Why do we exist? Are we here to suffer? Is life a tragedy? Or, is life a cosmic joke? Are we the punchline? Is the joke on us? Sometimes, it's easy to wonder why we are here on this Earth if life is so full of suffering. But one thing is clear; there is a way out of this suffering. The more seriously we take life, the more we suffer.…
Our friends, family, neighbors, community, society and the media all tell us what makes a perfect life. It's inescapable. We're supposed to graduate at 18, go to college, get rich, get married, get a house and 2.5 kids all by the time we're 30. We're supposed to remain in the same profession until we retire at 60. And if we do it all just right, we'll be happy. But human…
What is life? What is reality? What is our place in the Universe? Why are we here and what does it all mean? And how can we best go about navigating this chaotic world so that we can have a peaceful life? I answer these questions and more in today's podcast. Please enjoy other episodes where I share meditation techniques, tips and spiritual lessons from around the world for peaceful…
You may not know it, but I am by nature a very private person. Even on my spiritual journey that took me around the world, I never posted about my travels. I understand the stress that social media can cause when people see others posting their travel photos, and I didn’t want to contribute to that.But then I met the remarkable woman who would become my wife. She was shocked…
When I was a Creative Director in advertising, I had to travel a lot for work and my companies would always put me up in 5-star hotels. It wasn’t the sheets or marble walls or gold trim that impressed me. It was always something that cost absolutely nothing: the attention and generosity of the staff.I am currently on a family vacation (hence the infrequent newsletters), showing my dear mother-in-law the…
The Golden Globes and awards season is here. I didn’t watch the Globes, but I do love the modern art of cinema. Few artforms are so captivating, moving, immersive, powerful, persuasive and empathizing. For two hours, you can experience what it is like to forgo identification with the self and identify with the characters in the story instead.While this escape can become addictive (because dissociation with our ego is extremely…
The world we live in is designed by each of us. We are each totally responsible for the world. You are humanity, you are society, you are the universe. Consciousness is the home you live in. You are its creator and caretaker. So, what does all this mumbo jumbo mean? Well, it means that if you see people as enemies, you have created the illusion of enemies. It means that…
If you can see it, feel it, hear it or think it, it is an illusion. So yes, kindness and cruelty are both illusions. Pain and pleasure exist in our mind and nowhere else. But that doesn’t mean they’re both meaningless. “Illusion” does not mean we dishonor the illusion. We don’t have to ignore it nor neglect it. We also don’t have to get attached to it. Illusion simply means we…
The universe exists on many planes of reality. On one hand, it’s entirely empty space because all matter is made up of empty space. On the other hand, there is no empty space because energy and quantum fields pervade the entire universe. And then there is the illusion that there is stuff and there is space, and the things appear separate and independent from one another.Any three of these interpretations…
It is never too late to change. At any age, we can make rapid change. Here’s what’s blocking us from doing so, and here’s what we can do to become the person we wish to be.Luckily, aggression, anger, stubbornness, negativity, pessimism, impatience and tempers are not ingrained in our DNA. But they do become habits. Fortunately for us, habits can be broken in an instant.I know smokers who smoked five…
“I thought my biggest fear was growing old and dying in prison. In truth, my biggest fear was growing old and not knowing myself.”
- Rick Smith, Albama inmate
Path to Peace - A newsletter not just for your mental health but also for your spiritual health.
