Today's Spirituality Pulse
Charitable giving highlighted as a path to spiritual fulfillment
Manila Bulletin’s feature “When you give alms…” examines the role of almsgiving in personal growth, while a companion piece “Treasures in heaven” reinforces the theme across two outlets.
UC San Diego Study Shows One‑Week Meditation Retreat Triggers Measurable Brain Changes
Researchers at the University of California, San Diego reported that a seven‑day meditation retreat produced measurable changes in brain activity, metabolism and immune markers in 20 healthy adults. The findings suggest short‑term meditation can rewire neural pathways and generate effects similar to psychedelics, opening new avenues for mental‑health treatment.
The Way Back Home: Little Holly and the Three Needs
Holly Herring recounts a childhood episode of getting lost in tall Midwestern grass with her dog Jessica, using the experience to illustrate three fundamental human needs: a place to belong, a purpose to pursue, and a connection that calls your...
All of Humanity Fits Within One Fragile Arc
Every person you’ve ever loved, every city, every ocean, every war, every dream, all of it fits inside that fragile arc. Captured on an iPhone from 252,000 miles away. The most advanced camera of 1969 couldn’t have taken this shot. Everything affects...
Solitude Unchosen, Drawn by Our Inner Destiny Stone
"Solitude is not chosen, any more than destiny is chosen. Solitude comes to us if we have within us the magic stone that attracts destiny." A gem of a read: https://t.co/MWDfIb9fI7
Economic Times Spotlights African Proverb on Inner Resilience and Self‑Discovery
The Economic Times highlighted an African proverb—“When there is no enemy within, the enemies outside cannot hurt you”—as a lesson in inner resilience and self‑discovery. The piece ties the ancient wisdom to modern psychological concepts and the growing personal‑development market.
Rekha Bhardwaj Unveils Five Mantras to Boost Motivation and Well‑Being
Renowned Indian singer Rekha Bhardwaj told The Week on April 19, 2026 that five simple mantras have guided her toward a happier, healthier life. The mantras, focused on positivity, self‑acceptance, compassion, health, and daily good deeds, are being promoted as...
Day Seventy-One: Thoughts of Union
Day 71 of Dr. McFillin’s "Thoughts of Union" continues a daily channeled‑message series that blends spirituality with personal transformation. The post invites new readers to start at the beginning, linking the introductory entry and the first day’s message. While the core...
Helping Your Teen Trust in God’s Existence
Lee Strobel, former atheist turned Christian apologist, joins Jim Daly on Focus on the Family to discuss how parents can help teens trust in God’s existence. He recounts his own teenage doubts and the lack of answers that pushed him...
What a Self Is.
The article distills Anil Seth’s view that the self is a "controlled hallucination" constructed by the brain to regulate the body using interoceptive signals. This predictive framework stitches together past memories, present sensations, and future projections, making the self a dynamic...
New Study Links Childhood Consciousness to Numinous Experience
My new paper on childhood consciousness and numinous experience, nicely described in @michaelpollan 's splendid A World Appears https://t.co/PhBbbMcrb1
I Hit Every Goal I Set – the Title, the Income, the House – and Sat in My Car in...
The article explores the "achievement trap," where reaching long‑held goals—like a dream house, a big contract, or financial security—leaves many professionals feeling empty. Citing psychologists such as Tim Kasser and concepts like hedonic adaptation, it shows that extrinsic milestones often...
Live Zoom Sessions: Uncover and End Suffering
Hello, dears, Please join me live on Zoom, Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, 9–10 a.m. Pacific Time. Together, let’s look deeply into the cause of all suffering and how to end it. Let’s do The Work. xo bk Register: athomewithbyronkatie.com theworkofbyronkatie #byronkatie #selfinquiry #mindfulness...
Grounded Moments Reveal How Small Worries Fade
Been in my head a lot in the last week. Then as I sat down here barefoot, my body felt it just melted into the hug of the earth. Why do we sweat over small things?
From Whence I Sprang
Anne Lamott’s essay "From whence I sprang" reflects on a childhood shaped by a literary household, where classic authors and daily writing routines replaced conventional religious rituals. She credits her parents’ devotion to books, library visits, and disciplined writing habits...
Two Decades Later, We Still Explore Meditations Together
My wife samagerie bought this copy of Meditations back in 2007 just a month or so after we met. I wrote this on a page when we were reading it together. Almost 20 years later, we’re still reading it, but...
Who Is the Sponsor, and Who Is Being Sponsored?
A recent Substack post recounts an unconventional Alcoholics Anonymous arrangement where two members, Peter and Jim, became each other's sponsor on alternating days. The story illustrates how reciprocal sponsorship can strengthen sobriety for both parties. The author ties the anecdote...
