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
A few weeks ago, I ventured out into the wilderness of the northern mountains in my home state for nine days, in a remote area designated as a campground in the Stokes State Forest. I generally prefer to visit state parks when camping, since most often there are public facilities available, and options for enhancing … Continue reading Wonder in the Wilderness
A Beginning There are many different ways to approach a conversation about a complex subject, and I can attest to the fact that creating a video series is probably one of the most challenging, especially if you are not a seasoned film maker or videographer. I've already encountered what are likely the most common difficulties … Continue reading Consciousness Video Series: Episode Two: A Beginning
Dreamscapes I finally was able to upload Episode One directly to this page. The WordPress servers took some additional time to process it for some reason. So, now that it has been uploaded, the video link to the cloud was no longer needed. Check out the video below: https://videopress.com/v/CuZmcycA?resizeToParent=true&cover=true&preloadContent=metadata&useAverageColor=true For over a decade now, I … Continue reading Consciousness Video Series: Episode One: Dreamscapes
View of the lake in the Pennsylvania mountains Several times during the year, I have recently been able to enjoy the exceptional privilege to be invited to my sister's lakehouse in Pennsylvania, occasionally for family gatherings, and sometimes simply for the pleasure of a visit. As someone who savors opportunities for communing with the natural … Continue reading Enriched Beyond Measure
Once again, as the year winds down and the fullness of the winter season begins to take hold, we are presented with a whole range of considerations and expectations, which seem to appear typically at this time. For me, this year has been as tumultuous as they come, and there is a flood of concerns … Continue reading Finding Meaning in the Winter Season
John's Consciousness 