Brief sayings, or aphorisms, when they combine the qualities of clarity and depth, have a way of grabbing one’s attention, stimulating one’s thought process, even touching one’s spirit. I have collected seven wisdom-sayings of Phillip Toshio Sudo, author of the wonderful book, Zen G… Read full post »

(a somewhat expanded version of my previous introduction to this topic, along with a concrete example of how I work with the I Ching and dreams, to enhance personal growth..I hope that you find this thought-provoking or enlightening)

All I Ching commentary is drawn from I Ching Clarified, by Mondo Se… Read full post »

I am deeply concerned about the defacto segregation that

exists in our rural community, especially in the school context.

Just had a talk with a white acquaintance, a teacher who feels she

(and her daughter) have experienced reverse discrimination in

the context of our (predominantly African-Americ… Read full post »

Since childhood, intermittently, I have had a vivid dream of an airplane crash. It is the only dream I have ever had in color; I see fiery red flame as the jetliner (it is a jetliner) descends. It falls near to my neighborhood. I feel impelled to rush to the plane,… Read full post »

I believe that the federal and/or state government should provide face-to-face credit counseling to consumers, for a nominal fee, or free of charge, to help those who are enslaved in high-interest debt to free themselves from these shackles.

 A new song written on our journey to Asheville, NC, where we will be living next year (After we sell our house) but meanwhile transitioning too, visiting with family, becoming acclimated to the wonderful artistic mountain culture.

 My impression of the culture, initially, was of an art tow… Read full post »

Dear President Obama:

As a grassroots supporter of yours since 2008, I want to thank you for your leadership. Not to say that I agree with every decision you have made. But overall, I think that you have done a fantastic job.

I will be touring the White House Monday or Tuesday, but… Read full post »

Just read your latest analysis of the president's achievements and areas in which objectives have not been fully met. As someone near the center politically, but leaning left, and a strong Obama supporter, I admire his tremendous effort this year, battling upstream against enormous odds.

I joust somet… Read full post »

I am not as gentle as I should be from day to day, and I want to change that. But when it comes to waking up my wife or anyone else up, in a literal sense, I am very gentle. I would very much like to act like that in… Read full post »

This is in response to the letter published by USA Today May 6, written by Alan Winters, who states, "What's wrong with a little torture," to get information and save lives. The problem is, Mr. Winters, that, to begin with, torture is torture, a little or a lot. Secondly, torture is… Read full post »

I have always had a knack for dealing with personal crisis, or the crisis of others--I don't know why. Whether it be while engaged in crisis counseling, or crisis in my personal life, I tend to become calm and and focused, rather than flying apart or freezing up. On the other hand, dealing… Read full post »

The Governor Sanford mess...

It isn't so much the affair that bothers me..."Let he who is without sin..." It is the lying that gets to me...and for some reason the lying of his staff bothers me even more

and the fact that so many folks in SC are struggling...while this… Read full post »

Standing up to bureaucracy when it tramples on people is hard to do, but we need to do it sometimes. It could be government bureaucracy or private bureaucracy, but when the needs of people for basic respect are ignored, folks need to push back. You can't play Don Quixote all of… Read full post »

Notions about creativity: one must take time to explore beneath the surface of people and situations, to not settle for obvious conclusions, to be willing to go against the grain, to proceed inductively, to let the mind wander and engage in free association, and finally,… Read full post »

The recent poll by CNN shows that broad American support for health care reform is growing. This should encourage those of us who believe that providing access to good health care to all Americans is the right thing to do. These numbers also belie the impression created by town hall

… Read full post »

This song is dedicated to Ronnie Van Zant, the great singer-songwriter and founder of Lenyrd Skynyrd, who died tragically in a plane crash in 1977. Ronnie grew up in a poverty stricken area of Jacksonville, Florida in 1948. He wrote with candor and movingly about life in the South, the… Read full post »

It will be strange to be back in Northampton, Massachusetts, USA with my new wife and step-daughter where I was homeless—alone—for a year. This will be part of our summer vacation. I know I will drive by the shelter, and I will want to stop, and knock on the… Read full post »

The things I will miss about South Carolina when we head out for Asheville:

*Some of the ordinary folks in our small town who display little kindnesses, while struggling with either poverty or discrimination, or both.

*Some of the folks well off who pitch in to help neighbors who are struggling,… Read full post »

This morning we drove to the next town over (in rural South Carolina) to shop at a thrift store, and eat out. We (my wife, Linda, and I) had not planned to make any kind of trip, but suddenly the feeling came over us that this would be the right thing… Read full post »

"There is no death, only a change of worlds"

 Native American saying

I am experiencing more intense feelings lately about the reality of death. As well as palpable love of the experience of life itself...

 I love seeing the world outside

I love moonlight. I love to feel… Read full post »

Another trivial, but vicious attack on obama has been launched by the right-wing, and unthinkingly trumpeted by the mainstream media. The question of whether Obama bowed to the Saudia Arabian leader should be a non-issue. Anyone who has observed Obama over time knows that he is not an obseqious perso… Read full post »

It started when I I was in my late teens. My senior year of high school was good. I did well in school, had friends, coped with a difficult home situation pretty well (my mom mentally ill and alcoholic). But when I went off to college things gradually began to come… Read full post »

I want to thank you for your column on right-wing extremism, and its takeover of the Republican Party. I am a Southern white male who is deeply disturbed by this trend, and yes, a moderate Democrat. But I yearn for the day that we can have a civil debate with responsible… Read full post »

I reecommend to moderates, and especially my liberal friends that we focus on key health care objectives, and not labels. What most of us want to see in legislation is what President Obama is trying to achieve...

*access to quality health care for all

*Affordable health care

*Choice of doctors and… Read full post »

Dreaming, Creativity, and Personal Growth

“(Sometimes) Dreams Are Wiser Than Men”

Omaha Indian saying

“Dreams are wiser than men” is a traditional Omaha Indian saying. I added the word sometimes because I believe that dream content is not always meaningf/… Read full post »