Message Audio
Why Meditation Matters in a Crisis (3)
Crisis evokes "fear-brain." And fear-brain shuts down the best thinking, big-picture seeing, and sends us into evolutionary instinct, survival mode. The spiritual tradition gives us wisdom and practices, to help us do better.
Why Meditation Matters In A Crisis (2)
Far from naval-gazing narcissism, meditation opens us to the kind of new possibilities this moment in history is demanding of us.
Why Meditation Matters In A Crisis (1)
Meditation won’t cure a virus or stop fake news. But it will break down tribal blindness. And that’s a big component in the crisis we now face.
People of Courage
Let’s think about how courage helps make us people of our time.
Becoming People of Our Time
“The greatest glory lies not in never failing, but in rising every time we fail” (Nelson Mandela). Our nation has failed. Each of us has failed. AND, we can rise again. We can do better.
Wisdom is Slow. Fear is Fast.
That makes “the good life” tough. So, we walk the spiritual journey together. We help one another stay on track! This week we explore together, how to keep rising rise above our fear-brains.
The “Other” Isn’t the Enemy
Sure looks like it! We do behave very badly. But the real enemy is the fear driving our bad behavior. This week: dealing with the real enemy.
Let’s Talk About What Happened This Week
It was kind of a s***storm week at Common Thread. Listen to us aspire to do better living in a racially divided world.
Damn! How Did the Virus Get Political?
It’s fear. Our brains on fear, are nothing if not predictable. In this lesson, we talk about rising above our own fear, AND, being patient with others in theirs.
Getting Comfortable—Being Uncomfortable (2)
Uncomfortable is a cleverly disguised invitation to live on a higher plane. But it’s an easy invitation to miss, an easy invitation not to ignore. Have a listen
Getting Comfortable—Being Uncomfortable (1)
Turns out, the spiritual tradition has a lot to say about that. Have a listen.
Thriving in Uncertainty
We continue a spiritual theme we began on Easter. How do we thrive, when there is chaos and uncertainty all around us, and there's no end in sight? Have a listen.
Easter in the Time of Virus
How to thrive in times of uncertainty and pain.
Our Best Selves … Together
At life. At the spiritual journey. In times of crisis. We're better together. Today's lesson starts with stories I've heard since the virus began, encouraging us to be in it together.
Help Others. Help Ourselves.
Whatever helps us become ego-self forgetful, helps us access the Inner Divine, our better angels. No time better for that than this, the time if virus. Have a listen.
Spiritual Community In The Time of Virus
Every day, even as we are overwhelmed, we are determining together: who will we be when the crisis is over? The ancient wisdom provides us a roadmap. Have a listen.
Finding God in Organized Religion
I am not unaware that for a lot of people, organized religion is a big, big problem. It has been for me too. But what if... What if, under all that toxic craziness, there are deep, human, communal ways -- we find the sacred, find the Divine, we "find God in all...
Finding God in Our Pain
Pain is yet another place we experience the Divine, experience the sacred. However, it really can go either way. Pain can either sidetrack us, reinforcing all kinds of false-self distractions, or it can ennoble us, stripping away and refining. Have a listen
Finding God in Awe
Awe is the humbling feeling we get when we encounter something vast. A sky full of stars. An overwhelming idea. Anything that shrinks the ego-as-self points us toward Divine experience. Let’s talk Sunday.
Finding God in Belonging
We belong. We just do. We may not feel like it, but that doesn’t matter. We belong. And our souls will be hungry, until that reality is actualized in our lives. This week, we talk about how.
Finding God in our People
Once we rethink where God is—and imagine the Divine is present in every man, woman, and child, a whole set of spiritual practices open up, to help us Find God in All Things.
Finding God in the Garden
When we think God is far away (in heaven) we expect spiritual experiences to be dramatic—visions or peak experiences. But when we look for the Divine in everything, simple moments—pulling weeds, washing dishes—can become spiritual moments.
Finding God in the Woods
Many who can’t imagine God on a celestial throne, nevertheless feel spiritually connected in the woods or garden. Turns out, a rich part of our tradition, is how to access the Divine here and now, in the juice and joy of the earth.
Where Is God Now?
After the great religious unraveling that began after WW1, many struggle with that question. This week, we’ll start thinking about where God is now. (It’s good news!)