He screwed up at Anne Frank’s museum, was booed on stage in Copenhagen, and his bus was impounded in Sweden for the cloud of hash smoke that wafted out when the doors opened…  And today, the German government is assessing thousands of dollars in fines for leaving his m

… Read full post »

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“Thees… ees FEEFTY… muchachos,”

 

I growl in my best Banderas. 

 

This day arrived much too fast 

Flying in from some faraway place

I’ve kept at bay   

 

For months

 

As it made its approach 

Loomin… Read full post »

I stepped out of the convenience store where I had gassed up and while returning to my car was met by the firm and irritated voice of a stranger: 

“You know, the next time you pump gas here, could you move your car? I’ve been stuck here the whole time you’ve… Read full post »

 

The need to make this mental connection will become critical in prevention.

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As the tragedy and pain of what transpired at the Sandy Hook School in Connecticut continues to unfold, reverberating throughout our nation and beyond – it causes me to wonder about the mental proce… Read full post »

 

In addition to Halloween, today is also the observation of Reformation Day – when, 495 years ago today, Martin Luther posted his list of ethical challenges to the door of the All Saints’ Church in Wittenburg, Germany – and began, perhaps unintentionally, the spli… Read full post »

Well, we knew he was aging exceedingly well, as 80's rock stars go.  But this? Perhaps we are just beginning to learn how productive this “working class hero” can be, doing much more than living on a prayer during these years of the nation's economic crisis. 

I… Read full post »

  

After enduring the grueling American Revolution and disengaging from the British monarchy,  George Washington had to suffer the preposterous suggestion that he himself be crowned King.  King.  Of America. 

After slapping palm to forehead on that one, the birth… Read full post »

Jennifer Livingston, a television anchorwoman in LaCrosse, Wisconsin responded on-air yesterday to an email she received from a man criticizing her weight.

Livingston didn’t identify the man, who wrote that he was surprised to see her “physical condition hadn’t improved for years.&r… Read full post »

For many of our school children, the new school year heralds not only crisp weather and homework assignments; it also brings back the nightmare of being bullied at school. Sadly, the problem is more widespread than you may know. Here are some troubling statistics from bullyingstatistics.org.&… Read full post »

My daughter and I wait in line at our neighborhood general store, picking up some last minute items for the evening, as the other late-afternoon tourists, students, and locals old and young. My children have grown up in this remote coastal town, grown up in front of these people, and… Read full post »

 

I just finished our weekly radio program The Godspeed Institute with superb guest Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee, Sufi author and teacher, about his latest book Prayer of the Heart in Christian and Sufi Mysticism. In it he draws from mystics of both traditions, including Teresa of Avila, Attar,… Read full post »

  

On the Godspeed Institute radio program this Sunday, June 10, I will be interviewing Dr. Anthony Stern, a New York area psychiatrist and author, about his book "Everything Starts From Prayer: Mother Teresa's Meditations on Spiritual Life for People of All Faiths."

As I r… Read full post »

Are you getting married, or know someone who is?  Do you experience conflicts at work?  Or tension with a neighbor?

Whether it’s the bedroom, the boardroom, Wall Street or a hungry child in the world, the nature of our relationships is spiritual at its core. Here… Read full post »

 

The passing of Robin Gibb on May 20, following the death of his twin brother Maurice, tugs at the memory and heartstrings of those of us who recall the era when the brothers became absolute Pop Music Gods. 

Whether or not you were a fan of the Brothers Gibb, their/… Read full post »

  

Hers may not be a household name today, but Americans know the famous poem that Julia Ward Howe wrote at the beginning of the Civil War, when it was thought, after the Battle of Bull Run, that the war would be over in just a few weeks: the powerful anthem, Battle… Read full post »

 

 

Rags make paper

Paper makes money

Money makes banks

Banks make loans

Loans make beggars

Beggars make rags.

                            &nb

… Read full post »

 

It swooped in and landed gracefully in the snow, the very image of resilience: the great American Bald Eagle. I love this bird, with its wing-spread of eight feet and its immeasurable spirit. Usually I stop what I am doing to be present when one comes to visit, the way I… Read full post »

 

We step aside on the sidewalk in the village to let the kindergarten class pass us, two by two.  The Buddy System, I recall with a smile.  

The children stay connected without question, without hesitation, during their daily walk along Main Street.  

“Hol… Read full post »

There are four gospels in the New Testament that tell the story of Jesus' crucifixion, death and resurrection. They each have unique points of view and details - not unlike four people describing a car accident from different angles. And they each have a distinct personality. 

Some peop… Read full post »

St. Francis of Assisi has been the most inspiring role model in my life, and he wore a hoodie. An early design, perhaps, but a hoodie nonetheless. He was a mystic. And a prisoner of war. In today's terms he'd also be called a feminist and an environmentalist.

He walked away from… Read full post »

 

Dudley Moore:
“I’ve always been rich, and I’ve never been happy.”

Liza Minelli:
“I’ve always been poor, and I’ve usually been happy.”

Geraldine Fitzgerald:
“Rubbish! I’ve ALWAYS been rich, and I’ve ALWAYS been happy.&rdqu/… Read full post »

For many years I have enjoyed this centering meditation, written by the Greek philosopher Plotinus in the 3rd century. He was a great influence on Judaism, Christianity and Islam with his philosophy of "The One." This meditation is a great way to start your day. These enlightened words, fueled by viv… Read full post »

The vernal equinox arrived at 1:14am today, the earliest spring has come in more than 100 years. We knew that somehow, up here in our corner of New England, where we enjoyed a kinder, gentler experience this season, a kind of 'Winter Lite.' Normally we are knee deep in snow, with lakes… Read full post »

Sometimes, we all need a little perspective. On how we are surrounded by light.  On how shining we are. On how small we are. On how precious life is. On how  great the mystery is. On how little we know! On how nice that can be... On how much we love.  On how… Read full post »