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vision quest

The Vision Quest has Native American origins in its dispatching of young people into the wilderness to fast and empty themselves in hopes of acquiring a supernatural or spiritual vision that will guide them in their lives. A Vision Quest is perhaps the best of all material spiritual practices, because it requires one to shed vs. add to self, to empty vs. fill, to eschew vs. embrace. The Vision Quest requires one to fast from food and perhaps water and all other material amenities to determine what arises from within or without.

A Quest to Love

August 23, 2018
Hummingbird

Today’s post is spurred by something written by Thich Nhat Hanh on the subject of love. His statement, printed below, brought to mind experiences from a New Mexico vision quest almost exactly 11 years ago, and their role in opening this guarded, frightened heart. “When our hearts are small,” writes Nhat Hanh, “our understanding and compassion are limited and we suffer. We can’t accept or tolerate others and their shortcomings, and we demand that they change. But when our hearts…

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Happy Birthday to a Friend

It is said that life gives us what we need, not what we want. I like it that way, because, frankly, I don’t know nearly enough to be put in charge of so great a responsibility. I’d just make a mess of things. Letting…

March 7, 2017

Overcoming Suffering (Part 2): Who is Suffering?

When my daughter was 18 months old a never-ending series of ear infections prompted her pediatrician to recommend temporarily implanting tubes in her ears. As the date of the procedure neared I grew increasingly frustrated with that prescription, particularly after hearing of so many…

October 19, 2011

Overcoming Suffering (Part 1): What is the Nature of Suffering?

Over the past few years I have somewhat regularly been asked for help or guidance from someone struggling through divorce, depression, or loss of some kind. This is an uncomfortable proposition for anyone but especially for someone like me who, quite candidly, is wholly…

August 11, 2011

Standing Naked Before God

Suffering. Google says it’s the number one search term people use to find this blog. Next up are ayahuasca and vision quest, suggesting – appropriately enough – that this website is a destination for people seeking a way out of their pain. If you’re…

July 1, 2011

Avoiding the Holes

Chatting not so long ago with a friend who is struggling to overcome the twin addictions of self-loathing and alcoholism, she announced that she had resigned herself to never being able to fully recover. To which I blurted, “But why would you wish to…

May 9, 2011