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May 8, 2015

The Paradox of Motherhood

Written by Courtney E. Martin

Becoming a mother can be a startling experience — a belonging to a communion of motherhood and the stark reality that one's identity will never be the same again. For this upcoming Mother's Day, Courtney Martin contemplates the fragility, fierceness, and myopia of motherhood and the ineffable beauty of being a mother.

April 17, 2015

A Mea Culpa to My Dear Mom

Written by Courtney E. Martin

A daughter's embarrassment of her mother's alternative approaches to healing turns into a letter of admiration and an apology.

April 3, 2015

The Opposite of Shame

Written by Courtney E. Martin

Forgiving yourself for your stupid mistakes can be really difficult. By doing so, though, Courtney Martin argues that you will not only honor those who love you deeply and you will stop beating yourself up in the process.

April 2, 2015

You’re Not Any Cooler than Jesus or Muhammad

Written by Omid Safi

Who you're going to be and what you're going to become takes time. But, nowadays, getting educated has an extraordinary set of expectations for students. Omid Safi reminds us that students need to be gentle with themselves as they discover what it means to be a human being and not just a human doing.

March 31, 2015

The Symmetry of Imperfection

Written by Jane Reed

Though we are taught to forgive from childhood, it is not always so easy to do. A daughter reflects on the burden of her father's perfectionism, the freedom of forgiveness, and the gifts of imperfection.

March 6, 2015

Reuniting with Awe

Written by Courtney E. Martin

Part of becoming an adult is learning how to lower your expectations. But parenting a toddler brings different gifts — of rediscovering discovery, reuniting with awe, and finding where the mundane becomes miraculous.

March 4, 2015

Wisdom and a Sense of Humor

Written by Parker J. Palmer

Parker Palmer shares one of his favorite stories about the Dalai Lama and a poem from Stephen Levine on the majesty of humor and love.

February 26, 2015

Less iPhone Spirituality, More Recharging Our Hearts’ Batteries

Written by Omid Safi

We crave community and intimacy. But, are we looking for it in the wrong places — in our phones and mobile devices rather than in each others' eyes? With Rumi as his guide, Omid Safi on needing less digital connection and more rejuvenation of heart and soul.

February 22, 2015

Remembering How to Weep

Written by Zubin Mistri

The memory of a father weeping reminds a son how men often don't tend to grief well. But, by sharing emotions, fathers may be a key in helping boys grow into stronger, more compassionate human beings.

February 13, 2015

Dark Browns, Peaches, and the Wisdom of Children

Written by Sisonke Msimang

Children ask questions that challenge the best of parents. They also expose the weaknesses of our responses. A set of reflections from a black South African mother and activist who is confronted by the truth of her daughter's words and embracing the "weirdness" of their "dark brown and peach" family.

January 9, 2015

The Pleasure and Magic of Shared Silence

Written by Courtney E. Martin

So often it's the quiet moments with someone that cements and deepens a relationship. An acknowledgement (and a bit of a love letter) to the silence that joins us together.

January 1, 2015

The Sacred Inefficiencies of a Very Human Life

Written by Courtney E. Martin

As the siren song of productivity in the new year beckons, our weekly columnist Courtney Martin finds presence and peace of mind in the habits of a less productive but more awesome life.

December 22, 2014

We Shall Test You with the Good

Written by Omid Safi

Oftentimes it's the hardships in life that are considered a test. But, perhaps, some of the deepest lessons of hardship are learned through all the good fortunes and blessings of our lives too.

November 26, 2014

Seeing Humanity in the Context of Race and Racism

Written by Sherry K. Watt

A powerful commentary from the mother of a black teenage son who says we need to stop talking around the edges of race and address the systemic problem itself: that we see black men as less than human.

November 14, 2014

You Began in Love (or Someone Once Wiped Your Ass Over and Over Again)

Written by Courtney E. Martin

Before conscious time began, someone cared for you. And you survived. A call to action to remember that someone showed up for you over and over and over again.

November 13, 2014

The Thief of Intimacy, Busyness

Written by Omid Safi

Following up on the disease of busyness, Omid explores what we lose when we let the overscheduled nature of our lives take precedence over the loved ones we treasure.

October 24, 2014

Little Deaths

Written by Courtney E. Martin

It’s fall and things are dying. What least productive practices and mindsets are you working on shedding?

October 3, 2014

Spiritual Practices Hidden in Plain Sight

Written by Courtney E. Martin

Sometimes the most sacred experiences happen in the most mundane of places: in a big box store, after your spouse empties the litter box, or during an encounter with a taxi driver.

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