Articles

In last week’s newsletter we talked about the challenges our relationships with other people often present. And about how can we make those relationships more loving. But we did not talk directly about the most important relationship of all.

John Cali

What do you think is your most important relationship? I could ask that question to ten different people and get ten different answers. But I’d be willing to bet none of them would be the “right” answer.

Here’s Spirit.

Spirit

You have probably often heard it said:

• Think only of others
• Love others unconditionally
• Put others before yourself
• Be of service to others
• Etc.,

As you might expect, one of the questions Spirit and I get most often is about relationships. Especially romantic relationships and relationships with parents, usually the mother, sometimes the father.

John Cali

The specific questions vary, but generally revolve around two issues. First: How can I stop the other person from making me feel bad? Second: How can I make the relationship more loving?

Here’s Spirit.

Spirit

Relationships are a fertile field for your personal and spiritual growth. Every one of you have chosen your relationships because you, at the soul level, have clearly seen the chosen relationships are your greatest opportunities for growth.… Read more

You may remember the newsletter article we did a few weeks ago, Postponing the Inevitable. It was about my brother’s dog, Lakota. Today, as I write this, the “inevitable” has happened and Lakota has passed into the world of Spirit.

John Cali

My brother Paul called me this morning to let me know he and his wife Judy had to put Lakota down. She was at the point of no return to good health, and was suffering. So they did the “inevitable.”… Read more

Last week we received a letter from one of our readers. She asked about spiritual or sacred “contracts” we make before incarnating. An interesting subject, one many of our readers have asked about over the years.

John Cali

Here’s the letter:

“Hi John,

“I enjoy your newsletters and continually learn something new from them. Thank you for writing and sending them.

“I was wondering if you and Spirit might consider doing a column on the subject of spiritual or sacred “contracts.”… Read more

A couple weeks ago I was talking with my brother Paul. He and his wife have a beautiful Siberian husky named Lakota. I often take care of her when Paul and my sister-in-law are traveling.

John Cali

Lakota is pretty ancient for her breed, coming up on 17 years. She’s been ailing a bit lately, but was still enjoying a fairly good, pain-free life. Several weeks ago, she began failing rapidly, and Paul decided to put her down.

First, though, he consulted their veterinarian.… Read more

Last weekend I had a troubling interaction with someone I care deeply about. It left me with sad feelings, something I rarely experience at this point in my life.

John Cali

The details are not important. What was important were my feelings. Because of our work, people often come not only to Spirit, but also to me personally (apart from Spirit), for advice and guidance. Which I gladly give, sometimes spending hours at it.

That weekend, I took a long look at my feelings.… Read more

Two weeks ago I received a letter from a good friend asking Spirit and me if we’d do a newsletter on a specific topic. The topic had to do with a potentially life-threatening personal challenge she’s facing.

Normally I advise people making such requests to get a personal reading with us. But since this particular subject is of broad general interest, we agreed.

John Cali

Here’s her letter, slightly edited.

“Spirit is fond of saying ‘All is as it should be.’… Read more

My home state of Wyoming is also home to the pronghorn antelope. In fact, the populations of humans and pronghorns are about the same. The antelope are beautiful, sleek and swift creatures, and I love watching them. Supposedly the second fastest animal on earth, exceeded only by the cheetah, they can maintain speeds of 40 to 50 miles per hour over many miles.

John Cali

Antelope, like humans, are creatures of habit. They’ve followed the same migration corridors to and from their winter and summer ranges for thousands of years.… Read more

When you visualize something you want, how high — or low — do you set your expectations? If you’re like I was most of my life, you settle for the lower end of the spectrum.

John Cali

There are many possible reasons we’re willing to settle for less instead of more. For example, we don’t feel deserving. Or we don’t believe the Universe is abundant. Or we believe everything we read in the mainstream news media. Or, for a zillion other reasons, we don’t believe we can have what we want in this life.… Read more

Last month I had lunch with Jim, an old friend I hadn’t seen in many years. We spent some time catching up on each others’ lives. Then our conversation drifted to the state of the world today and what we can do about it, individually and in groups. How much responsibility do each of us have to make the world a better place?

John Cali

Jim is successful in his work, which he loves. It requires him to interact often with the public.… Read more

Two weeks ago we wrote an article titled Through the Eyes of Fear. This week, we’re taking on a more lighthearted topic, as you probably guessed from our title. Instead of talking about fear, we’re going to talk about fun. Sound interesting to you?

John Cali

In this newsletter, I’ve talked before about the Roman Catholic Church I grew up in. I have many happy childhood memories of my large, loving Italian immigrant family. But the Catholic Church does not hold so many happy memories for me.… Read more

Spirit has always said all sexual orientations are valid and good. That’s certainly not a popular viewpoint in our modern world.

John Cali

I recently ran into former US Senator Al Simpson at a party in Cody, Wyoming. We both live in Cody and, since this is a small town, everyone seems to know everyone else.

He and I got to talking a bit about politics (not my favorite subject). But Al is a very different politician. During his eighteen years in Congress, he was known as an honest, diligent, caring senator.… Read more

Mark Twain, one of my favorite authors, said near the end of his life, “I am an old man and have known a great many troubles, but most of them never happened.”

