Spiritually Speaking

Over the past several weeks, I’ve engaged in a number of conversations about the health of institutions. In an anti-institutional age, I’m a contrarian. I think institutions matter.

An exciting event is happening in Victoria during the Canada Day weekend that visitors will enjoy immensely – the colourful Cultural Festival of India. Please see the attached poster.

In the early part of June, I spent a long week in Ontario dealing with deaths. The first, John Duncan, a mentor of mine in ministry, died in October, 2014.

One of the things I like about being Christian is the reminder that we are called to love. (Not saying that’s exclusive to Christianity, just that I like it about Christianity.

It is said that if we cannot learn from the mistakes we’ve made, we are doomed to repeat them. I wonder what history has to teach us on the eve of the 30th anniversary of the United Church’s apology to Indigenous people.

This morning a video appeared on Facebook in which Seddique Mateen addresses the people of Afghanistan.

Who doesn’t love a good mystery? Starting tonight Jews celebrate Shavuot, the Festival of Weeks, marking seven weeks since Passover that Leviticus instructs us to count. Here’s why I think of Shavuot as a whodunit.

My home is located on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory of the Lekwungen and SENĆOŦEN speaking people. I am a settler of Scottish and English descent.

The point of Zen Buddhism is awakening, to live life in a state of openness to what is going on right now, in this moment. As I meditate daily, I become aware that much of my life is run by habit patterns.

After many years of research, interviews, talks, presentations and writing, a momentous event recently occurred here in Canada: The Truth and Reconciliation Commission offered up its findings and recommendations.