spiritual insights on religion, social justice and comparative theology
I’ve heard it said that there are “two books of Revelation”. One is Scripture and the other is Nature. This makes complete sense to me, as I have had the honor of living in the wilds of nature and encountering its life changing power, glory and majesty. I have opened the pages of its story … Continue reading A Revelation In Nature by William Klein
I am always looking for practices that will help me stay centered. In the meditation community it is common practice to find one technique and to stay with that. I find that I can do that for a time, but the practice becomes stale. As a result, my prayer life becomes stale. Although some devout … Continue reading Meditation by William Klein
Some cultures revere the aged. In Hindu society, they touch the feet of the elder and say, “May you live one hundred years.” Taoists revere elders to the point that they worship those who have gone before them. When an elder dies, they make altars to their ancestors and place their deceased loved one’s favorite … Continue reading Honoring The Aged by William Klein
“When we change our consciousness we change the world”. This phrase is a subtle reminder that perspectives change with every situation and can turn for the better on a dime. John the Baptist’s first word in the synoptic Gospels is “repent”. This word has a negative connotation and a condemning tone, but in Greek the … Continue reading Change Your Consciousness, You Change The World by William Klein
I was listening to NPR and heard someone talking about sleepwalking. There are some funny stories of people who are sleepwalkers. I had a friend who used to sleepwalk and one night he walked in to his sister’s room and peed in her closet. He had no idea he did it until the next morning when … Continue reading Sleepwalking Through Life by William Klein
When I was touring the Incan ruins in Peru, the guide told me ninety-eight percent of Peruvians were practicing Catholics. Interestingly enough, a majority of these Catholics also claimed their Incan heritage and cherish the pagan rites of their ancestors and incorporated these rites and spiritual disciplines into their lives. How were they able to … Continue reading Sanctification by William Klein
In his essay “Meditation in a Toolshed”, C. S. Lewis writes about seeing a beam of light enter the shed. He notes that it was “pitch black” in the shed but the beam had dust motes in it. As he followed the beam and then stood directly in the light he had a very different perspective. … Continue reading Owning Our Feelings: Objectively and Subjectively by William Klein
Renowned psychologist Dr. Carl Jung addressed the idea of participation mystique or “mystical participation”, which was derived from Lucien Levy-Bruhl. It’s a complicated idea and there is much to address, but what does it mean to participate in Mystery in spiritual terms? Life is hard. The rhythms of life have a way of unsettling the balance … Continue reading Mystical Participation by William Klein
A friend of mine worked at a funeral home and told me the heart is the most resilient organ in the human body. It is the hardest organ to destroy. We are fascinated by the virtues of the heart – so much so that we can see its presence in symbols, art, poetry and in … Continue reading Percy Shelley’s Unburned Heart by William Klein
Narcissism is a scourge on our culture. With the recent events of Jussie Smollette and Roger Stone, we need to look at the dangers of ego and how it undermines our cultural identity. Smollette is accused of staging an attack in an attempt to bolster his paycheck on his career. Smollete drew national attention and … Continue reading The Scourge of Narcissism by William Klein
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