Responding as “none” or “unaffiliated” on religious surveys, people increasingly identify as humanists, atheists, agnostics, or simply spiritual. If current trends continue, by 2070 Christianity may no longer be the dominant expression of American religion.
- By Ray Cappo
I didn’t go to India to put on a Hindu costume; I got into Vedic teachings to uncover all the costumes I’d been wearing and to find out what I was at my core. The sacred literature of India explained this in a way that gave me the broadest understanding of spirituality I’d ever had.
The path of awakening is different for everyone, and the truth is that there is no set path, as each and every one of us is unique. In the same way, no two people will require the same level of help or support to navigate their way towards sacred union with the divine within.
If we find ourselves in a supposedly hopeless situation from which we see no issue, or if we are tired of fighting an illness that seems to drag on endlessly, or burdened with “impossible” family or work difficulties, it is time to discover or remember that we are cupped in the mighty hands of divine Love...
- By Sally Patton
In loving and forgiving ourself in order to save ourself, we expand this love to everyone. Many ancient and medieval women mystics personified this theme...
In life, we often have hope, optimism, and faith. While these three are closely linked, each has its own shade of meaning and influence.
- By Lisa Bitel
On March 17, people around the world celebrate St. Patrick’s Day by parading in green hats, sporting images of shamrocks and leprechauns.
In 1997, my students and I traveled to Croagh Patrick, a mountain in County Mayo, as part of a study abroad program course on Irish literature I was teaching for the University of Dayton.
- By Paul Weiss
The catalog of current and past warfare, genocides, and atrocities that occur far and near, and in our own history, are all extreme instances of the deluded dynamic of separateness and greed that characterizes our human experience.
Zen Buddhism presents a path of enlightenment that digs deep into the art of mindfulness, compassion, and a profound bond with the surrounding world.
- By Mark Ireland
Before his near-death experience in 2008, Dr. Eben Alexander—who taught and performed neurosurgery at the Harvard Medical School—concurred with most of his fellow scientists by assuming that the brain produces consciousness. But after a close brush with death following a week-long coma...
- By John A. Rush
It is by looking at our ancient past that we can identify our deep connections to cats and our eventual attachment of spiritual characteristics to them.
If we turn our minds to the spiritual and remain mindful throughout our day, our lives will become more joyful. We’ll find an increased sense of gratitude and contentment, and we’ll experience an ease and lightness in all we do.
In the “apparent” world many are those who let themselves be frightened by the chaos, the crisis, the change that involves every cell and therefore everybody.
It’s 2024 and the Year of the Dragon in the Chinese zodiac ? associated with good fortune, wisdom and success
Bereavement—indeed, loss of any sort—causes many feelings, such as shock, distress, anguish, disbelief, and anger, a whole emotional roller-coaster. Our normal every-day routine is shattered, and we face the difficult task of having to rebuild life in a new way...
Many may take to the newest diet plan or sign up for a health club membership, but it is worth taking some time to consider what actually constitutes a healthy, happy body.
The Book of Kells is a late-eighth century illustrated copy of the four gospels of the New Testament, traditionally associated with the affiliated monasteries of Iona in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland and Kells in County Meath, Ireland.
Occasionally, I experience one of those little moments in life that remind me that I'm not alone. Here is a collection of moments that, while small, I have not taken for granted.
The following text is my favorite story of the dozens and dozens I have heard in a well-lived life of 86 years. It describes what many consider the most important spiritual attitude with love – a constant sense of The Presence.
The prevailing belief in free will, deeply embedded in our psyche, convinces us that we are the architects of our decisions and, consequently, bearers of the outcomes.
We’re all familiar with the jolly, white-haired and bearded overweight man who sneaks down chimneys on Christmas Eve delivering presents to children. But where did this come from?
Yule will be celebrated by Wiccans and many other Pagans in the Northern Hemisphere on Dec. 21, the day of the winter solstice.