Today we honor the ancient pagan celebration of winter solstice – the longest night of the year, when the darkness of winter begins to fade away as the days slowly become longer again. While there is this inherent contrast between metaphors and images of dark and light, the two complement each other, each with their own place in spiritual wholeness. When we…

The story of Hanukkah is an ancient story highlighting a miracle: oil that was enough to last for one night instead lasted for eight, as a struggling people rededicated their desecrated Temple. Light was brought to dark places as the Jewish people witnessed something entirely unexpected, something holy – that steady stream of light. This flickering flame brought to the people strength,…

So often we are caught up in the past or future, not connecting with the beauty and simple awe of the present moment. Buddhist teachings encourage us to still the mind and simply notice. This shapes how we cope with both suffering and joy. This allows us to cultivate good thoughts while starving the bad. This allows us to find that inner…

Suffering is inherent to the human condition; what changes is our response to it. Holocaust survivor Viktor Frankl argues that if we find meaning in that which causes us suffering – if we find purpose in our lives – this can allow us to overcome even the most challenging of obstacles. When we cannot change a situation, we can work to change…