A Spirit Born To Be Yours A long time ago, In centuries past, You and I existed On a plane that can No longer be reached. It is in the past, But it is also now, And it is also tomorrow. We were lovers. We breathed the same air. Our lips pressed together; Our hearts … Continue reading A Spirit Born To Be Yours
(c) Can Stock Photo Inc. / eric1513 Everywhere we look in the world, no matter how remote or distant from us, we find the two great opposing forces of grief and hope. At times, especially when the grief is very near, our initial response at first tends toward the abandonment of hope. It really doesn't … Continue reading Grief and Hope
"The greatest achievement was, at first and for a time, a dream. The oak sleeps in the acorn; the bird waits in the egg. And in the highest vision of a soul, a waking angel stirs. Dreams are the seedlings of realities." - James Allen, "Visions and Ideals, 1902 "A man becomes calm in the … Continue reading Consciousness in the World: The Universe is Alive
What is it about being human that separates us from all the other species on the planet? Why is it that our fellow creatures on Earth don’t enjoy the same level of cognitive talent as we do? What separates us from even those creatures with virtually the same parts and similar brain structures as ours? … Continue reading On Being A Conscious Human
"Wind" by Andrew Wyeth For many people, the idea of being "near death," is one they would rather not contemplate, but as anyone who has survived an accidental or unintentional brush with death can tell you, suddenly finding yourself at the edge of such a possibility tends to narrow your focus sharply on whatever action … Continue reading Neuroscience and Near Death Experiences
Driving all day to our destination for Thanksgiving dinner this year gave me some additional time for contemplation, and a chance to review some material that has been on the back burner. There haven't been many such opportunities recently, and I know that my writing has suffered from my inability to focus well these past … Continue reading Making Progress Slowly
These past few weeks have brought me face-to-face with some of the most challenging moments of my life. Facing life squarely is always a challenge one way or another, but confronting the consequences of my brother's illness took me to levels of challenge I never imagined. Forced to consider and respond to circumstances beyond anything … Continue reading Finding My Way
As I write, Hurricane Sandy is bearing down on the East Coast of the US, and is expected to make landfall plus or minus 50 miles from our home. We have spent most of the day in preparation for punishing winds, torrential rain, and possible flooding. The storm is approximately 900 miles wide and will … Continue reading Hurricanes and Hope
I have felt such a broad range of emotions of late, and have switched between experiences of different key elements so frequently, that I have been unable to focus very clearly on any one matter for very long. The crux of the matter seems to be that the disparate elements vying for my attention all … Continue reading Consciousness in the World: Finding Our Way
Sitting beside my brother's bed in the early morning hours, watching him sleep peacefully, I came across this image of earth from space, and it occurred to me how remarkable it is that life as we know it exists at all. We rarely contemplate the larger implications of life on earth since we are immersed … Continue reading Life Ebbs and Flows
John's Consciousness 