A recent email to a friend—a professed conservative with liberal leanings in many domains. We have conversations where we listen to each other and make no assumptions. This is about as "political" as I ever get, which is to say, not much. * * * * * I wonder if you are on the train…
The Law of Karmic Stupidity
Go Gentle Into That Good Night
Before my first samadhi experience, I had implicit faith in the wisdom of Dylan Thomas. He said we should rage against the dying of the light. As a sixteen-year-old boy with no experience in death and a great desire to be heroic, he won me over. Then a few months later, by focusing on my breath and…
Haynes, Grant Us Faith
Projecting Our Projections
John Sees My Aura
A few years ago my wife and I were invited to a dinner party with a few other couples. At one point during the evening, the conversation turned to meditation and other ideas broadly related to mysticism and yoga. People began discussing meditation, and after I made some remarks, someone asked me if I ever meditated.…
Encounters at the Mall
I visit shopping malls with the same pleasure as I visit the dentist. For me shopping is a distraction from meaningful activity, and consumerism in general dismays me. Still, there are occasions when I need to visit my local mall, and sometimes my visits produce interesting encounters. I can think of two occasions in particular. …
Joan of the Sixth Sense
An entire universe exists beyond our physical senses. Through a few decades of esoteric practice, I’ve occasionally glimpsed bits of it in sporadic instances of extrasensory perception. After more than forty years of yogic meditation, plus spurious encounters with various mystics, spiritualists, and psychics of all races and religions, I’ve had premonitory dreams, had my…