One word or image that has recurred over and over again is that of heart, from little emojis to songs to book titles. The Latin word is cor which, I think, gets at its inner meaning, the core or inmost centre of ourselves or of anything. Following this same direction, […] Read more
Listening from the Heart
Last week, we spoke of compassion as offering to one another not advice, answers, or a defensive wall, but a caring and safe place, a largely silent and listening presence, empty of our own clutter. The poet Rumi says: “Some human beings are safe havens. Be companions with them.” As […] Read more
Compassion for Self and Others
There was a CBC program quite a few years ago, in the Ideas series, that was called The World of the Child. One of the many speakers was educator, John Holt. His comments still resonate with me. I think the social virtues are overflowing, they are surplus. People have enough […] Read more
Wisdom from Sorrow and Joy
The past five weeks, I have had the privilege of teaching a class on Greek Mythology. This experience followed several months spent with a five-year old friend who became totally immersed in these stories and with whom we explored many ways of looking at them. Revisiting these ancient stories, with […] Read more
Reinterpreting Ancient Stories and Our Own Life Story
In renewing my study of Greek mythology, I tried to discern the experience behind the stories, the basic life questions they raise, the answers found in these ancient tales, and the continuing light they shed on our current life situations. At the same time, I tried to look at them […] Read more
“The Sound of the Genuine.”
After last week’s reflection on solitude, I came across words of poet, Rainer Maria Rilke, and educator Howard Thurman that really resonated with me. These are the words of Rilke “Love your solitude and bear the pain of it without self-pity. … Be glad that you are growing, and realize […] Read more
A Few Thoughts on Solitude
In preparing the Greek mythology class, as well as readings from the poet Rainer Maria Rilke and other reflections, the theme of solitude has come up many times. In the story of Odysseus and Penelope, they are separated for many years because of his involvement in the Trojan war. On […] Read more
Remembering What Is Essential
We have spoken lately of the importance of being in touch with and naming our own deepest experience, especially through images and stories. Stories of real depth, like the ancient mythologies, can also be approached from many angles, perhaps most helpfully through the lens of our sacred worth. This past […] Read more