The Role of the Animus in a Woman's Spiritual Journey
Jung developed his theories about anima and animus in a place and time where gender stereotypes ruled. Despite his intention to draw from “the spirit of the depths” where these archetypes have universal meaning, to modern sensibilities some of his ideas might seem to have been contaminated by the spirit of his times. For […]
What's the Point of the Three Kings?
Those of us raised as Christians know this holiday is about a lot more than rushing about, partying and shopping, and many of us enjoy warm memories and nostalgic feelings this time of year. But why are the moments of love, joy and peace so difficult to find during the holiday season? Where do the feelings of exhaustion, anxiety, disappointment and depression come from? Why do we keep missing the point of Christmas? How can we recapture it?
What Meaning Can We Find in Numinous Encounters with Otherness?
Last week I wrote about an encounter with a rattlesnake on our forested mountain property. The day before that I found a skeleton of the head of something that looked like a baby alligator. Friends later confirmed that it was another snake. A bigger one. I had my third wild animal encounter in as many days the day after the live rattler appeared. This time it was a very large, very alive black bear!
Easter to the Soul
To the ego it sometimes feels crucial that we get the facts right, possess the “correct” interpretation — especially the religious one — and reject the “wrong” one. But to the soul, these details are beside the point. To your soul and mine, this story is a celebration of the sacred miracle of life, and all three interpretations are equally true.
The Value of Ritual
Whether personal or collective, rituals help transform individual souls and bring them into proper relationship with One Soul. In Turner’s words, “…ritual space and activity are sacred in the sense of representing the possibility of self-transformation.
Psychology and Religion: Natural Enemies or Intimate Partners?
In my growing up years the relationship between psychology and religion mirrored the cold war between the U.S. and Russia. Other than the fact that each was suspicious of the other, they appeared to have little in common. But this began to change for me at the age of 17. One morning I was reading the assigned Bible verses at church […]
Connecting with the Holy, Step Two: Giving Our Warrior A New Job
“With inner work [your ego accords] every element of life, including the dark elements…a place of dignity and worth.” –Robert A. Johnson If spirit persons throughout history are right when they say the nature of Divine Being is light and love, why can’t we see and feel it? Because our shadow blocks the light! Unfortunately, […]
Dreamwork as a Spiritual Practice
If you follow me on twitter and/or Facebook you probably already know about this, but it occurred to me this morning that I could let my blog followers know via a quick post here.
The Sacrament of Paying Attention
The Church conducts sacraments to infuse life-changing experiences like birth, marriage, and death with sacred meaning. Many find these rituals deeply satisfying and enjoy the positive feelings they bring long afterwards.
Mother Nature Her Ownself
I’m back now, recovering from Ireland’s delightfully unpredictable weather in the subtropical highland climate of the southern Smoky Mountains. Mother Nature blessed this region with a surplus of rain this spring, and at the moment she’s celebrating her mystery of rebirth with every color of the rainbow, unusually bold creeks, and riotous waterfalls the likes of which we haven’t seen in years.
