Share Phyllis Tickle and other scholars of religion have theorized that every 500 years, there is a great upheaval within Christianity. Luminaries like Brian McLaren have tried to map the whys and hows of navigating an upheaval, noting that we are currently in the midst of one. However, how much does this historical understanding actually impact the devout churchgoer, or the doubter who has stopped going? Curveball by Peter Enns speaks to both of these audiences and more, as it addresses what to do when experience challenges faith. Enns, who is...

Share Read [and reflect on the message below] in the context of your own faith, but with a curiosity, an openness, to hear what Native America has to say, to teach, to share…. When you enter into the mystery of these words for yourself, do so without preconception or judgment. With honesty and humility. Enter the deep earth of our ancient longing and reach for the highest branches of our collective hope…. Take each message as you find it. Let it speak to you directly. Ponder its meaning. When I was a child I thought of the world around meAs a m...

Share Read [and reflect on the message below] in the context of your own faith, but with a curiosity, an openness, to hear what Native America has to say, to teach, to share…. When you enter into the mystery of these words for yourself, do so without preconception or judgment. With honesty and humility. Enter the deep earth of our ancient longing and reach for the highest branches of our collective hope…. Take each message as you find it. Let it speak to you directly. Ponder its meaning. I have visited the land of regret more than onceBut have ...

Share Read [and reflect on the message below] in the context of your own faith, but with a curiosity, an openness, to hear what Native America has to say, to teach, to share…. When you enter into the mystery of these words for yourself, do so without preconception or judgment. With honesty and humility. Enter the deep earth of our ancient longing and reach for the highest branches of our collective hope…. Take each message as you find it. Let it speak to you directly. Ponder its meaning. My ancestors valued silence.That is the room where the mi...

Share Read [and reflect on the message below] in the context of your own faith, but with a curiosity, an openness, to hear what Native America has to say, to teach, to share…. When you enter into the mystery of these words for yourself, do so without preconception or judgment. With honesty and humility. Enter the deep earth of our ancient longing and reach for the highest branches of our collective hope…. Take each message as you find it. Let it speak to you directly. Ponder its meaning. Go wild once in a while.Go rogue.Do something outrageous ...

Share Read [and reflect on the message below] in the context of your own faith, but with a curiosity, an openness, to hear what Native America has to say, to teach, to share…. When you enter into the mystery of these words for yourself, do so without preconception or judgment. With honesty and humility. Enter the deep earth of our ancient longing and reach for the highest branches of our collective hope…. Take each message as you find it. Let it speak to you directly. Ponder its meaning. I am asking you to join me on this journeyNot because I w...

Share The International Day of Peace was established by a United Nations resolution in 1981 to coincide with the opening of the General Assembly. In 2002, September 21 was designated as the permanent date for this observance. It has become a worldwide movement to create a global ceasefire and a day of peace and nonviolence. In establishing the International Day of Peace, the United Nations General Assembly decided that it would be appropriate "to devote a specific time to concentrate the efforts of the United Nations and its Member States, as w...

Share Grandpa's Window tells a story of love bolstered and loss softened by a child's drawings and paintings. Daria's grandpa is ill in a hospital where the windows — except for his — face dull, gray buildings. He has a seashore view, from which he can see "waves crashing, families swimming, kites flying." He and Daria even see a rainbow, and when Daria asks him whether they will look for the pot of gold at the rainbow's end when he gets better, he answers, "Right, sweetie." Only he isn't getting better, as illustrator Udayana Lugo gently shows...

Share The Muppet Show premiered in the U.S. on September 20, 1976. This family-friendly creation of puppeteer Henson still brings laughter, wonder, and joy to kids of all ages. James (Jim) Maurey Henson was born in Greenville, Mississippi in 1936. His maternal grandmother was a quilter, needleworker, and painter who encouraged his burgeoning creativity. While he was still in high school and already skilled in cartooning, Henson started performing with his puppets on a morning television show in Washington, DC. He created Kermit from the sleeve ...

When I was asked what kind of mindfulness practice I’d like to offer to young people, the very first thing that came up for me was the practice of loving-kindness. Other ways of putting it is the practice of unconditional friendliness or the practice of being kind to oneself and all other beings. Through my own experience working with thousands of young people, my sense of the cultural Western conditioning is to be really hard on ourselves. We often try to achieve perfection which gives us really high expectations. Then, when we fall below thes...

