We often idealize the spiritual path as one of quiet contemplation, peaceful reflection and ever-present tranquillity. In truth, real spirituality is a messy negotiation with our world, one that requires daily diligence and significant navigational skill. Certainly, blissful moments within the path of awakening wax and wane. Yet for those who choose to live in the world, rather than in seclusion, we sign up for the challenge of conscious engagement with our world. And that’s not easy. Conscious, in that […]
Yesterday, my dear friend Ana, a Hawaiian kumu, or teacher, shared a gem of multi-faceted insight: A visionary is “someone who works from the future, backward.” It’s good to have friends like Ana, and I try to surround myself with as many Anas, as many visionaries, as possible. A visionary is one whose awareness is refined; one whose desire for freedom is tenacious; one who is willing to offer the hard, self-deprecating labour of, often, being misinterpreted or misunderstood; one […]