I was in pain. The reasons aren’t important, the pain was. I had asked for help, and the response came calmly, without emotion and with great compassion. Had these words come from a fellow shaman or even some guru, I might have paused, but this was not the time for that. This insight needed to be accepted with all theRead more
attachment
Your Beliefs
Lao Tsu wrote that the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. If you think about the journey to enlightenment, the first few steps are fairly easy. First you peel away the surface issues that don’t mean that much. After that, you come to the issues that involve ego gratification. These are a bit more complex, butRead more
Making Bad Decisions
I once met a man who kept a pet skunk. He (understandably) didn’t have many friends. I said to him, “Why don’t you get rid of the skunk?” “I can’t,” he replied, “it’s the only friend I have!” Where do your problems come from? They come from your “bad” decisions. What is a “bad” decision? One that is based inRead more
Surrender
Spiritual teachers have been urging people to, “Have faith! That is the way to salvation!” for years. And for years people have responded, “Thank you for the advice and encouragement, but I am not willing to take that risk and be that vulnerable. It’s just asking too much.” Their experience underlies their reluctance. When they come up against a limitation,Read more
The Shadow
Of all the problems we face, few are more painful or difficult than those presented by the human shadow. Whether beating up on ourselves or taking our frustrations out on others, the shadow is the source of the most difficult challenges we face. Ranging from meanness and greed to rage-driven behaviors like murder or sexual abuse, the havoc the shadowRead more