Articles on Practices

The Intention Economy

While exploring shamanism and non-ordinary states, I discovered the power of intention. According to the artist Ian Lungold, who lectured brilliantly about the Mayan Calendar before...

No Wedding and Three Funerals

An acquaintance of mine departed this earth recently at age 84. I'd only known him for the last 20 years or so of his life, and although I'd had glimpses of this man's whole self,...

What a Loving God Will (or Won

On the closest point to heaven atop one of San Francisco's highest hills sits the glorious Grace Cathedral, an Episcopal church that "courageously embraces innovation and open-minded...

6 Ways to Create a More Peaceful Workspace

To get to my desk, I have to step over a pile of clothes I’ve been meaning to put away, clear boxes of books slated for charity and dodge an “in” tray that rivals...

A Beginner's Guide to 8 Major Styles of Yoga

Skimming the yellow pages or the class schedule at your gym for a good yoga class can be a real exercise in confusion. How can you tell the difference between Anusara and ashtanga?...

The Seven Miracles of Mindfulness

Mindfulness is our ability to be aware of what is going on both inside us and around us. It is the continuous awareness of our bodies, emotions, and thoughts. Through mindfulness, we...

Check Off Your Own Kind of 'Bucket List' The 5 Wishes Way

I learned how to change my life at an engagement party. It was a celebration for a friend embarking on his fifth matrimonial adventure. "She is the woman of my dreams,” Max...

Growing Up With God

it’s an ancient hindu saying that “the mother and father are the child’s first guru.” Children learn the most basic human skills from their parents: along with...

Born To Teach

While most children are guided in their spiritual development with help from instructors, parents and peers, Swami Vishwananda always followed an inner compass oriented to the divine....

How to Get Comfortable in Uncomfortable Situations

I'll bet there is something you'd like to do that you've been putting off for a long, long time. Maybe it's a one-time thing, such as asking for a raise or telling your husband that...