On the way home from church, a little girl turned to her mother and said, “Mommy, the Preacher’s sermon this morning confused me.” The mother said, “Oh! Why is that?” The girl replied, “Well, he said that God is bigger than we are. Is that true?” “Yes, that’s true,” the mother replied. “He also said… Read More You Are the One
From this month’s Teaching Article by Swami Nirmalananda (December, 2021), Who or What is God?, an excerpt that includes a story about Ram Dass (1931 – 2019), formerly Richard Alpert, a Harvard professor who travelled to India in 1967 and became a disciple of a Guru. He came back to the states and helped establish… Read More You Are Divine and You Are Not the Only One
Mahatma Ghandi said “Be the change that you wish to see in the world.” This holiday season, and forevermore, be the light you wish to see in the world. Be the peace and joy you wish to see in the world! Spread it around like greeting cards! Your own Divine Self is light, peace… Read More The Best Gift
We want to honor Sumati (Patricia) Morrison, who will be celebrating her 84th birthday on the 22nd of December. We honor Sumati because she has been such a wonderful, dedicated student at The Centered Place for a long time. She first joined us last century. Well, it was the latter part of the century, 1997… Read More Spotlight on a Very Special Human Being – One Who Shines a Whole Lot Back
This is the month for Thanksgiving. But so can be every month — every day, for that matter. Giving thanks is not meant to be confined to one holiday. In fact, being grateful can make every day a holy day. “Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgiving, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary… Read More Giving Thanks: Everyone Wins, Especially You!
Most of us want peace, but finding it is another thing. We are seekers but not always finders. Where do you find peace? You might find peace on a beach, in the woods, inside a cave or some other special hideaway. But how are you when you have to leave that special place? How long-lasting… Read More Where do you find peace?
“It is very rare to find a human being today. They are always going somewhere, hardly ever being here. That is why I call them ‘human goings’. ” ~ Ajahn Brahm, a British-Australian Buddhist monk known for his warmth and sense of humor. Yes, most people tend to be human goings, not human beings. Or… Read More Where are You Going, human being?
“This is a quest for the sacred, the ultimate human frontier, one that you investigate by looking inward.” ~ Swami Nirmalananda It has been said that when you find yourself on your death bed, your last thoughts will not be that you should have spent more time at the office. For too many sorry… Read More August: The Sunday of Summer ~ Go for Your Gold
A spectacular display of fireworks is happening every day, all around you. Stand in front of a flower garden, and you will easily notice it: a brilliant display of fireworks in (very) slow motion. These “flowerworks” do not fizzle out instantaneously. They do not burn you or blow out your ear drums if you get… Read More Don’t Miss the Fireworks
Happiness does not come from your mind. Happiness comes from your Self. In the Teaching Article of June 2021, Why Is My Mind Crazy, Swami Nirmalananda says your mind is incapable of happiness. The best your mind can give you is “a brief sense of satisfaction, like when you check a task off your to-do… Read More What Is Your Mind Up To?
Everyone wants to be happy — you and all 8 billion inhabitants of this planet. But where do you look for it? Where do you try to find it? And if you do find it, how long does that happiness last? How soon are you back on the trail looking for something else to make you… Read More Where to Find Happiness
As I write, it is Good Friday. I reflect on the solemnity of this day. Over 2000 years ago, Jesus hung from the cross, his life on earth expiring at the hands of the ignorant. Right before their eyes was a man of God, but they could not see. Nor could they see their very own… Read More The Passion
When Nancy and I read a story in the Boston Glove about the owners of this farm and their dedicated commitment to serve their community and especially those in need in Springfield where they live, we were both immediately smitten. Theirs is an amazing and inspiring story. I picked up the following from the article,… Read More April Fundraiser: Support a Fledgling Farm Determined to Serve Those in Need – Agric Organics Urban Farm in Wilbraham
This quote on the left can help you fathom what it means to experience your own Self. You hear about the Self often in these newsletters. It’s referred to in many ways: your Divine Essence, Beingness, Consciousness, Shiva, God, the Divine Reality being you – you name it, it’s all one and the same. But… Read More A Realization
This past year, with the pandemic forcing us to isolate, and with so many lives being shortened by COVID, we have had a greater opportunity and motivation to consider these questions: Why am I here? What did I come here to accomplish? What is the best I can do with the time I have left… Read More Why Are You Here? What Gives You Meaning?
