December's Winter Solstice marked the longest night of the year. The ending before the beginning. The darkness before the widening light. All around us, Nature shares the wisdom of emptiness, dormancy and surrender. Trees empty their branches of leaves. They channel their strength inward, and they let go. To be empty is to be open. To be empty is to be full of possibility. Waiting for birth. Harvest has finished, whether you mark this week as the birth of Jesus or the historic celebration … [Read more...] about Empty
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Gratitude: Every body is a miracle.
https://vimeo.com/473247168 Our bodies love us, unconditionally. How do I know this? At this moment, the body is working to heal itself. That's how my one-minute video of gratitude, Body, begins. Every culture has its standard of (impossible) perfection, a physical measure from which we all deviate with varying levels of self-criticism or even distress. And yet, the body is a gift, at any size or any age, whether skin is smooth or wrinkled. Even a blemish is simply the body seeking … [Read more...] about Gratitude: Every body is a miracle.
‘Functional Atheism’ at Work
I often act like what author Parker Palmer might call a "functional atheist," I wrote in my October newsletter. (My measure of love for a book is reading it again and again, and Parker Palmer's Let Your Life Speak feels new each time because I am different.) Humans have many names for God, including a nameless but benevolent force at work in the Universe. Spiritual paths such as Buddhism, with its concept of non-doing, recognize a larger-than-us Doer. For me, God is more than a force of … [Read more...] about ‘Functional Atheism’ at Work
Two Nuns, Chaos and a Plague
When 2020 started going sideways, I rediscovered some notes from a 2019 seminar. "Chaos is the earth re-ordering itself," our teacher, a Catholic nun, said at Springbank Retreat Center in Kingstree, S.C. When change comes on such a large scale, she told us, the question is whether we will open to change ourselves or "re-entrench." I continue to ponder her words whenever I feel myself digging in and clutching at life as it was instead of opening to what is (aka reality). Wisdom is written … [Read more...] about Two Nuns, Chaos and a Plague
Google My Business for Churches, Synagogues, Temples and Mosques
You can get prominent, powerful, free publicity for your faith-based organization through a Google My Business listing, also known as a Business Profile. I call this public relations communication "SERP-PR." (SERPs are Search Engine Result Pages.) When you read about Google My Business, substitute "my church," synagogue, temple or mosque, for "my business." Remember when search results were just a list of links and brief descriptions? Now you may see maps, short lists of local businesses that … [Read more...] about Google My Business for Churches, Synagogues, Temples and Mosques
Vimeo or YouTube? Why I Chose Vimeo
The decision to launch my video channel on Vimeo was simple for me. Both Vimeo and YouTube have some unique advantages, I'd explained to a client whose needs are slightly different than my own. Based on your business or personal goals, your best choice might also be different than mine, and there are many options to consider. (You can even use Vimeo's video maker to create a video that you share directly to your social properties, including your YouTube channel. I build my videos using Animoto, … [Read more...] about Vimeo or YouTube? Why I Chose Vimeo