A conversation with Uluru and Kata Tjuta, two of Australia’s amazing natural sites.
Posts filed under Spirituality
A Conversation With The Deva Of Sweetgrass
I’ve been going to Pow Wows [Native American tribal festivals] since the 1970’s, and that is where I first met Sweetgrass.The sweet, vanilla-ish aroma of this native grass is instantly soothing. It’s most commonly used as a “smudge” or incense but has many other applications as well. I have Sweetgrass at home, and it inspired this interview.
Angels on Her Mind
I was hesitant to share my latest painting as my ingrained skepticism rears its head whenever angels appear, making me feel childish that I paint them. I grew up in a household where rationality ruled; the fantastical was accepted as part of the arts, but not necessarily respected. The intelligence of people of faith was questioned in principle, and my innocent curiosity was frequently ridiculed. I think it is rather miraculous that my spiritual interests and seeker tendencies weren’t wiped out altogether. In some of us, the yearning for a relationship with the Divine is strong—no different than a love of the arts or a passion for music is in others—and therefore hard to extinguish.
A CONVERSATION WITH THE WHITE HOUSE
A conversation with the White House.
On Courage and Resilience
Rollo May was the first to introduce me to the idea that there are different types of courage. I was reminded of this idea through a Facebook meme I came across recently which listed six types of courage. All of us are naturally courageous in some ways, and not so much in others. All of us could increase our resilience with different types of situations requiring courage, should we want to. Keep in mind Aristotle’s golden mean idea, which views too much courage as recklessness, and too little as cowardice.
Creature Comforts on the Camino, Part 2: Are Smartphones, Email, and Apps Existential Threats?
After my first journey to Santiago in June of 2002, I believed that a “real” pilgrimage could only be made in the traditional way, that is, the hard way. And for me, this meant eschewing the products and services that made it possible to avoid most of the Camino’s hardships. “Creature Comforts on the Camino, Part 1: Do Real Pilgrims Take Cold Showers?” addresses changes in the infrastructure that eased the way. Part 2 looks at the effect of technological advances on the Camino, specifically smartphones, email, and apps.
A CONVERSATION WITH THE SPIRIT OF PEACE
River: May I speak to the spirit of peace, please?
Peace: Granted. I hear you.
River: Thank you! Some of our people call you a goddess, others a spirit or an angel. How do you describe yourself?
Peace: I rather like the title Spirit. It is more complex in meaning, and better suited to my role than the other words you mention.
A CONVERSATION WITH JACK FROST
When I was a kid, every child knew who Jack Frost was. The first elegant white tracery on a window was cause for celebration, since it indicated the arrival of sledding and skating weather. We all know Jack's legend, which is timeless and full of charm. Read on to hear more from Jack himself!
A Snake Charmer Tree Spirit and the Honeysuckle
It is impossible not to grow in awareness and fondness of nature in general, and birds and plants specifically, while living in a town like Ann Arbor. I’ve been learning things organically, without a need to study deeply, or have a specific interest in plant life (which I admit I don’t). We lucked out with a house that has a huge backyard with many trees, a small pond that hosts a snapping turtle I’ve seen only once in the eight years that we’ve been here. Ignorance got me close enough to get this photo of her.
Thinking Outside the Box
I was pretty convinced that my wild woman would be of the earth, probably covered with some dirt, have long un-styled hair, and maybe, bit of a crazed gaze that warned the beholder that she is not to be messed with. That she is to be feared even. Western society has burned even the tamest of wild women (wise women and healers) for centuries to make sure there is no question that our psyches equate wild with dangerous. In fact I am bewildered more than anything that this archetype has survived and is coming through in our imagery at all given how long and hard mankind worked to eradicate it.
Lessons From the Trees
Have you been to a redwood forest? Or laid flat on your back watching the stars? Or seen a person that you’ve never met, that you are certain that you “know”? There are so many ways that people feel connected, and conversely, so many ways that we forget we are connected and tell ourselves that we are all alone.
Is it Sacred? Is it Safe?
Over the past several months, I’ve had several conversations around sacred, ritual, and safe space. Some conversation were with others, and many were with myself in deep contemplation. I think in these times of rapid evolution and redefinition, it is important to revisit our thoughts, ideas, and understanding about some basic principles. For me, this inquiry is both pragmatic and philosophical.
Dreaming a Bridge: Merging Human Imagination with the Living World
A fire is dying to rose-colored embers in a brazier. A sound like branches being broken drifts down to us from high overhead. We cannot see the blue heron flying above us. It calls, wrapped in folds of night, and its dream touches ours.
Cooking — A Spiritual Practice
According to Sophie Egan in her book Devoured, March 2015 was a watershed moment in the eating lives of Americans: for the first time since the government began tracking our spending habits around food, we spent more money on food prepared outside the home (restaurants, takeout, etc.) than on groceries that we cooked at home.
A 21st Century “Sabbath Day” Experiment
What if taking a Sabbath actually made all that is on your plate easier and relationships more fulfilling? Instead of a full plate feeling heavy, it could feel nourishing. I used to feel resistant to taking a day off, and now I don’t know how I could live without a Sabbath. If you are thinking that by Sabbath I mean a highly rule-oriented day of do’s and don’ts based on a religion, please keep reading because that is far from what I mean. Yes, a Sabbath does involve slowing down and refraining from constant activity, but it is more about a state of mind than said actions or non-actions.
Creature Comforts on the Camino, Part 1: Do Real Pilgrims Take Cold Showers?
Tradition has it that pilgrims leave behind the comforts and security of their everyday lives to embark on a journey of the spirit. When I first walked the Camino francés in 2002, accommodations were basic, communications limited, and pilgrims who couldn’t strip down to the bare essentials had no choice but to labor under a heavy pack — or quit. This past summer, I discovered that things are changing fast, and these changes make it possible to enjoy the creature comforts of a fine vacation while on the pilgrimage trail.
Danger on the Camino: Trust in Allah and tie up the camels
One of the biggest changes on the Camino in the 13 years between my first journey and the one this past summer is an increased danger to women pilgrims, and not just the young ones. Even on that first trip, I heard reports about women being harassed by men who would expose themselves or urinate in public. But they were few and far between, and none resulted in any physical injuries.
Temple Gardening
There is an important lesson in these lyrics that goes beyond growing healthy veggies. It also applies to our spiritual growth. In Buddhism we believe that each person is a piece of fertile ground that can be cultivated to produce the fruits of joy, equanimity, love, and compassion.
Changing the World, One Scrap at a Time
One thing you quickly learn about Haju is that she loves walks. On many occasions, when we were having a check-in about practice or a conversation about temple business, Haju would suggest taking it on-the-go, and we would end up somewhere around town — the Arboretum, the law school quad, or the track down the street from the temple.
A Light Shines Brighter in Darkness
Have you heard the saying, “A light shines brighter in darkness?" Is it possible to take the darkest moments in your life and use them to deepen the quality of your life? As you approach death, it is easy to find the darkest times in your life. Ironically, this is the best time to have a deep spiritual experience.
