Anyone even vaguely familiar with the term “mystical,” whether from a religious practice or simply from an investigation into the subject generally, can usually agree that it includes a whole range of possible experiences which may qualify. In his classic volume, “Varieties of Religious Experience,” William James writes: “The adjective ‘mystical’ is technically applied, most … Continue reading The Mystical Is Often Metaphorical
There have been moments lately, where it seemed to me, that I, myself, have been chasing the shade. Clearly, in the summertime, when it gets particularly hot, and the sun is particularly dangerous, we find ourselves moving our chairs so that they remain in the shade. As the sun creeps up, we move the chairs … Continue reading Winter Pastoral: Chasing the Shade
While reviewing some material on the subject of science and spirituality recently, I encountered this article about meetings between Albert Einstein and Rabindranath Tagore, two individuals who I have admired for many years, and for some reason I did not ever encounter this information about their meetings. These two men were clearly on different paths, … Continue reading Scientists and Spiritual Thinkers
During my recent sojourn into the wilderness, I took advantage of the opportunities provided by several days of inclement weather to catch up on reading a book by science journalist and Yale professor, Carl Zimmer, entitled “Life’s Edge.” Several of my recent encounters with the natural world have brought the title of his book vividly … Continue reading Life’s Edges
I finally had a chance to post the poem I worked on during my recent trip into the mountains, and hope my readers and visitors will enjoy this brief video. https://videopress.com/v/SlIyuuM6?resizeToParent=true&cover=true&preloadContent=metadata&useAverageColor=true Here is the text of the poem, so you can read along as I recite it. Enjoy! The Only Light in the Wilderness The … Continue reading Light in the Wilderness
While reviewing my personal journals this month, I was surprised to come across a lengthy account of a particularly intense episode during one of my ventures within, which I had set aside a few months ago. I generally prefer to review my writing after some time has passed, as I frequently find the routine of … Continue reading Consciousness Video Series: Episode 6: Metaphor and the Inner Experience
I recently presented a brief video episode about our experience of life, https://johns-consciousness.com/2022/03/26/consciousness-video-series-episode-3-experience-of-the-world/ and wanted to elaborate on the topic of our experiential awareness a bit, since there seems to be a fair amount of variation in the understanding of how our experience of life comes about. This is a fairly broad topic and I … Continue reading Our Experience of Life
Every year as the weather becomes milder and the seasonal changes begin in the early spring, although I await with much anticipation to see the blossoming of all the greenery and flora around my modest home, I also have to consider the tasks of straightening up and clearing out of the overgrown plants and ivy … Continue reading Spiritual Spring Cleaning
A few weeks ago, we were finally able to accept an invitation to spend a few days with friends in South Carolina, on Fripp Island, which is a "...six and a half square mile barrier island located along the Atlantic coast," according to Wikipedia. The Fripp Island Property Owners Association describes the island as a … Continue reading A Moment of Zen: A Slice of Paradise
Desc: Scientist leaving the world. Engraving c.1520. Allegorical representation of changes in medieval conception or interpretation of the heavens when it was thought that the world was flat ¥ Credit: [ The Art Archive As modern 21st century humans, we tend to focus more of our attention on our current epoch, and in some ways … Continue reading Consciousness Video Series: Episode 4: Ancient Beginnings to Modern Consciousness
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