Spiritually Speaking

As public opinion is focusing on the racism inherent in Canadian institutions, it may be useful to take a closer look at how one person, practising Zen meditation, is investigating her own inherited racist attitudes.

As public opinion is focusing on the racism inherent in Canadian institutions, it may be useful to take a closer look at how one person, practising Zen meditation, is investigating her own inherited racist attitudes.

Daily news stories amping up fear about perceived threat, and calling for more money to go into policing, prisons, border security, surveillance, constant vigilance.

As a girl I didn’t know my grandparents. Three died before I was born and the fourth, a grandmother, lived 3 provinces away and didn’t speak the same language as I did. I met her twice.

Managing End of Life Choices: A Symposium takes place on Sunday, March 4, 9 am to 1 pm at the Jewish Community Centre of Victoria, 3636 Shelbourne Street, Victoria, BC V8P 4H2. Cost : Registration is $15.00 in advance* or $20.00 at the door.

I am sitting in the lounge of a hotel in my home town in Scotland. It is 9:00 o’clock in the morning and many people have had their full Scottish breakfast and rushed off.

A friend of many years and I were on our way to dinner in old Montreal.

The blended aroma of fresh coffee and out-of-the-oven croissants greeted me as I entered my friend’s country kitchen. Jane grabbed her grandmother’s rose patterned fruit bowl off the counter.

“All you need is love,” sang The Beatles, which is not a bad thought to start with, though admittedly they also sang “I am the walrus,” so I would be wary of taking too much advice from pop groups.

As a leader within a church which believes Social Justice and Social Action to be at the heart of our faith I am often challenged that ‘religion should not be political’.