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.
From the Academy: Yogacara
The Tricycle newsletter explores Yogacara, the “mind‑only” school of Mahayana Buddhism that emerged in 3rd‑century India and was systematized by the monk brothers Asanga and Vasubandhu. Its central doctrine, vijñaptimātratā, argues that all experience is a mental construction shaped by karma, perception, and habit. Yogacara’s analysis of consciousness has profoundly shaped East Asian traditions such as Zen, Chan, and Tibetan Buddhism. The article argues the philosophy dovetails with modern psychology and neuroscience, offering tools to sharpen mindfulness and rethink personal identity.
Embrace Impermanence; Treat Imagination as Real Action
Two thoughts from Gaston Bachelard “It is better to live in a state of impermanence than in one of finality.” "Why should the actions of the imagination not be as real as those of perception?"
Take a Second Today to Say Thank You
“God gave you a gift of 86,400 seconds today. Have you used one to say “thank you?” — William A. Ward Thank you my friends. You know who you are. https://t.co/bn8R2piuFt
Spiritual Leaders Promote ‘Internal Chametz’ as Passover Mind‑Cleaning
Rabbanit Leah Sarna and therapist Dashti are championing a new practice that frames Passover’s physical cleaning as a mental detox, calling it “internal chametz.” The movement links ancient ritual to modern self‑care, encouraging Jews to identify and release ego, guilt...
When Stoic Wisdom Turns Into Rigid Doctrine
Feels like Stoicism is everywhere right now. Has been for some time. And there’s a lot of value in it. But I keep wondering… at what point does a philosophy we use quietly become something we follow too closely? Curious where you...
Playfulness Means Lightheartedness, Not Lack of Seriousness
Being Playful does not mean you do not take life seriously. It means you do not take yourself too seriously. #SadhguruQuotes https://t.co/24OzEOJukq
The Mirror & the Flame
Rebwar Fatah’s essay draws a parallel between 12th‑century Persian mystic Farid ud‑Din Attar and 19th‑century German philosopher G.W.F. Hegel, showing how both treat alienation not as failure but as a catalyst for self‑realisation. Attar’s *Conference of the Birds* depicts the soul’s journey...
Love & Emptiness in the Sufi Tradition
Jalal al‑Din Rumi’s poetry frames emptiness not as lack but as a fertile void that precedes creation, urging seekers to empty the self to experience divine love. He depicts self‑negation as a conscious sacrifice, using chants like “Bismillah” to dissolve...
What Do I Have to Fear, Have I Ever Diminished by Dying?
Zahra Rashid’s new poem weaves Sufi philosophy with Rumi’s verses, using the traditional taḍmin technique to embed classical lines within her own reflections. The piece traces a cyclical journey of death and rebirth, moving from matter to plant, animal, human,...
Grace Offers Eternal Hope Through Jesus' Sacrifice
The world may feel broken and full of sin but there is HOPE. 🙏 Jesus didn’t leave us here without a way. He gave us eternity with Him. All we have to do is repent, surrender our lives, and...
A Delicate Dive Into Conflict, Intimacy, and Repair
In this episode, the host explores how attachment fears operate like massive, invisible blue whales beneath the surface of relationships, using a vivid Hawaiian ocean metaphor drawn from a personal kayaking argument with her ex-husband. She illustrates how everyday conflicts—like...
Our Inner Voices Now Live on Servers
This graph made me think of Julian Jaynes' iconic, trippy work on how language is the substrate of consciousness (at least in humans). - Either we didn't evolve past the voices in our head; we just externalized them to servers. OR (and...
Psychologist Pamela Steele Frames Grief as a Spiritual Companion
Psychologist Pamela Steele, PhD, founder of Navigate Grief, introduced a spiritual framework that positions grief as a companion rather than an enemy. Her interview highlights personal loss, practical coping strategies, and a call to shift cultural expectations around mourning.
Do We Create Our Reality?
Recent discourse questions whether individual thoughts create reality, juxtaposing New Age claims with sociological critiques. The essay argues that while consciousness underlies existence, social structures, institutions, and cultural narratives largely shape personal psychology and behavior. It cites Hannah Arendt and Murray Bookchin to...
World’s First Conscious Food Systems Summit Set for Bhutan, Merging Agriculture with Mindfulness
The Royal Government of Bhutan, the Conscious Food Systems Alliance and UNDP launched the Global Conscious Food Systems Summit 2026, scheduled for Aug. 31‑Sep. 4 in Paro. Over 500 leaders gathered online to announce a framework that puts culture, wellbeing and collective...
