Published inILLUMINATION·4 hours agoMember-onlySix Ways to Live From Your HeartWe are all storytellers. That’s how we make sense of our world. The key is to discern the difference between narratives that do us a disservice (from the ego) and those that come from a wise place (our hearts) A heart-based life was articulated by Jesus when he said, “Blessed…Spirituality4 min readSpirituality4 min read
Published inILLUMINATION·1 day agoMember-onlyHow Does God Pull Off Miracles?I like to believe that for every problem there is an answer lurking in the deeper recesses of our minds. Or at least, the gaps in our knowledge will be closed by future scientific discoveries. But what do we say when, All our curiosity and creativity hit an impenetrable wall? …Spirituality3 min readSpirituality3 min read
Published inILLUMINATION·5 days agoMember-onlyGot a Fix on God? FuhgeddabouditSomeone once asked me, “Do you have a guru?” I answered by referring to the book title, “If You See the Buddha on the Road, Kill Him?” So, no, I don’t have a master to whom I give my unwavering devotion because, In This Life, We Swim in a Thimble Recently, I had a heated discussion with a…Religion5 min readReligion5 min read
Published inILLUMINATION·Dec 1Member-onlyLessons From My Gay Patient(Excerpt from my memoir “Hearts Wide Open — Leaving Religion, Finding Faith” now available) As a straight male, I did not awaken to the presence of same-sex love until the mid-1980s, during the peak of the HIV/AIDS crisis in the US. The catastrophic disease surprised the nation, with few testing…LGBTQ7 min readLGBTQ7 min read
Published inILLUMINATION·Nov 30Member-onlyYou Are More Spiritual Than You KnowDo you know how much spiritual power you have on tap? Are you aware of the unlimited creative potential of your soul? Do you view yourself as a container for the creative force in the universe? I once had a friend who owned a vintage Ferrari. He enticed me to…Spirituality4 min readSpirituality4 min read
Published inILLUMINATION·Oct 29Member-onlyI’m Not Racially Biased But…Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced — James Baldwin. For a white guy who grew up in Apartheid South Africa, to say “I’m not a racist” is a bit of an exaggeration. That’s because, to some degree or another…Racism7 min readRacism7 min read
Published inILLUMINATION·Oct 26Member-onlyWhat You Are Seeking Is Seeking YouThat quote by mystic/poet Rumi reminds us that we are not alone in this universe. It jogs our imagination that the Eternal One shows up in tough times. However, the experience of many is “My God (or my religion), why have you forsaken me?” But, We forget that all the…Spirituality3 min readSpirituality3 min read
Published inILLUMINATION·Oct 24Member-onlyNo Religion in HeavenIs heaven only a gated community for a chosen few? Since we all die physically what is our destination beyond the grave? I’ve now been exposed to dozens of reports of those who have returned to this life after near-death experiences (NDEs), defined by Bruce Greyson, a prominent researcher of…Religion3 min readReligion3 min read
Published inILLUMINATION·Oct 19Member-onlyCheck Your Level of Spiritual MaturityWhere we are on our spiritual journey is measured by two factors. A direct awareness (heart-knowing) of our higher consciousness But, many are asleep at the wheel of life. Alternatively they believe that they can think their way out of their ego jam. The only radio station in the head is the thinking mind, which views life through…Spirituality4 min readSpirituality4 min read
Published inILLUMINATION·Oct 13Member-onlyGoodbye Tribal Religion, Hello Direct Faith(Prologue of my Memoir “Leaving Religion, Finding Faith”) The seminary building seems faintly familiar. Students drift between classrooms in a dreamlike state. Finally, someone stops and asks if I need help. I smile and say, “I’m okay,” but I feel out of place. Then, a student glances at me and…Religion3 min readReligion3 min read