John Cali

If you pay even scant attention to the mainstream news media, you know the world is riddled with fear today. Fear of high oil prices, fear of earthquakes and other natural disasters, fear of faltering national economies, fear of terrorists, and so forth.

Some days it seems everyone is running scared, anticipating only more gloom and doom in the days and years ahead.… Read more

Another weird article title from yours truly. But if you’ve been with us very long you ought to be used to that by now. 😉

John Cali

Almost everywhere I’ve lived in this lifetime, I’ve had wild dandelions all around me every spring. Wyoming is no exception.

I love dandelions, even though most folks consider them pesky weeds. The flowers are pretty to look at and, believe it or not, they make great wine. The leaves are delicious as a salad with a little olive oil and vinegar, or as steamed greens.… Read more

Be Silent

Last Friday, for the first time in many years, I was without internet access the whole day and night. I don’t remember the last time that happened. Probably eons ago.

John Cali

Even though I live alone and don’t often get out among people face-to-face, I lead a very busy life. This past Friday made me realize all that “busyness” is centered around my computers.

I love technology because it lets me do this work with Spirit from almost anywhere on the planet, even this remote area of the USA’s northern Rocky Mountains.… Read more

Are pain and suffering punishment for our misdeeds? If you believe they are, is it because of God — or karma — or what or who?

John Cali

A good friend sent me an article she recently wrote, Wondering Why We Suffer. Here’s a short excerpt from her article:

. . . why do we suffer? What is the point in it all if not simply to learn we do it to ourselves? . . . It really isn’t ok to suffer, truly it isn’t.… Read more

We’re doing something a bit unusual this week — unusual for us at least. Many of you, especially if you’ve had a personal reading with us, know Spirit does not often talk about reincarnation or past lives.

John Cali

Also, we’ve rarely discussed reincarnation publicly in these newsletters. But today we’re going to do just that.

We’re also doing something else slightly different today. Spirit and I are “co-authoring” this article. Let me explain.

Many years ago, a friend asked me if, when I was in a conversation with another person, Spirit was there and “participating” in the conversation.… Read more

In a recent interview Spirit said, “Dying is the easiest thing you will ever do.” A startling statement for many of us.

John Cali

Startling because most of us are — pardon the pun — scared to death of dying.

In 1988 my mother died exactly the way she wanted. She always told her children she wanted to go quickly and painlessly. She prayed it would be that way. Then one day she was standing by her bed and, a split second later, she was lying on it, dead.… Read more

These past few years I’ve noticed, more and more, when people in my age bracket get together, the conversation almost inevitably turns to health issues.

John Cali

People of a certain age, say forty and over, love to discuss and compare cholesterol counts, blood pressure readings, heart rates, etc. ad nauseam — with the focus being mostly on everything that can go wrong with our physical bodies.

Almost nobody talks about how good they feel, how healthy they are, how well their lives are going.… Read more

Spring weather doesn’t usually come to my part of northwestern Wyoming until late May or early June. This year was different.

John Cali

Spring came in early April. In all the years I’ve been here, that’s never happened. April and May are often wintry here in the big valley where I live. Even early June some years.

We got little snow in the valley this past winter. So I figured the coming warmer weather would usher in yet another bone-dry summer, added to our ongoing eight-year drought.… Read more

Spirit often talks about joy as the foundation of our lives. This week we’re responding to one of our reader’s feedback on our April 2 article, “The Gift of Joy.” If you want to see that article again, here it is.

John Cali

Here is our reader’s letter, followed by part of my response to her:

“I re-read your articles on Joy. Of course, I have read them before but as humans, we like things tough.

“I myself am currently going through a dark time.

We’re doing something slightly different for this newsletter. Since I’m traveling you’ll have to put up with just me this week. 😉 Spirit will be back next week or the week after.

John Cali

This past week on my way home from the post office I saw a dead dog by the side of the road. The dog was a big, beautiful creature with thick auburn fur. I sent a silent prayer of love to the dog’s spirit.

Several days later I passed the same spot.… Read more

About ten days ago I was at Frank’s Barber Shop for my regular haircut. As usual, I had a fun-filled time.

We’ve written about Frank’s in two past newsletter articles, “Down at Frank’s Barber Shop” and “Frank’s Barber Shop Revisited.”

John Cali

I was Frank’s only customer that morning. Usually he has a shop full of people. So it was great just the two of us could chat. As usual, Frank was full of his funny stories and good humor. We talked about some serious stuff too.… Read more

Last week’s newsletter article, “How Do You Let Go,” created some excellent feedback. So we’re doing a follow-up to that newsletter this week.

John Cali

Here is one of the letters we received in response to last week’s article, followed by my response.

“I don’t have time for a nice long reply this week but there is one thing I’d like to address re: CJ’s reply. I certainly agree with his ‘trying’ vs ‘doing,’ and then I’d like to go on to his ‘intending,’ as well.

In response to our newsletter article of February 27, “Letting Go,” we received some searching, heartbroken questions from one of our readers.

John Cali

This is a longer letter than we normally publish. But I think our reader has asked some important questions, questions I know are on the minds of many people today. This letter, in my opinion, is one of the best and most intense “distillations” of those eternal questions echoing down through the ages.

Spirit’s response is far longer than typical.… Read more