Category: Religious Experience
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On the Passing of an Elderly neighbour
Today, on a brisk, sunny day in the bowels of winter, I discovered that my neighbour, a frail and fiercely proud elderly lady, had died. I learned of this sad event when, while on my way to the grocery store, I saw a shiny black hearse surrounded by small crowd of well-wishers outside her door.…
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The Dangers of Magical Practice – Ego Gratification vs. the Divine
As transiting Neptune slides into Pisces, many will become more interested in the occult. If you decide to dabble in anything more strenuous than practical household magic, it’s worth keeping in mind one point that just might save your life. In his excellent book, The Philosophy of Magic, Arthur Versluis reminds us that in both…
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Self, Spirituality, and Zen – Journey of the Ox-Tamer
The concept of ‘self’ is as woolly as that of ‘spirituality’. Yet today’s Western spirituality seeker must come to grips with both because now he’s so psychologically oriented, the ‘self’ is the centre of his ‘spirituality’.[i] While both mystics and psychologically oriented spirituality seekers often speak in terms of ‘transcending the self’, I suggest they…
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Playing God – Religious Experience in the 21st Century
At the turn of the last century, the famous philosopher and scientist William James asserted “….the mother sea and fountain-head of all religions lies in the mystical experience of the individual”. James believed that the key to understanding such experience, was to be found in the manner in which our eyes and minds, together, created…