According to the Anti-Defamation League’s website, the Celtic Cross — particularly when rendered as an equal-armed cross — is used by white supremacists as a symbol of their racist beliefs….
Kindness, Cynicism, and a Better World: A Contemplative Approach to Social Media — and Digital Civility
I don’t think it’s very shocking to acknowledge that we live in a cynical world. We have learned, especially over the last fifty years, to take pretty much everything our…
Some Thoughts on the Roaring 20s — for 2020 (and Beyond)
I’m writing this on the second day of January 2020 — and I’m mindful of an amusing meme that made its way around Facebook last week. By the time you…
How the Beatles Help Me Overcome Writer’s Block
I suppose most writers don’t like to talk about writers’ block. It’s not a pretty sight — to have a deadline looming, and every time you sit down at the…
A Few Thoughts on the Passing of Ram Dass
Ram Dass, author of many books including the spiritual masterpiece Be Here Now, has died. He passed away yesterday, 22 December 2019, at his home in Maui. He was 88 years…
A Hidden Life: Terrence Malick’s Heartbreaking, Essential, Contemplative Film
Terrence Malick is arguably the most contemplative director working in Hollywood today. Films like The Tree of Life and To The Wonder invite the viewer into Malick’s unique and perhaps idiosyncratic vision, combining strikingly…
Ora et Labora and Right Livelihood: Some Notes Toward a Contemplative Spirituality of Work
Most of us spend a lot of time working — so what is the spirituality of work? And how does work impact, or integrate with, our spiritual practice? The motto…
What We Need for Union with God
Recently I posted this quote from Fr. Thomas Keating on Facebook: If you’re curious about the source of this quote, it is found on page 71 of Open Mind, Open…
Altamont, Auschwitz, Bethlehem, and My Lai — The Challenge of Contemplating the Dark Side
1969 was quite a year, and so in 2019 we’ve had plenty of “50th Anniversary” moments: marking the fiftieth anniversary of the first humans on the moon, of the Woodstock…
For a Contemplative, Looking for a Spiritual Community to Call Home
A reader recently wrote this to me on Facebook: I’ve been on a spiritual journey for some time now probably for about eight years. The last five years it has…
A Question for Discernment: What Do We Need to Do to Make Mysticism Mainstream?
It’s the first Sunday of Advent. So liturgically speaking, it’s a new church year. Happy new year! In the spirit of making a new year’s resolution, I’d like a pose…
Poetry, Meditations, and Contemplative Encouragement (the Perks of Being a Patron)
December 3, 2019 is “Giving Tuesday.” It’s a day designed to highlight the many worthy non-profit and charitable organizations that deserve our support — not just in December, but throughout…