Nutritionist Launches Faith Ministry to Inspire Believers
Many of you know me as the sports dietitian behind Nutrition with Wendi… but there’s another calling God placed on my heart that not everyone knows about. On February 7, 2025, I officially opened Devotions with Wendi a 501(c)(3) nonprofit ministry...
Inner Work Clears Vision, Expands Your Awareness
Light Watkins explaining how inner work helps to expand awareness, using his glasses metaphor Drop a 👓 if you found it helpful
Why It's Hard for Us to Actually Listen (Monthly Solo)
Elise Loehnen’s solo podcast episode explores a recent Yeshua channeling session with forensic medium Carissa Schumacher, highlighting why most people struggle to truly listen. She outlines seven common listening barriers—laziness, arrogance, self‑absorption, lack of training, noise, bias, and avoidance—and contrasts...
Faith Drives My Business Decisions and Everyday Kindness
Something I don't always talk about openly but want to start — my faith is genuinely behind everything I do in this business. I pray over my clients. I pray over the decisions I make. I pray for guidance and peace...
Ask These 10 Questions to Design a Better Month
10 questions I ask myself at the end of each month (to set up a better month ahead) 1️⃣ What did I do this month that actually mattered to me? 2️⃣ Where did my time go that I didn’t intend it to? 3️⃣ What...
OneTaste Founder Nicole Daedone Sentenced to 9 Years for Forced‑labor Scheme
Nicole Daedone, co‑founder of the controversial wellness company OneTaste, was sentenced to nine years in federal prison and ordered to forfeit $12 million after a jury found she ran a forced‑labor scheme linked to the organization’s “orgasmic meditation” practice. The case...
Live for God's Approval, Not People's, Despite
Thoughts this morning during prayer and quiet time with God reading my Bible. Instead of asking, “Will they like me? Will they accept me?” Ask yourself: Is the way I’m living my life right now acceptable to Christ? Does...
Dawn Dispatch // March 31st, 2026
The post opens with a personal reflection on Holy Week, urging readers to pause and contemplate the days leading up to Easter. It then shifts to geopolitical news, noting that the war in Iran remains volatile and that details are...
The Case for Intentional Imbalance: Why an Effective Brain, Leader, and Designer Needs Asymmetry
The article argues that intentional asymmetry—whether in breathing patterns, design, or leadership routines—enhances focus and engagement. Symmetric practices quickly become autopilot, while irregular patterns create perceptual disfluency that keeps the brain active. Drawing on neuroscience, Zen aesthetics (fukinsei), and examples...
Pope Leo XIV Calls War ‘Unheard by God’ in Palm Sunday Homily
Pope Leo XIV used his Palm Sunday Mass at St. Peter's Square to declare that God does not listen to the prayers of war‑makers, citing the Iran conflict and the war in Ukraine. The blunt rebuke, framed around Jesus as...
The Wisdom of Women
Erica Bassani, author of *Women in Love with the Divine*, releases a new book compiling twelve interviews with women spiritual teachers from Buddhism and other faiths. The work, born from her Women Awakening Project, explores themes of divine femininity, the...
Day Fifty-One: Surrender to Love
Day Fifty‑One of Dr. McFillin’s “Transmission” series urges readers to stop seeking external validation and instead surrender to love. The post frames love as a universal force that guides personal transformation and invites openness to the present moment. Positioned within...
Cultivating Ego‑Free Compassion in Medical Practice
Finding peace by unhooking from ego and achieving a loving presence in medicine [PODCAST] http://dlvr.it/TRnksh Podcast #OncologyHematology
Pollan Explores the Edge of Human Consciousness
Opinion | Michael Pollan’s Journey to the Borderlands of Consciousness - The New York Times https://t.co/seUEos1s6e
When Your Record Isn’t Your Own
The post argues that a believer’s standing before God is not earned by daily performance but is credited through Christ’s finished work. It explains that justification means God declares you righteous regardless of personal failures, allowing you to rest in...
The Shepherd Finds the Lost, Including You
He left the 99. He came for me. He’s coming for you too. 📖 Luke 15:4🩷 https://t.co/j1KAjWeGFL
Life Demands Life.
The post reflects on profound grief, illustrating how loss forces a stark question: how do we keep living? Drawing on theologian Jerry Sittser’s tragedy and Wendell Berry’s novel, the author argues that life itself demands continued existence, even amid despair....
