Author: Michael Stevens

Nobody escapes being wounded. We all are wounded people, whether physically, emotionally, mentally, or spiritually. The main question is not “How can we hide our wounds?” so we don’t have to be embarrassed, but...

We live in the pages of a wonderful novel. The narrative radiates from our wisdom mind as a story, a kind of dream. As the tale begins, we appear to land in a world...

From a distance, the Tam-a-láu trail seems daunting because it appears to inch its way up a sheer cliff. As I begin the ascent, the initial steepness confirms this. But the trail settles down...

Lithophragma bilbifera is a flowery name for a tiny unassuming wildflower. A red stem arises from basal leaves that look like splayed fingers of green upon gritty volcanic soil. The stem is topped by...

I am in awe as I ponder an auspicious event in astrophysics. The first picture of a black hole has recently emanated on computer and video screens around the world. But what is more...

I am sometimes asked to offer some simple guidance based on my experience from a lifetime of study and practice in the realm of religion and philosophy. The following is one possible response to...

The desert is awash with spring rains this year. Drifts of late winter snow seep into the soil, melted by sun and showers of unfrozen moisture. As the earth warms, new growth sprouts into...

“When it comes to matters of the heartThere is nothing a fool won’t get used to.”  Bonnie Raitt Back in the early 70’s, when I was an aspiring Methodist minister, I offered a sermon...

It is early March and I am sitting on the back porch feeling the sun warm my winter-weary bones. Dripping sounds echo from a drain spout as the gutter receives and channels water cascading...

One of the common themes of religions is the importance placed on the role of clergy or religious leaders. This varies from high regard for priests to ‘leaderless’ traditions with a place for respected...