Why High Achievers Can Feel Lost After Success
High achievers often experience a sharp emotional dip after reaching major milestones because the brain’s dopamine surge fades once the goal is met. The pursuit of goals provides structure and a sense of identity, turning performance into a proxy for...
A Blessing for When Gratitude Feels Impossible
The blog post "A Blessing for When Gratitude Feels Impossible" offers a poetic meditation on finding gratitude amid hardship. Written by Kate Bowler, it frames gratitude as a surprise rather than a duty, encouraging readers to notice small mercies when...
Sisyphean Trap: Endless Efforts Mirror Global Conflict
Recent geopolitical news caught my attention. China recently described United States involvement in the Iran conflict as a "Sisyphean trap." The diplomatic critique is notable, but the phrase itself holds deeper meaning for our daily lives. The term comes from the...
Choose God's Approval over Society's Expectations
Live for God not for the approval of society. 🙏John 10:27-28 “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck...
Physicist Michael Guillen Discusses Atheist-to-Faith Conversion on New Mindful Movement Podcast
The Mindful Movement Podcast released a new episode featuring physicist Michael Guillen, who details his personal transition from atheism to faith. The conversation explores how his scientific training informs his spiritual curiosity and highlights emerging AI tools in documentary filmmaking.
Life’s Ultimate Truth: Stars, Seagulls, and Love
Of stars, seagulls, and love – Loren Eiseley (one of my all-time favorite writers) on the first and final truth of life https://t.co/K8YgF4Ttxe
Happiness Requires Letting Go of Past and Future
“To be happy you must eliminate two things. The fear of a bad future and the memory of a bad past.”
Something Very Old Among All The Newness
The author reflects on spring’s renewal at Meadowlark Farm, where crews planted early cold‑weather crops like broccoli, leeks, onions, and cabbage while apple trees and blueberry bushes burst into bloom. Over three decades of careful soil enrichment has turned the...
Exploring Consciousness: Michael Pollan’s Deep Dive Interview
Audio of my interview with Michael Lewis: After Words: What is conciousness? with Michael Pollan - YouTube https://t.co/C7PNhV2HKE
Mindfulness: Examine Thoughts, Keep Only What Helps
Mindfulness is the art of being present in whatever you are doing, whatever you are thinking. It involves holding up each thought, examining its value and utility and discarding it if it is debilitating or wasteful. ~Avis Viswanathan https://t.co/OWB7LZ4VQ3
🎥 Joe Hudson: The Three Awakenings
Joe Hudson, a coach for top executives, argues that most leaders mistake mindfulness for perfection, using peace as a shield rather than a pathway to genuine fulfillment. He outlines five "awakenings"—emotional inclusion, heart versus head awareness, gut‑based safety, the self‑reliance...
Mindfulness Returns You to the Present, Amplifying Happiness
"Mindfulness helps you go home to the present. And every time you go there and recognize a condition of happiness that you have, happiness comes." Thich Nhat Hanh #ThinkBigSundayWithMarsha #sundayvibes #SundayThoughts #Mindfulness #MindBody #InnerPeace https://t.co/tzZTnBnH1y
Space and Silence Reveal the Creative Stillness Within
Space and silence are two aspects of the same thing. The same no-thing. They are externalization of inner space and inner silence, which is stillness: the infinitely creative womb of all existence. - Eckhart Tolle https://t.co/uo7ENXqRv0
The Deep Code 06: Karma Is Code
The post frames every mental, verbal, and physical act as a line of code written into a subconscious "substrate," a process the author calls karma accumulation. Over a lifetime, these micro‑decisions stack, creating automatic patterns that dictate how quickly we...
Storytelling Gives Words to Understand and Redeem Ourselves
"One of the functions of art is to give people the words to know their own experience... Storytelling is a tool for knowing who we are and what we want." Ursula K. Le Guin on storytelling and the power of language...
Stay Grounded in Life, Yet Spiritually Weightless
In this life, your so-called ordinary life, you must be rooted; and in your inner space, in the spiritual life, you must be weightless, flying and flowing; floating. - Rajneesh https://t.co/6JsQUijX8E
The Secret to Being Happy, the Price We Pay for Meaning, 10 Questions to Answer and More
Wisereads Saturday’s April 18, 2026 edition curates the week’s most compelling long‑reads, spotlighting essays on the science of happiness, the personal sacrifices tied to a meaningful life, and a provocative "10 questions" framework for self‑reflection. The roundup blends psychology, philosophy, and narrative...
Kim Hanson Spotlighted for Faith‑Driven Leadership at LearningRx
Kim Hanson, chief executive of LearningRx, was featured in the inaugural 2026 issue of Franchise Update Magazine, where she detailed her faith‑based approach to leadership and habit formation. The profile underscores her role in expanding the brain‑training franchise to over...
