wrote the book and disagree at... Read more
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