Category Archives: Spiritual Practice

Present to the abundance of life

It is important to make yourself  “indiferente,” Ignatius of Loyola recommends in the Spiritual Exercises. “Indiferente” is described by the Casares’ dictionary of the uses of the Spanish language as “no determinado por sí a una cosa más que a … Continue reading

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Do you have a spiritual spam filter?

Engaged Non-attachment—to live more creatively, we must be simultaneously engaged with life and free from attachments. Juan’s last post described one man’s “engaged non-attachment” as a way to begin the spiritual journey that transformed him into St. Ignatius of Loyola. Buddhism and other … Continue reading

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What is Your Journey?

In his last blog, Juan said that writing and “reflecting on the different stages of your life, can dramatically improve your understanding of yourself and others.” From earliest human history, throughout all world cultures, we have told our stories. Huddled … Continue reading

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The Joy of Discovery

There’s a part of you that is forever young, forever in discovery. As children we naturally follow our curiosity, playfully exploring and using our gifts. But through the years, we collect layers of experience, demands, and responsibilities that can dim … Continue reading

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Creation or Stagnation?

Does your environment foster creation or stagnation? A recent study in Psychological Science has shown that while administrators and corporate CEOs talk a lot about creative innovation, they routinely block it. Threatened by the uncertainty of the creative process, they … Continue reading

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What is a Bad Situation?

One of the most difficult pieces of teaching I ever heard came from Zen master Seung Sahn. He used to teach to big audiences that “a bad situation is a good situation, and a good situation is a bad situation.” … Continue reading

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Celebrating Poetry and Beauty for the New Year

After my arrival in Madrid, Spain, last week, I was invited to a celebration of the life and work of one of the most beloved poets of the last decade. His name is Angel Luis Vigaray and the homage took … Continue reading

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The Power of Water

“Nothing on earth Is more gentle and yielding than water Yet nothing is stronger.” (Tao Te Ching 78 ) Water nurtures all life on earth. Falling from the sky to the ground as precipitation—rain or snow—it flows as surface water through … Continue reading

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The power of self-compassion

Do you have a nagging inner voice that says you’re “not good enough,” lashing out critically whenever you make a mistake? If so, you’re not alone. As creative artists, we have the gift of shining ideals—but this gift often has … Continue reading

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Dean Brackley, S.J.–Teaching Solidarity Through Love

On Sunday October 16th, after a struggle with pancreatic and liver cancer, our friend and mentor Dean Brackley, SJ was called to be with God. Dean was a courageous and passionate seeker of social justice and truth. In 1989, six … Continue reading

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