Ordained Interfaith / Interspiritual Minister (nondenominational) and Transformative Peacebuilder
“I suspect that the most basic and powerful way to connect to another person is to listen. Just listen. Perhaps the most important thing we ever give each other is our attention. … When people are talking, there’s no need to do anything but receive them. … Listen to...
“… we need solitude and community simultaneously: what we learn in one mode can check and balance what we learn in the other. Together, they make us whole, like breathing in and breathing out. … Solitude does not necessarily mean living apart from others; rather, it...
My Dad was generally a man of few words, but one of his favorite expressions was “No News is Good News”. This is usually taken to mean that if you don’t hear from somebody or about something, then you can assume all is okay, because if something was wrong you’d hear...
At this dark post-election time, when fear, division, and uncertainty abound in our country, there is a natural tendency to either lash out in protective reactive mode or else retreat and hide in helpless and overwhelm mode. But there is another choice – to stop and...
I went to bed on Election night very uneasy, as the dark political forces of fear, division, and “othering” that have been building for many months now seemed on the verge of winning. In and out of sleep, I continued to pray for a miracle that they wouldn’t. But when...
At a wedding I officiated last Saturday on a beautiful hilltop in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, the couple chose to include the Christian ritual of the Unity Cross. Signifying the wedding covenant, the Unity Cross is a lasting reminder of the Bride and Groom...
As noted in the previous blog post, this past weekend, the end of October, was the time of the ancient celebration of Samhain (pronounced “Sah-win”), observed by Pagans and others around the world. Samhain is the root of our modern religious celebration of All Saints...
Today is Mother’s Day, and my wife and I gathered with some friends to celebrate the occasion. I asked everyone to reflect on their experiences with their own mothers, as well as for those who are mothers themselves to reflect on that part of their lives. While we...
In worship services I’ve led this month, I have focused on the theme of acceptance of life changes and how they can be a vehicle for transformation. Some changes we love and welcome, like getting married, a better job etc., and others we struggle with greatly, such as...
As mentioned in an earlier posting, I had elective surgery recently. I’ve been recuperating at home ever since. I’m progressing nicely, but surgery by nature is invasive and an assault on the body, so recovery is a slow process. There’s been a fair amount of physical...
Last week, I had elective surgery done. The first surgery of any kind for me in 55 years, since I was a child. Although I didn’t have any life-threatening condition, the procedure required being put under by general anesthesia. And I found myself utterly terrified at...
Spring is a time of rebirth and renewal, and deepening connection with the Divine (however we experience and name it), as beautifully expressed in this A Springtime Prayer by “spiritual midwife” and writer, Joyce Rupp. Happy Spring! Ever-renewing and energizing...
I love this quote by spiritual teacher Mirabai Starr. It speaks so eloquently to the work I do, and the work that we all strive to do as sacred activists: To walk an interspiritual path is to travel through the wilderness with open hands and a courageous spirit. ...To...
Today, in the United States, is President’s Day, which honors the birthdays of two of the most revered of our presidents - George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. But in this presidential election campaign, and a very crazy one at that, my thoughts turn to the current...
Today is St Valentine’s Day, a time we focus on love, which in popular culture usually means romantic love with its common expressions of chocolate, roses, greetings cards, intimate dinners, and anything heart-shaped. Nothing wrong with any of those things - Helen and...