Compassion Fuels Strength, Restraint Cultivates Wisdom
True strength lies in compassion. True wisdom lies in restraint. The teachings of Mahavira continue to guide us towards clarity and balance. Warm wishes on Mahavir Jayanti. #MahavirJayanti #Harmony #Wisdom #MotilalOswal https://t.co/RTfsUyrKuL
A Conversation With Peter Geffen on Civil Rights, the Holocaust, and the Power of Optimism
Peter Geffen, a New York‑based educator and civil‑rights veteran, links his Cold‑War upbringing and early exposure to Holocaust testimony with a lifelong commitment to social justice. He credits the memory of genocide and his father’s protests for shaping his work...
Self‑Suffering Mirrors Harm to a Helpless Child
Causing suffering to yourself is like causing suffering to a helpless child. You cannot fight or run from yourself – you are completely defenseless. #SadhguruQuotes https://t.co/DQ8UWSMsLw
Staying Steady in an Unsteady World
The article highlights equanimity, the fourth of the Buddhist Brahmaviharas, as a practical tool for emotional balance in today’s unpredictable world. It explains how mindful pauses—slow breaths and body awareness—can interrupt reactive patterns and foster clearer decision‑making. Tara Brach’s commentary...
Your Deepest Questions
A Zen practitioner recounts a week‑long, highly ritualized retreat where strict protocols forced constant attention. The teacher assigned a seemingly simple koan—“When you see the stick, where is God?”—that ultimately led the author from intellectual guessing to a non‑conceptual breakthrough....
Discovering What’s Alive for You Right Now
Rich Fernandez argues that purpose is not a fixed destination but a dynamic state that shifts with what feels most alive in the moment. He illustrates this by sharing his own North Star—integrating mindfulness across every life domain—and explains how...
Speak to Others with God‑Level Respect, Not Flattery
Speak to others with the language you use for God. God doesn’t need it. His self esteem is NOT poor. Example- “Sister, I magnify your name” Reflections from @drdanielblack
Be First, Then Act, Then Achieve
Use self-reflection to explore how you approach life. "You have to be before you can do and do before you can have." ~ Zig Ziglar https://t.co/BqpXjo7Tl9
May 2026: Books in Brief
May 2026’s Lion’s Roar roundup spotlights a wave of new Buddhist titles, from Margaret Cullen’s *Quiet Strength* that re‑centers equanimity, to Bodhipaksa’s 28‑day habit builder *Sit*. It also features Reb Anderson’s Zen parable collection, the Hases’ partnership guide, Roy Remer’s caregiver...
Ask “What Else Could This Mean?” To Prevent Misunderstandings
“Most misunderstandings in the world could be avoided if people would simply take the time to ask, ‘What else could this mean?’” ― Shannon L. Alder
Mindfulness of Thoughts Sparks Growth, Breath Calms Mind
60,000 thoughts a day. It's why #mindfulness of thoughts is the first step to personal growth. Conversely the more we stay out of our head and focused on the body and breath, the less unwanted thoughts monopolize our internal conversation....
Ethics Are the Heart of Spiritual Practice
The article argues that ethics is the essential foundation of any Buddhist or spiritual practice, emphasizing non‑violence (ahimsa) toward all beings. It warns that advanced non‑dual teachings can tempt practitioners to abandon moral restraints, leading to ego‑driven misuse of spiritual...
Slow Down, Appreciate What You Already Have
Maybe you don't need 'more' to live a better life. You just need to slow down enough to notice the good you already have.
The Wisdom of Animals
The Lion’s Roar article weaves Buddhist practice with observations of five animal species—bears, snakes, owls, salmon and eagles—to illustrate mindfulness principles. Each creature’s natural behavior is presented as a concrete reflection on rest, letting go, deep listening, perseverance and resilience....
Finding My Higher Power in the Ten Thousand Things
The author recounts a decade‑long sobriety journey that merged Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) with Zen Buddhism, highlighting how the AA Big Book eventually recognized Buddhist members. He explains that the Buddhist Eightfold Path mirrors AA’s Twelve Steps, allowing both frameworks to...
How to Find Your Middle Way
The article explains the Buddhist concept of the "middle way," tracing its origins from the Buddha’s rejection of both self‑indulgence and extreme asceticism to the Mahayana Madhyamaka school’s philosophical emphasis on emptiness. It illustrates how the Buddha’s first turning of...
Creative Work as Self‑Forgiveness and Hope, Says Nick Cave
Nick Cave on creative work as an instrument of self-forgiveness and the courage of hope in cynical times https://t.co/BHK62EaxE5
How to Tend to Yourself When Being Vulnerable Feels Raw
The article explores the emotional after‑effects of sharing personal stories, labeling the sensation a “vulnerability hangover.” It distinguishes oversharing—driven by a need for emotional regulation—from conscious sharing rooted in intention and audience relevance. The author outlines practical self‑care steps, such...