Share The Heart as Origami “Each one has its shape.For love, two sleeping ducks.For selfless courage, the war horse.For fear of death, the daylily’s one-day flower.More and more creased each year, worn paper thin,and still it longs for them all.Not one of the lives of this world the heart does not choose.”

Share We review very few books of poetry here, but we could not let this one go without making mention of it. Jane Hirshfield is one of our favorites and known to many of you. We gave one of her earlier poetry collections, Given Sugar, Given Salt, one of our “Book of the Year” awards. Hirshfield is also a translator, an editor of inspired poetry compilations, and the acclaimed author of two collections of essays on the deep spiritual work that poetry can do in the world and in a life. One of her essay collections that we reviewed a quarter of a...

Share Read [and reflect on the message below] in the context of your own faith, but with a curiosity, an openness, to hear what Native America has to say, to teach, to share…. When you enter into the mystery of these words for yourself, do so without preconception or judgment. With honesty and humility. Enter the deep earth of our ancient longing and reach for the highest branches of our collective hope…. Take each message as you find it. Let it speak to you directly. Ponder its meaning. Sometimes on the spiritual pathIt is more fun to walk bes...

Share Dag Hammarskjold (1905 - 1961) was born into an influential Swedish family; his father was a former prime minister. He studied law and economics after which he was offered the post of Swedish ambassador to the United Nations. Hammarskjold then was elected Secretary General, an honored but difficult role he played for eight years. On September 18, 1961, he died in a plane crash in central Africa. Praise came from around the world for his wisdom, devotion to duty, and his relentless search for peace in a time when nuclear war seemed on the ...

Share Hildegard of Bingen was one of the most gifted spiritual teachers of all time. An abbess and founder of a Benedictine religious community; a composer, playwright, poet and artist; an herbalist and pharmacist; and a sensitive recipient of God-sent visions with insights about the Bible and the natural world, she encourages all people to experience the juiciness of life. As days grow short and trees drop their leaves, what better time to appreciate our inner juiciness. And to help you tap into it, we offer you a vibrant collection of Hildega...

Adobe Stock/ Wayhome Studio Based on research and self-reporting from many sixth and seventh grade students, there’s a lack of motivation and self-esteem in the classroom due to poor relationships and motivation from teachers, their peers, and their environments. This practice is one that I do with my students to help us check in with our minds, our bodies, our hearts, our energy, and our emotions. You may want to do this practice during transitional periods throughout the day like in the morning or bedtime, at the beginning or end of classes, ...

Adobe Stock/ okrasiuk In the hustle and bustle of city life, it’s not often we slow down and take in all there is to experience. Even in urban areas, if you pay attention, you can hear the call of a bird, notice your favorite color in shop windows, and look up at the vast sky above. In this guided meditation, we slow our roll and take in the beauty of our surroundings, no matter where we find ourselves. A Guided Walking Meditation to Notice the Beauty Around Us—Even in the City with Kazumi Igus Let’s start with taking three deep breaths. As we ...

Share Read [and reflect on the message below] in the context of your own faith, but with a curiosity, an openness, to hear what Native America has to say, to teach, to share…. When you enter into the mystery of these words for yourself, do so without preconception or judgment. With honesty and humility. Enter the deep earth of our ancient longing and reach for the highest branches of our collective hope…. Take each message as you find it. Let it speak to you directly. Ponder its meaning. Sometimes I laugh when I pray. I hope you do too. So ofte...

There’s an old story about a sage who lived in a lofty mountain hermitage. It was attached to a cave where he often meditated, but his followers and benefactors had also built him a lovely little building that housed all his books and provided him with a very comfortable place to sleep and a dining area with a sweeping view of many valleys below and peaks in the distance. Also attached to the building was a closet-like dwelling for his faithful attendant. One morning the sage declared that he would like to go down to the village to exchange som...

Share This author is one of the two or three most recognized Roman Catholic priests working in the United States. He is also a member of our Living Spiritual Teachers Project. Father Martin has written several books including three New York Times bestsellers and one S&P “Best of the Year” award-winner, Between Heaven and Mirth. He is consistently one of the clearest communicators of Christian faith, willing to address difficulties of interpretation and meaning, often with personal story and humor. This book is thorough — a serious read for ...