CartUnbeknownst to most Americans, the world is full of animists. According to Professor Stephen Asma of Columbia College Chicago, “Pretty much everywhere except Western Europe, the Middle East, and North… Read More
It’s Okay to Mind What Happens
Last week I shared a quote from spiritual teacher Jiddu Krishnamurti: “Do you want to know my secret? I don’t mind what happens.” Then we looked at the differences between… Read More
Can We be Misguided by Spiritual Truths?
There’s a well-known spiritual quote from philosopher and teacher Jiddhu Krishnamurti. The story goes that he was speaking to a group of students (who saw him as an enlightened master),… Read More
That’s Very Big of You
As a weight-obsessed culture, we don’t often want to think of ourselves as big, but there’s an expression you hear once in a while – “That’s big of you” –… Read More
Freedom and Peace Regardless of Your Circumstances
A few weeks ago I wrote about the “gaps” in everyday reality when the spiritual dimension peeks through. Sometimes they’re so profound they change us forever. Like opening the curtains… Read More
My Favorite Kind of Pain
I had been hearing about an impressive tai chi teacher named Gregory Fong since moving to Portland in 1997. It was about five years later that I convinced Briana to… Read More
A Free Pile of Presents Just for You
During a particularly hard break-up in my 20s, a friend advised me, “The more present you are during this process, the bigger the present you’ll get out of it.” And… Read More
Opening Up the Gaps in Ordinary Reality
Have you had an experience of awakening to something that feels more real than ordinary reality? I remember the first time I heard Zen-inspired spiritual teacher Adyashanti refer to these… Read More
Clear Your Blocks to Abundance
In previous articles we looked at ways to see more dimensions of an issue in order to facilitate its resolution. After sitting a few times with spiritual teacher Leslie Temple-Thurston… Read More
How to Optimize the Transition to Spring
As we approach spring, it’s a good time to discuss seasonal junctions. Both Ayurvedic and Chinese systems of medicine see the changes of seasons as times when we are more… Read More
Meeting the Part of Yourself That Wants to Be Out of Control
Last week I discussed our tendency to get attached to a single point of view, and how this often keeps us stuck. When we recognize the validity of other perspectives… Read More
Get Through Your Blocks By Seeing All Four Sides of the Coin
One of the main ways that we get stuck or fail to reach our potential is through persistent psychological patterns. Some would say they’re not just psychological, but psycho-spiritual, or… Read More
The Power of Mantras
Once I went to see a spiritual teacher who planned to write a mantra on my tongue using a leaf dipped in honey. But she ran out of leaves. Or… Read More
Seven Steps for Managing the Habit of Unhealthy Eating
I love cookies of all kinds. At times my wife or kids have made a batch of cookies and – after they each tried one – I quietly finished off… Read More
Six Steps for Quitting Smoking
The other day a friend took out a cigarette and started smoking it in front of me. It was a bit of a surprise, and it made me reflect on… Read More
