What are coincidences? How do they happen? Why do they happen? What do they mean? Coincidence, as commonly defined, is when two or more events happen at the same time by accident but seem to have some connection. But this definition only considers events that are causally related. Synchronicity, a term coined by Swiss psychologist Carl Jung in the 1920s, recognizes that concurrent events may be connected by meaning, rather than cause. Synchronicity is when two or more events that appear not be connected, and are unlikely to occur together by chance, in fact do occur together in a way … [Read more...]
The Steve Jobs Conundrum: Difficult People With Great Accomplishments
Over the winter I read the authorized biography of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs, written by Walter Isaacson (Simon & Schuster 2011). And I have been puzzling for two months now over this question: How to reconcile the nasty, very often heartless, and narcissistic traits of Steve Jobs with his great accomplishments. What explains, or justifies, success at the expense of others, and how do we integrate this into a spiritual understanding of how to succeed as whole individuals, spiritually and morally developed? Walter Isaacson, hand picked by Jobs to be his official biographer, pulls no … [Read more...]
A Winter Solstice Gift
As we approach the Winter Solstice, and a season of many holiday celebrations, I wish you the blessings of PEACE COMFORT JOY LOVE LAUGHTER GOOD HEALTH May your house prosper in all ways. Please enjoy these links to excellent lists of the best spiritual books and films of 2011: The Most Spiritually Literate Films of 2011 Thank you Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat for reviewing and preparing these lists! You may follow Frederic and Mary Ann at http://www.spiritualityandpractice.com/ … [Read more...]
Free Will
Free will is complicated. We all have it, and we all want it—as long as it is our own free will we are exercising. But it is more difficult when someone else is exercising their own free will—against our interests or better judgment. Whether it is a two year old throwing a tantrum or self-governing nations in armed dispute, it comes down to a battle of wills. Of course we agree to submit to the will of others in many ways, for good reasons. So the parent must teach and protect the two year old, and in doing so denies the child her will, and properly so. Likewise, to organize ourselves … [Read more...]
It Is About Being
You never know where or when or how a little insight might find its way into your consciousness. And sometimes it comes in the least likely places. I had just such an experience recently, while I was traveling in France. This is a true story of human nature, of love and regret, of life and experience, and of hope and comfort. It was such a touching encounter, I was moved to write about it as it unfolded. Thus it is written in the present tense. I want to share it with you. I am on the train from Cannes to Paris, and while the countryside is captivating, the story going on in the seat "en … [Read more...]
Whatever Happened to Summertime?
Remember when summer used to be a time when we slowed down? Days were longer and often more lazy? It was a time when taking it easy, or at least easier, was expected and accepted. Where did that go? I have been noticing over the last few weeks how many people are not taking down time, even in the summer, and how stressed we are. Everything moves faster now—that is the price of technology—and we have become so accustomed to this acceleration that we don’t slow down like we used to. We are on a trajectory that hurtles forward on its own momentum much of the time. The problem with too … [Read more...]
Struggling to Arrive
I have had an interesting collective of dreams and inner messages over the last few weeks, each addressing the difficulties we face in finding comfort and balance in the world. Remarkably, one of the dreams included an instruction to me to write about this and to title this post “Struggling to Arrive”. So, here we go! It is not easy being human in a world that is inequitable and seems to become more so all the time. It is as if there are different worlds, multiple and uneven playing fields, indeed, parallel universes, right here in our own surround. The spaciousness of spiritual … [Read more...]
Building a World Wide Wave
There is great movement taking place—and I am sure many of you have felt it, perhaps without understanding even that you have felt it or exactly what you are feeling. The last several months have been especially challenging for many. This is a time of transition, and transition is most always uncomfortable. But transition heralds change, and positive change is what we look towards now. Many of my colleagues also involved in spiritual practice, teaching, writing, and mentoring report perceptions very similar to my own at this time: many of us now experience an increased inner awareness of … [Read more...]
True North
Do you know your “true north”? Or how to find it? True north is a navigational direction based on the Earth’s axis. Magnetic north—the north a compass needle points to—deviates from true north over time and from place to place because the earth's magnetic poles are not fixed in relation to its axis. True north is fixed and certain. But the “true north” that I am referring to is your personal navigation marker, the one based on your own inner axis—that is, your alignment with your true, authentic self. This is the pointer that allows you to successfully find the way in your life, and … [Read more...]
Why Do We Choose Life?
I have a new granddaughter, a 6-pound bundle of perfect incarnation, not yet 2 weeks old. As I hold her I am not only reminded of the ineffable wonder of creation that produces a new life, but I have also been contemplating the why of it, why we souls become embodied. Why do we choose this physical experience? Why are we here? Many traditions teach that we come into life to learn, to develop ourselves and our ability to love and serve, to express compassion and to understand truth and integrity. Human incarnation--our visceral physical presence-- allows us the experiences of ego and … [Read more...]