If You Never Quit You Will Always Be A Winner by John Cali

Ever since I was a teenager I wanted to be a writer. But I didn’t think I had the talent. When I was in college Rod, an older cousin of mine who happened to be a senior editor at Newsweek Magazine, read an article I’d written for one of my classes.

He said it was very good, and I was a talented writer. I wondered if he was just saying that because we were close family. So I let it all go.Read more

What Is God? by John Cali

Have you ever asked yourself that question? I have, many times.

I grew up in the Roman Catholic tradition. We were taught God was a loving father, and also a harsh judge. We had this confusing notion of a divine being whose love or wrath would engulf us, depending on whether we did his “will” or not.

Heaven was our reward and hell our punishment—not a pleasant way to live your life, never knowing where you were ultimately going to end up for all eternity.Read more

Can You Accept Your Life Exactly As It Is Right Now? by John Cali

Many years ago I had a dear friend who was about the unhappiest person I’ve ever known. Charlie (not his real name) was a successful businessman. But his personal and family relationships were rocky.

Charlie’s problem, simply stated, was people. He just could not accept most people as they were. He was an expert at finding something wrong with them. And, of course, he found little about himself to like, despite his worldly success.

His life was often a living hell.Read more

The Power of Gratitude by John Cali

Today is Thanksgiving Day in the United States. It happens the fourth Thursday of every November, and is a national celebration of gratitude for all our blessings. Other countries also have national days of thanksgiving.

As a human race we have a tendency to focus on all the things going “wrong” with our world. But, as my spirit guides often say, there is much more going “right” with our world than not. We have much to be grateful for, whether we’re celebrating Thanksgiving Day in the US or not.Read more

What Are Coincidences? by John Cali

A couple nights ago I had an unusual dream. In the dream I was visiting my hometown in New York State. I don’t remember the details, but I do remember the feeling and the energy of the dream. It was one of the most peaceful dreams I’ve ever had.

The next morning when I checked my email there was a letter from someone I grew up with in my hometown. He and I are about the same age, and our families were good friends when we were kids.Read more

Is It Time To Take Inventory of Your Life? by John Cali

The ancient Greek philosopher Socrates said “The unexamined life is not worth living.”

That’s a pretty strong statement. When I first heard it, years ago, I did not accept it. But now I see the wisdom in it.

So every now and then I take inventory of my life and my work. Not in a critical or judgemental way, but simply to get an overview of where I am in my personal and work life, and in my relationships. This helps me keep my focus on the path I’ve chosen to follow.Read more

What Is Your Relationship with Animals? Part 2 by John Cali

We received some interesting responses to our recent blog post, What Is Your Relationship with Animals?

Although everyone responding was polite and respectful, there were wide differences of opinion—particularly around the issues of animal cruelty, meat-eating versus vegetarianism, etc.

These same issues loom large here in Wyoming where I live. After all, agriculture, including cattle ranching, is the livelihood of many Wyoming folks. However, in my very unscientific observations, I’ve seen many people turning to vegetarianism, even here. So we have widely varying opinions and lifestyles.Read more

Is It Really True That All Is As It Should Be? by John Cali

My spirit guides are fond of reminding folks, including me, all is as it should be. But is that really true?

The past couple weeks, the United States, especially the northeastern part, has been wracked with a series of devastating storms, including the monster Hurricane Sandy. Many people were killed, injured, and left homeless. It could take weeks or months for them to recover.

When we witness events like that, and all the other disturbing news we see nearly every day, I wonder how anyone, even the spirits, can say “All is as it should be.”… Read more

What Is Your Relationship with Animals? by John Cali

 

I’ve loved animals all my life. When I was growing up in a rural area of New York State we were surrounded by animals—wild creatures, farm animals, household pets. Although we loved our pets, we saw wild and farm animals differently, more as resources to serve us. They were not part of the family, as pets were.

A friend, Barbara Clark from Scotland, visited me in Wyoming this past summer. She’s also an animal lover and a talented animal communicator.Read more

What I learned From the Blizzard of ’79 by John Cali

Last week’s Hurricane Sandy brought back my memories of a fierce storm from an earlier generation. Way back in 1979 my family and I were living in the suburbs of Washington, DC. In those days that area rarely got the severe storms they’ve seen in recent years. So the sudden blizzard of 1979 came as a shock, especially since it was just a few weeks before spring was supposed to start.

In our town, 30 miles west of Washington, we got 40 inches of snow, all in one night.Read more

Why Do Disasters Like Hurricane Sandy Happen? by John Cali

As you all know, Hurricane Sandy devastated many areas along the United States east coast last week. Among the hardest-hit were the metropolitan New York and New Jersey areas.

Many folks are still reeling from the shock and the aftermath of that storm. Damage has been estimated at $50 billion. Nearly a million New York and New Jersey homes and businesses had no electricity, and vehicle fuel is in short supply.

According to weather forecasters, tonight another storm, a so-called “nor’easter,” will descend on the United States’ mid-Atlantic and northeastern coastal areas, including New York and New Jersey.Read more

You Are the Universe by John Cali

There’s an expression in Sanskrit, “Aham brahmasmi.” It means “I am the universe and the universe is me.”

My spirit guides have often said we are not our physical bodies. However, most of us identify the person we call “I” with our physical bodies. So if we are not our bodies, who are we? Where are we? What are we?

If the Sanskrit expression is right, and I believe it is, then whatever we perceive to be “out there” is really in here, within each of us.Read more