Praetorian guard with sword and lance, wearing a cucullus (hooded cape) - Berlin, Pergamon Museum. Credits: Ann Raia, 2005 Since the first suggestion of the existence of ancient cultures in grammar school history classes, I have cultivated a fascination with what it might have been like to live as a member of ancient societies. As … Continue reading From Ancient History to Modern Consciousness
Have you ever found yourself wondering why the world is the way it is, or why you sometimes feel completely at ease with your life and, at other times, completely confused about everything? Have you ever marveled at a spectacular sunset or felt exuberant for no particular reason and wondered why? These and other similar … Continue reading Philosophy is for Everyone
There is a stream of consciousness flowing within each of us that never ceases, nor diminishes throughout our years as self-aware sentient creatures. In our everyday awareness, we can be consciously connected to this stream to the degree that we seek it out, and as we attend to the matter of nourishing the path which … Continue reading The Universal Flow
Max Planck Florida Institute Study Shows: Persistent Sensory Experience Is Good For The Aging Brain Jupiter, FL May 24, 2012 "Despite a long-held scientific belief that much of the wiring of the brain is fixed by the time of adolescence, a new study shows that changes in sensory experience can cause massive rewiring of the … Continue reading Learning, Sensory Experience, and Consciousness
In an age when the appeal of the classical arts can sometimes appear to have dimmed, compared to the popularity of the 21st century sparkle of dazzling special effects and digital technologies, I find it especially gratifying to know that the best and the brightest hope for the preservation of what is timeless in our … Continue reading Shakespeare Lives!
The yogis call this one unified essence Shiva. The force of creation within this absolute is the Divine Feminine http://www.expressionsofspirit.com/shiva-shakti.htm I am beginning to weave together some of the many lines of thinking that have been creating forward movement in my life. Comprehension along the way requires deliberate effort, and while we may understand how … Continue reading Currents of the Spirit
Life recently has brought me to contemplate the aspects of life in its moments of what we often describe as "darkness," which we all experience in one way or another if we attend faithfully to the opening of the world within us. All my life, I have been periodically experiencing this darkness, this opposing aspect … Continue reading Darkness and Light
Throughout our lives, if we are fortunate, we encounter a number of opportunities to share a loving connection to another human being. For some of us, the essential experience we seek is the commingling of souls--the sharing of genuine love and affection. For others, it is more visceral and temporal in nature, with appropriate sensuality … Continue reading Anonymous Love Letter
The inner turmoil provoked by my pressing need to get my work moving, to resolve the issues surrounding the diversion of my attention to pressing personal circumstances, and to find some degree of balance and harmony within me, is evident as I gaze around my workspace and see literally dozens of loose ends, trails of … Continue reading The Clutter In My Head
Last glimpse of the setting sun by gracious (http://www.trekearth.com) Copyright: Ho Tony (gracious) Preparing to meet with darkness, as the light of day slowly recedes into the gentle evening, I am almost imperceptibly sliding into melancholy, mixed with a mild sense of relief to be without obligation of any sort for the moment. Regardless of … Continue reading Preparing to Meet with Darkness
John's Consciousness 