We’ve had discussions about the the causal relationship between individual action and societal change here on the blog. Recently, we’ve had quite the debate about whether even collective action–in the form of protest–can cause changes in our society. But it occurs to me that the ripples of trying–whether it is in the individual sphere or […]
Spirituality and Personal Growth
Could global warming wake us up to a better life?
First off, after my recent post about Christmas with no presents, somebody sent me a link to a great site that helps facilitate giving gifts to charity as Christmas presents. You might find it helpful: Redefine Christmas. Onwards… Here is a little bit from the epilogue of my book. Just thought you might enjoy a […]
A story of our interconnection
I had breakfast this morning with the man I call my rabbi (though I am not Jewish), the amazing Rabbi Steve Greenberg. He brought me a copy of a new booklet “Food for Thought,” published by the New York City non-profit Hazon, which “works to create a healthier and more sustainable Jewish community, as a […]
Peace in myself makes peace in the world
I’ve had this hammered home to me lately, that if I want to manifest peace in the world, I have to find peace in my mind. They say a peaceful mind makes a peaceful man. A peaceful man makes a peaceful family. A peaceful family makes a peaceful village. A peaceful village makes a peaceful […]
Should God have faith in us?
One privilege bestowed on me by writing this blog is the number of emails I get from all over the world, in general, and from people of different religions, in particular. I have a faith of a certain kind and I enjoy talking about the dependence of human health, happiness and security on the well-being […]
Our problem, you see, is insufficient materialism
On Saturday, I had coffee with Boston College Professor Juliet Schor, author of Born to Buy: The Commercialized Child and the New Consumer Culture and co-founder of the Center for a New American Dream. We were talking about throwaway products and the disposable culture which fuel our economy and trash our resources (and which I […]
Forgive me if I sound too pious
I have a friend, a Zen teacher, who lost his daughter a decade or so ago. Years passed, and he asked his own teacher, “I have been meditating for many years, but underneath, I still feel an abiding sadness. Am I doing something wrong?” His teacher told him, “What you feel is Universal Sadness.” When […]
Time for reconciliation
Because I had no religious upbringing, I like to say that I belong to all religions. I read texts from Judaisim, Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, humanism and others, too. What grabs me in each is the call to mystery, the reminder that fundamentally, my existence is bigger than I understand. That is important to me […]