There is urgency for us living here in the United States, a call for unity, which is  more desperate than it has ever been. Our ‘States’, are not so ‘United’ any more. What we stand for and our ideals seem to have been clouded by a sense of separation. A feeling and a need to defend ourselves and our beloveds. Many live in survival, month to month, aiming for a bit more comfort. We often have to numb our sense of reality just to escape the mundane feeling of existence. We experience moments of happiness, and fleeting flashes of peace....

Often, in walking a spiritual path, we feel discouraged, fearful or scared. There are so many what ifs. So many moments of uncertainty. In facing our challenges, we often react or respond in ways we wish we wouldn’t have or probably shouldn’t. We judge who we are in relation to our own ideals and habitually chart a plan for course correction. We do after all wish to become better. And yes, even if it is in trying to become better at not trying to become better, or change, or desire desire-less-ness. We are, as long as we live, in a...

For millennia enlightenment was related to as a coveted state of being. It was somewhat considered to be winning the “galactic spiritual lottery”. It’s a - you either have it or you don’t type of thing. Those who do – know, those who do not – do not. For centuries we held the image of the enlightened guru sitting on a golden throne or at the peak of a Himalayan mountain, either pretzeled in a Yoga pose or gazing into the infinite while holding a lotus flower. We depicted spiritual progress as a lonesome experience, a solitary saffron adorned monk...

My life, though an epic one so far, wasn’t easy. I've lived through tremendous pain and even tragedy. I was tried again and again. My will broken and faith questioned. I had so many moments of being close to giving up. But somehow, something in me wouldn't let go. I had a persistent stubbornness, an unwavering sense of faith that I will find my way home, home to myself, to my heart. I just knew I can heal. I knew there would be a way even if I can't see it at the moment. I would look in the mirror...

If you're reading these words, in all likelihood you live in freedom. You are free to express your voice, explore your potential and follow your heart. If you're reading these words, in all likelihood you face challenges, sometimes daily, sometimes less frequently, but you do, it’s a part of your human experience. If you're reading these words, in all likelihood you are in a relationship. You relate to someone other than you. You have a partner, a friend, a brother or a sister. You probably belong to a family or a tribe. There are others around you and if not,...