One topic that I see batted back and forth often, particularly in gay male communities, is around the value of monogamy in long-term relationships. I’ve…
A Practice with Love at the Center, Part 2
Love is a combination of six ingredients: care, commitment, knowledge, responsibility, respect and trust. – bell hooks As I practice compassion and coach others in…
A Practice with Love at the Center
What would life look like if efforts to grow and develop began from an attitude of love? For this conversation, I do not mean “love” as…
Media Racism, Cultural Shadows, and Anger: Black Lives Still Matter
This is a week in which it feels hard to think of something positive and uplifting to write. Since I often aim to write with…
Don’t Try to Be Calm
Relaxation, peace, and calmness are not goals of mindfulness and meditation practices. They are often common and welcome side-effects, but in a sense they cannot…
Understanding Your Blocks
There is a meditation I use when I want to explore places that are blocked or stuck on deeper levels. I think of feeling stuck or…
Publication Announcement: The Star of Opening
I’m proud to announce that The Star of Opening, an anthology of spiritual writings from Morningstar Mystery School, is now available on Amazon.com. I co-edited this…
Ode to Listening
I love listening, and I am still learning how to do it. Listening is the core of my practice and the seed of my growth.…
You are the Cup
In several recent conversations, I’ve heard and contemplated the divide between spiritual orientations of “working on one’s self” and “being in service” to something greater than the self—deity,…
Painful Habits
I am a fan of the song “Habits (Stay High)” by Tove Lo. In it, I hear a portrait of a person living through the self-harm that comes…