Let It Go
The creek whispers Let it go Let it go There is so much more There is so much more
Galen Pearl
release
The Pink T-Shirt
When my daughter was little she would put a pink T-shirt on her head and pretend it was long hair. She would stand in front of the mirror swishing it around and styling it. Yes, that child could braid a T-shirt. And make it into a ponytail or a bun. One day we were getting
Tao Te Ching – Chapter 44
Fame or self, which is dearerSelf or wealth, which is greaterGain or loss, which is painful The first two lines remind me of a popular question – would you rather be rich or famous? Although here, we are asked to evaluate both fame and riches in comparison to our self. The character for self also
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The Mercy Seat
He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge. ~Psalm 91:4 In the Hebrew Bible, God gives directions to Moses to build a temple. Within the temple, in the most sacred inner room, Moses is instructed to build a “mercy seat” of pure gold and to place it above
Not That, Not That – This Too, This Too
These apparently contradictory statements are at the heart of spiritual awakening, representing the two practices of release and acceptance. “Neti, neti” is a Sanskrit expression from ancient Hindu texts. It can be translated as “Not that, not that.” It reminds me to not grasp onto my beliefs and opinions, my judgments and fears. “This too,
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Tao Te Ching – Chapter 42
The first part of this chapter carries its deepest meaning. It begins with a brief version of creation. Tao gives birth to oneOne gives birth to twoTwo give birth to threeThree give birth to the ten thousand things Using symbols, this progression can be illustrated by the movement from wuji, or unlimited potential, to taiji,
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Two Stories of Healing
In the Bible, Jesus and his followers encountered the funeral procession of a widow’s only son. Jesus had compassion for her and told her son to rise. The dead boy came back to life and was returned to his mother. The story is told in Buddhism of a mother who brought the body of her dead
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When We Walked with God
The Garden of Eden story fascinates me. I’m going to ask you, just for purposes of this post, to take the story out of Biblical context. Put aside all the theology, all your beliefs and opinions, whatever they are, about the Bible and religion. Just for a few minutes, consider this story without any preconceived
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It’s Not Always Kumbaya
People think that when you live a spiritually awakened life, you are always serene, always la la happy, always wise. But that’s not true. First of all, spiritual awakening is not a one time thing. As Adyashanti says, there is no such thing as enlightenment. There are only enlightened moments, because enlightenment, or awakening, can
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At the Gate
One of my favorite movies of all time is King of Hearts, a 1960s film starring Alan Bates and a young Genevieve Bujold. The story takes place in a French village during WWI. The inhabitants flee the town, leaving behind the inmates of an asylum with the gate open. They filter out into the empty
The Only Way
There is another wayThe only waySome think it secretYet it beckons allSome think it leads afarYet it leads nowhere else but hereSome think it hard to followYet it asks no sacrifice and requires no effortYour soul’s deep yearningYour heart’s desireIs already yoursNow and alwaysJust let go of everything that is not itAnd you will see
I Just Like To Do Things My Own Way
My son James is autistic. For those familiar with the spectrum, he would probably fall somewhere at the very low end of high functioning. Several years ago, I had a conversation with him about his adult life. I was trying to ask in a sensitive, diplomatic way how he felt about not being able to
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No Regrets, Coyote
Someone reminded me recently of how much I love Joni Mitchell’s music, although I haven’t listened to it in a long time. The last few days, a line from one of her songs keeps singing in my soul – No regrets, Coyote. It seems a perfect reflection on this year as it comes to a
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Life-omon
The 1950 Japanese film Rashomon is the story of a murder told from the perspective of four witnesses, each of whom tells a very different tale. As you watch the movie, you are caught up in each version, thinking “Oh, this is what really happened.” But then a new witness begins to speak, and you
Heart Dragons
“Here there be dragons.” So say the old maps to designate areas beyond the known world, where only the most bold or the most foolhardy dare venture. Dragons live there. Dragons breathing fire. Fire, the element of the heart. Hearts are by nature bold and foolhardy adventurers, and if freed from fear’s mooring, will sail
Tao Te Ching – Chapter 35
Music and fine foodCause passing guests to stop This timeless little chapter could have been written today instead of 2500 years ago. It is a reminder that what is of true and lasting value is often overlooked in the hubbub of a world seeking ever more loud and glittering distraction. A cultural mantra of “more,
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Everything You Need is Nothing
In pursuit of knowledge, every day something is acquiredIn pursuit of Tao, every day something is released~Tao Te Ching We read or listen to the words of spiritual teachers. We takes notes. We study. We try to remember, hoping that the memory of words spoken or written in the past will somehow lead to awakening
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The Season of Courage
[I’m reposting this article from last autumn. For those who have enjoyed the series on seasons, this will hopefully be a nice reminder.]Autumn…the year’s last, loveliest smile. ~William Cullen Bryant I wrote recently about courage and also about surrender. These two concepts come together perfectly in the season of autumn, dancing with each other as
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Tao Te Ching – Chapter 33
This short little chapter is easy to overlook, yet it contains deep teaching for living a happy and content life. Knowing others is wisdomKnowing the self is enlightenment The characters for knowing 知 and wisdom 智 are similar, but the one for wisdom adds a “sun” component underneath. So wisdom is enlightened knowledge. But the character
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Catching Monkeys
When hunters in Africa want to catch a monkey, they carve a small hole in something stationary, like a gourd secured with a rope. They put food in the hole, stand back, and wait. The monkey will reach into the hole and grab a handful, but with a fist full of food the monkey can’t