Spiritual Wealth

The Ruling Passion of the Noblest Minds

Fri, 20 Mar 2009 16:20:21 EST

Wealth, fame and reputation are things that must be won. Honor, by comparison, must not be lost. This has been widely acknowledged throughout history. Yet over the past fifty years or so, the culture has changed. Some people feel justified in doing their own thing, even if it means...

Is It Time For You to Take the Leap?

Thu, 12 Mar 2009 14:19:07 EST

People we meet often tell us they dream of doing something like this. Only money holds them back, they say...

What Matters Most

Thu, 26 Feb 2009 18:24:03 EST

Increased awareness of our own mortality needn't lead to fear and anxiety, however. We can use it as an opportunity to answer the question posed by poet Mary Oliver...

This View of Life

Thu, 19 Feb 2009 15:37:43 EST

No one can read Charles Darwin's words and fail to recognize a character of complete integrity. Darwin was a man driven by the search for truth. This, in itself, is a sort of spiritual practice...

The Cheapest Medicine... and the Best

Thu, 12 Feb 2009 18:20:56 EST

Laughter relaxes us, connects us to others, and enhances our ability to fight disease. So lighten up. Yes, the economy is bad. You may have more than your fair share of personal problems, too. But...

One of the Best Secrets of Life

Fri, 06 Feb 2009 10:03:37 EST

In today's society, selflessness is often regarded as nave or idealistic, an outdated concept promoted by busybodies and do-gooders. But those who focus solely on themselves have their own set of problems. For starters, many of them don't look terribly happy...

Finding Meaning in An Age of Doubt

Thu, 29 Jan 2009 12:38:00 EST

Many thoughtful men and women today are uncomfortable with both religious fundamentalism and the postmodern abdication of faith. Some argue that spiritual poverty has replaced material poverty...

Renewing a Forgotten Virtue

Thu, 22 Jan 2009 14:43:39 EST

Plato said, "Let parents bequeath to their children not riches, but the spirit of reverence." Reverence means understanding human limitations. It's a feeling of respect and awe about what lies beyond our control...

Wealth That Can't Be Tallied

Thu, 15 Jan 2009 16:04:01 EST

Today I'm visiting Rancho Santana, a charming resort community on the Pacific coast of Nicaragua, near the town of San Juan del Sur. Set on more than two miles of coastline with rolling hills and dramatic cliffs, the reserve attracts expats, investors, surfers, and nature lovers from all over the world...

A Resolution Worth Keeping

Wed, 07 Jan 2009 13:04:18 EST

We spend too much time on things that are urgent but unimportant and not enough on things that are less urgent but more important. The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing...

My Kind of Martyr

Fri, 12 Dec 2008 13:33:29 EST

By any measure, the life of this Lutheran minister was extraordinary. He took enormous risks. But he asked his followers to contrast cheap grace with costly grace. Costly grace, he said, is grace that impels action...

The Best Way Out

Thu, 04 Dec 2008 16:27:08 EST

In his book "Discovering the Laws of Life," the famed money manager and philanthropist John Templeton recommended a different approach. He called it thanksliving. Thanksliving means practicing an attitude of perpetual...

What's On Your Bucket List?

Fri, 21 Nov 2008 21:28:04 EST

The idea of creating and managing a bucket list quickly caught on. According to The New York Times, over the past three years more than 1.2 million people have posted their personal lists on the website...

Are You Suffering From Affluenza?

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 14:01:22 EST

Each year affluenza costs us hundreds of billions of dollars, wastes our precious time, ruins our health and adversely affects our quality of life. So, what is affluenza, exactly?

Beyond Self-Actualization

Wed, 05 Nov 2008 17:45:06 EST

Throughout the 20th century, most psychological research focused on the dark and destructive side of human nature, the abnormal, the psychotic. Abraham Maslow changed that...

The Most Valuable Thing You Own

Thu, 30 Oct 2008 14:43:34 EST

Many years ago I worked for a man who is perhaps the most charismatic individual I've ever known. He impressed men. He charmed women. Everyone wanted to be like him. There was only one drawback. You couldn't always trust him...

The Mysterium Tremendum... and You

Thu, 23 Oct 2008 14:42:13 EST

We're just hitchhikers on for a brief ride. Even at this speed, the sun takes approximately 225 million years to complete a single revolution. Why so long? Because the Milky Way is bigger than our brains can imagine...

Stumbling On Happiness

Thu, 16 Oct 2008 15:37:05 EST

In the coming economic downturn, many of us will be unable to afford all the things we want. That will pinch. But should it make us unhappy? It depends. But for most of us, the answer is a resounding...

Six Steps to a More Relaxed Life

Fri, 10 Oct 2008 10:44:30 EST

Many of us lead hectic lives, feeling pressured, harried or overwhelmed by responsibilities and deadlines. In his book "The Secret Pulse of Time," Stefan Klein recommends six steps to avoid being a slave to the clock, regain control of your time, and live a more relaxed life...

The Sage of Monticello

Fri, 26 Sep 2008 21:10:14 EST

This week - for the umpteenth time - I visited Monticello, home of one of my all-time favorite Americans, Thomas Jefferson.