Discerning Illusions in the Spiritual World

Discernment on the spiritual path is different than judgment. Judgment is a reaction or belief about something external. Discernment takes stock of the external thing and sees how it assimilates internally- it’s experiential. It asks, “Is this true for me, given my experience?” Judgment detaches us coldly & closes our hearts. Discernment lets us detach … Continue reading Discerning Illusions in the Spiritual World

My First Santsang (aka Sedona Meltdown)

When I was a teenager I survived an intense 3 day LSD trip which was more like an insomniac blur...it involved a spontaneous 14 hour drive to the east coast, parading nude in the streets, quitting my lifeguard job, and sadly at the end of it thinking I was a video game character. Such are … Continue reading My First Santsang (aka Sedona Meltdown)

The Gift of Surrender

I am fascinated with the art of surrender. From totally yielding in child's pose to rolling with the punches of 'failure,' to bowing & saying 'namaskar' to a stranger, to surrendering the human voice to mystical repetition of Sanskrit syllables. Surrender is the main reason I love chanting. The first thing I do when a … Continue reading The Gift of Surrender