Spirituality That Works

“As you should know, we are all energetically influenced both physically and spiritually. Is spiritual influence the sin that is forgiven because we commit it unconsciously?”

This question landed in my inbox recently, and it touches on something I’m often asked about: the complex relationship between spiritual influence and personal responsibility. Let’s take a look at this from a few different perspectives to help us gain greater clarity and self-awareness.

Distinguishing Influence from Intentional Sin

First, I’d like to speak … Read More

Understanding the Territory

The intersection of mental health experiences and spiritual awakening can be both profound and challenging. What some traditions call “spiritual emergence” can sometimes look similar to what Western medicine labels as psychosis. This overlap requires us to hold both perspectives with care and respect, recognizing that the journey of awakening is deeply personal and can often be accompanied by intense emotions, including fear.

Acknowledge the Fear and Its Roots

When we experience profound shifts in our sense … Read More

Have you ever noticed how one person’s mood can shift the atmosphere of an entire room?  Or experienced the calming effect of ocean waves? Or felt energized by the rustling of leaves in a forest? These everyday experiences hint at something scientists are beginning to understand—we’re all part of an interconnected web of energy fields that constantly communicate and influence each other. Like tuning forks that naturally sync up when placed near each other or the way your phone automatically … Read More

Do all people have the experience of trying to remember the connection of awareness that they’ve forgotten something, but they don’t remember what it is they’ve forgotten?

All people on a spiritual path do. The way they experience it is as a kind of deep-set loneliness that can live well below consciousness. Somebody may not be thinking every day, “Gosh, I’m so lonely” but there’s a feeling of being disconnected from everything that’s common to a lot of people. 

So … Read More

Q: I was reading today that one of the stages along the way to awakening is becoming silent. As someone who has a pretty powerful need to share what I’m thinking, am I in particular need of working on becoming a quieter person, listening more, and keeping to myself?

It’s true that once a regular sustained practice of meditation is established, silence is a natural outgrowth. That’s because once we are able to quiet our minds, the constant chatter and … Read More

We are born in a state of oneness—still aware of our pure connection with a greater knowing, a greater beingness and the all-that-is. But as soon as we are taught language, we begin being taught how to forget.

How is that possible? Let’s use the word “tree,” which is a language symbol for the image symbol for the thing itself. We’ve instantly been twice removed from pure reality. Much gets lost in the translation.

Each time we are indoctrinated into … Read More

Q: Let’s talk about right and wrong. From the non-dual perspective – the understanding that all of existence is fundamentally one interconnected whole – there is no right or wrong. There only is what is. Right?

Yes, there is only the totality of all that is. If there is no duality (no separation between things), there cannot be right and wrong, as these are dual concepts that require separation to exist.

The challenge people have with these concepts that cause … Read More

The Spark of AHA Moments

We often think of spiritual awakening as something difficult or painful – a process that requires extreme measures or pushing ourselves far outside our comfort zones. It can often feel intimidating enough that we feel discouraged from even starting.

Let’s shift that perception right now. Think of awakenings as stepping into a world of wonder—an adventurous scavenger hunt for hidden truths. We experience “aha moments” when something suddenly clicks into place. That aha moment feels … Read More