Samsara and the Liberated Life

The “human condition” is diagnosed differently depending on where in time and place you happen to be. Some traditions regard humans as having fallen from some state of paradisal perfection, separated from what we once were or one day might be. Others invoke metaphors of brokenness, corruption, dislocation, or captivity – hostage to diabolical forcesContinue reading “Samsara and the Liberated Life”

Back on the Way

Ever feel anxious? How about lonely? Depressed? Have you been there before? Maybe you’re there now. It may bring a bit of relief to learn that anxiety, loneliness, and depression have been the dark shadow of human consciousness for thousands of years. You’re not the first, and you’re not alone. As human consciousness evolved, theContinue reading “Back on the Way”

Politics in a New Key

The wisdom teachers of history have been right all along: We can’t solve our most persistent problems or gain liberation from suffering as long as we stay in the same frame of mind that generated our trouble in the first place. That frame of mind, the teachers tell us, perceives Reality through the lens ofContinue reading “Politics in a New Key”

Fate and Destiny

Some people argue that the human condition is determined by factors deep in our DNA, in mechanisms of survival, adaptation, and extinction embedded in the genetic code of our species. These biological determinists call us back from getting caught up in fantasies of human transformation and thinking we can break free from the bonds ofContinue reading “Fate and Destiny”

The Crux

All lifeforms on Earth are limited to lifetimes, some longer than others and some shorter. A few last only days, while a few others stretch into centuries. You’re about average, with a life expectancy of 80 years or so. Does that upset you? Nature has equipped all forms of life with a developmental aim andContinue reading “The Crux”

True Self in the Real World

It sounds a bit odd, but even though you’ve been around for a while, it’s possible that you are just now waking up. To use one of my favorite metaphors, it takes some time asleep inside its cocoon before the butterfly is ready to emerge. I’ve placed you there in my diagram, right at theContinue reading “True Self in the Real World”

The Spiral Path

Many teachings on wisdom spirituality assume that their audience is comprised of individuals who are ready for a revelation or breakthrough. In fact, many are only interested in home improvement and not an entirely new living situation. In a sense, conventional religion is something of a compromise in this regard. Somewhere in there are goldenContinue reading “The Spiral Path”

Intentionally Human

In Next Steps I presented the “map” to a more authentic and fulfilling human experience, according to the perennial tradition of wisdom spirituality (Sophia Perennis) which has been active now for several thousand years across numerous cultures and religions. The spirituality and its map are the shared product and collective property of homo sapiens, andContinue reading “Intentionally Human”

Author of Meaning

I’ve been interested in human nature, psychology, and development for a long time. My preference is to consider each of these through the lens of evolution, asking all along what a fully evolved and self-actualized human looks like. Most posts in this blog on creative change come at this question from one angle or another.Continue reading “Author of Meaning”

Saved From What Isn’t Real

“A human being is a part of the whole, called by us ‘universe,’ a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings as something separate from the rest – a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness.” Albert Einstein Imagine that the triangle illustrated above represents and contains all of existence. InsideContinue reading “Saved From What Isn’t Real”