Switch to a Different Puzzle

I woke up this morning with Don Williams’ title line of his song reverberating in my head, “I Wouldn’t Want to Live if You Didn’t Love Me”.

The mind worm of the refrain was a likely result of yesterday’s conversation that turned stressful with my daughter, Stacey. We are in Tennessee with her spending […]

A Different World

“In every age no matter how cruel the oppression carried on by those in power, there have been those who struggled for a different world. I believe this is the genius of humankind, the thing that makes us half Divine — the fact that some human beings can envision a world that has never existed.” […]

The Sublime Abiding

Note* If you are a regular Yellow Brick Road reader you already know I write raw. This post comes with a warning.

The past few days have been busy as preparations for going south have progressed past pre-packing and accelerated to fever pitch. The pre-packing is essential because you never know what is going […]

True Confessions of an Apolitical Person

I am making a public confession: I stopped voting 32 years ago. I thought I was doing that to be able to be a neutral witness to the differences and preferences in the world. A few days ago I had a profound sense I actually stopped voting because I had stopped trusting in my ability […]

How Now Shall We Live

On October 17, 2024, a dharma sister sent an email sharing about a free on Youtube documentary titled “Living in the Time of Dying” a film by Michael Shaw that is 53 minutes and 31 seconds on the ‘how then shall we live’ about the climate crisis, but also about so much more.

[…]

Comfort With What Is

This theme of perspective continues to escalate. Not just in personal ways, but within the collective.

This morning about 6 o’clock I was awakened by a “poke” on my left shoulder. It was a somatic poke. A physical sensation. The kind of experience where you would swear an actual person was there doing the poking. […]

It’s Not the End

John Lennon said, “Everything will be okay in the end. If it’s not okay, it’s not the end.” Gratitude is not a mere word; it is not a mere concept. It is the living breath of your real existence on earth. ~ Sri Chinmoy

Claudia and I drove to Holly the day before the retreat […]

The Perfect Week for a Retreat

I leave for Holly, Michigan, where I will attend a silent meditation retreat titled “Remembering our Awakened Essence” with Barbara Brodsky and John Orr from Deep Spring Center for Meditation, and sangha sisters and brothers from all over the world. The retreat will be held at The Maryville Retreat Center. This week Barbara’s husband, Hal, […]

Milton’s Mayhem and Message

Last evening we had dinner with two long-time friends. One friend lost her winter home on Pine Island two years ago to Hurricane Ian. As Hurricane Milton is crossing the Gulf of Mexico right now barrelling toward Florida we have friends who are year-round on the island. It felt good for us to gather here […]

Good Intentions

It depends where you look.

As I slide the drape back from the window this morning the sky to the west is very dark.

I have been initiating conversation about the upcoming Presidential Election with John. For decades we have not spoken of such things, but it seems vital to be able to […]