Self‑approval Is Your Responsibility, Not Others'
"It's not your job to like me, it's mine." What wisdom do you see in this? Join me live on Zoom every Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, starting at 9 a.m. Pacific Time. Register: athomewithbyronkatie.com theworkofbyronkatie #byronkatie #innerwisdom #selfhelp #selfinquiry #healingjourney #selflovejourney...
Quiet Moments Pack More Than Busy Days
One day, silence your phone. Leave it in the other room. Sit with your coffee or tea in the calm stillness of silence and watch the light in the room move across the floor. Nothing will happen. Yet you'll feel that...
Self‑Reflection Linked to Better Mental Health, Experts Say
An AOL article explains that consistent self‑reflection enhances mental health by strengthening self‑concept and emotional regulation. Experts Angeleena Francis and Kristin Wilson detail how inward focus can turn everyday setbacks into growth opportunities, underscoring its relevance for spiritual development.
Complexity Isn’t the Problem; Mindset Is.
Koan #55 “[process] isn't working.” “You're doing it wrong.” “But we got certified, read books, watched videos, and used templates.” "You're doing it wrong; it's more complex and subtle than all that.” "Then it's too hard to do right.” And the student was enlightened.
Writing Demands Deep Self‑Listening and Embracing Shadows
Enjoyed @Joseph_Fasano_ inspiring advice to an inquisitive #writer. Sharing fragments for insight: -writing is witnessing -the life of a writer is learning to listen deeply to the self -rid yourself of old ghosts -Hope, but don't turn from the shadows #myprocessingchilddeath https://t.co/urX6jXkvDG
I Want to Say Something that My Generation Rarely Says Out Loud: Being Tough Your Whole Life Doesn’t Actually Protect...
A 66‑year‑old tradesman reflects on a lifetime of "tough‑guy" conditioning that concealed deep loneliness, revealing that a full phone book does not guarantee genuine connection. He recounts how his stoic persona kept friends and family at arm’s length, even as...
Hemingway's Letter: Love Endures Beyond Death
"Very few people ever really are alive and those that are never die; no matter if they are gone. No one you love is ever dead." Hemingway's extraordinary letter to a couple who lost their son, crowned with his only overt...
Is Hurry the Great Enemy of Spiritual Life?
John Mark Comer, a bestselling evangelical author, argues that hurry—an incessant sense of urgency amplified by technology—is the chief obstacle to spiritual life. His 2019 bestseller "The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry" and the 2024 follow‑up "Practicing the Way" outline nine...
Whitman's Leaves of Grass Guides Authentic Self‑Discovery
Walt Whitman's field guide to being yourself – the trial and triumph of "Leaves of Grass" https://t.co/onkPp36yE5 #longreads #traversal
The Arrival Fallacy
The piece revisits a popular, albeit unverified, Buddhist anecdote in which the Buddha reduces the quest for happiness to a practice of shedding ego and desire. It argues that craving and self‑attachment generate suffering and cloud judgment. The author links...
Esalen Institute Lists New Gene Keys Activation Workshop "Awakening Your Genius"
Esalen Institute’s website now lists a Gene Keys Activation workshop titled “Awakening Your Genius.” The program, led by coach Anne Van de Water, blends astrology, the I Ching, Kabbalah and quantum concepts, and requires participants to bring precise birth data and a journal. The...
Akshaya Tritiya 19th April 2026: What the Scriptures Actually Say
Akshaya Tritiya, observed on 19 April 2026, is a self‑auspicious tithi in the Vedic calendar that requires no individual muhurta. Classical texts such as the Bhavishya Purana and Skanda Purana describe the day as a time when charitable actions—especially offering water and food—generate merit that...
Defending Our Consciousness Against the Algorithms
Influencers on Instagram have launched a viral “do nothing” challenge, urging participants to embrace boredom to stimulate the brain’s default mode network. The article argues that constant scrolling hands over attention to social‑media algorithms, shrinking the mental space for spontaneous...
True Consciousness Requires Seeing Your Brain From Outside
I have talked to thousands about consciousness. The only ones who really define it are those who can view their own brain from outside themselves.
Connecting to the Cycles of the Seasons Through Meditation
Anne‑Marie Emanuelli, founder of the B‑Corp Mindful Frontiers, outlines how meditation can be synchronized with the four seasons to deepen connection with nature and foster emotional balance. She describes specific practices for spring gratitude walks, summer water‑based breath work, fall...
Jealousy Signals Unresolved Self‑Issues, Not Her Fault
If another woman’s life irks you, I promise you, it’s not her, it’s you. You need to figure out why your demons tremble when they see the light in another woman. If you really do the inner work, you’ll learn...