Incan brain surgery When one part of the brain is damaged, sometimes another part eventually takes over its function. I think something analogous can happen in a person’s philosophy. Here are two paragraphs that I just cut out of my book manuscript, partly because they seemed too difficult, but mostly because I went out on … Read more
Various people become my spiritual teachers for different lengths of time, from minutes to years. One of them recently sent me The Compassionate Life by Marc Ian Barasch. As I read, I found that the book added a strong layer of awakening to my motivation to serve. It is simply the best book I know … Read more
I chose this photo because it represents the quality of happiness that reflects the values experienced and cherished by the Muslims that I know. I have been privileged to know many such brothers and sisters for decades, and these bonds insulate me from stereotypes. However, at a certain point, I could no longer teach my … Read more
I chose this photo because it represents the quality of happiness that reflects the values experienced and cherished by the Muslims that I know. I have been privileged to know many such brothers and sisters for decades, and these bonds insulate me from stereotypes. However, at a certain point, I could no longer teach my … Read more
I went to Chipotle for a burrito and they gave it to me in a bag that had a short essay printed on it. I was captivated by it as I read. The title was “Two Minutes of Rambling Wisdom,” and it was by Judd Apatow, a successful writer, director, and producer of comedy films … Read more
When I read this quotation attributed to Maya Angelou on the stamps I just bought, I wept with emotion. And then I thought about it a little more, and came up with a more complex response. The contrast between an answer and a song is stark. An answer–in this context–comes from the isolated intellect, is … Read more