( Easter Messages from Peter Roget and Sir Isaak Newton) “Measured on the vast scale of the universe, the globe we inhabit appears but as an atom; and yet within the compass of this atom, what an inexhaustible variety of objects is contained; what and endless diversity of phenomena is presented; what wonderful changes are … [Read more…]
One year, after discussing “The Big Bang Theory” in the Biodesign Class, unbeknown to me, a quiet, thoughtful Latina girl went to church the following Sunday. After the service, she approached her priest and asked, “Father, if God made the universe, who made God?” The priest’s face turned red, he stooped down and whispered sharply … [Read more…]
Of the 50 (more or less) books that were used to formulate the Biodesign curriculum, one of my favorites was, The Prophet, by Kahlil Gibran. The book contains 26 stellar meditations on the holistic nature of human beings, including intimate topics ranging from love, joy/sorrow, death and everything in between. Conservative estimates are that the … [Read more…]
According to the latest Pew research poll on religious preference, 4% of the American population self-identify as atheists. Does this mean that the other 96% of the people are on some form of spiritual path? Do they walk in solitude, or have they joined the caravan of seekers that is very long and very old? … [Read more…]
“A spiritual partnership is a partnership between equals for the purpose of spiritual growth. Spiritual partners use their delightful experiences together as well as their power struggles to learn about themselves and change themselves.” – Gary Zukav Excerpt: Biodesign Out For A Walk, Forward by Linda Williamson. I now realize that one of the great … [Read more…]
Whether Rodin’s sculpture of “The Thinker” was generic or not, it was a perfect complement to Rene Descartes’ life, legacy and accomplishments. There is an old joke that pokes fun at Paris’ “Left-Bank” existentialists like Jean Paul Sartre. Sartre was enjoying a cup of espresso at a sidewalk café when the waiter asked him if … [Read more…]
In 1976, naturalist T. H. Watkins published, John Muir’s America. He must have felt that he knew Muir’s soul so well that he composed three imaginary conversations with the venerable old mountain man. The first dialogue began on the veranda of Muir’s home in Martinez, Ca. The two men discussed many ecological topics as they … [Read more…]
An old English proverb suggests: “It’s an ill wind that blows nobody good” The recent fires throughout Napa and Sonoma Counties qualify as Ill Winds. It is common practice for California Dept. of Forestry officials to name fires by their place of origin. Ergo, the fire that destroyed over 3,500 Santa Rosa homes and businesses … [Read more…]
Michelangelo is widely regarded as the most famous artist of the Italian Renaissance. If his goals in life had been lower, the world would never have known his “David” and “Pieta” statues and the Sistine Chapel frescoes. He was a painter, architect and sculptor and dedicated his life to getting as close to the creative power … [Read more…]
Watching the increasingly commercial emphasis during the Christmas Season, it is little wonder Albert Schweitzer described a kind of naïveté where people are unaware of the silent, spiritual battles within. Although blatant commercialism was far less intense during the time Henry Thoreau wrote “Walden,” (1850) it probably contributed to his efforts to strive to avoid … [Read more…]