You’ve probably heard this many times: We’re all students and teachers for each other. Interesting concept I hadn’t given much thought to in many years.
John Cali

I watched a short video with Wayne Dyer last week. He was talking about a conversation two of his daughters were having at breakfast one morning when they were teenagers. It went something like this:

First daughter:
If you didn’t have feet would you wear shoes?

Second daughter:
That’s ridiculous! What do you mean?… Read more

Last week I was talking to my good friend Harry. Having known each other all our lives, we have a special bond.
John Cali

Harry mentioned he needed some electronic equipment, and asked if I knew where to get it at a good price. I said, “Sure, I’ll check it out for you.”

I found exactly what he wanted, bought it, and had it shipped to him. Then I told him I wanted this to be my gift to him.

He refused, saying I’d done so much for him over the years, he could not accept the gift.… Read more

In our last newsletter I talked about Haiti. I intended to just leave it there with my brief mention of the catastrophic, record earthquake. But Spirit decided he wanted to discuss it further.
John Cali

First, here is the news article I posted on Haiti in our last newsletter:

The news from Haiti has the world riveted on the heart-wrenching human devastation. Please keep the Haitians in your thoughts and prayers. And, if you can, donate money to relief efforts. But be careful.… Read more

One cold autumn day many years ago my old friend Joe and I were towing his antique truck from its storage place back to his house.
John Cali

The truck’s suspension system was in pretty bad shape. So we tied several concrete blocks to the front bumper, thinking that would stabilize the truck while we towed it.

About halfway to Joe’s house we noticed the truck suddenly became lighter and easier to tow, creating less resistance to the tow vehicle we were using.… Read more

How important is it for you to stay connected with your friends, family, co-workers, etc.? Probably pretty important, and rightly so. But for many folks I observe in my work with Spirit, it’s so important they’ve lost their ability to truly enjoy “alone time.”

John Cali

I often marvel at the technology we have today. It enables us to achieve things undreamed of just a few short years ago. For example, Spirit and I could not do this newsletter if it were not for the technology we have literally at our fingertips.… Read more

Last week’s newsletter article, Happiness Revisited, generated some interesting feedback directed to me, and also a lively discussion at our Spirit Forum.
John Cali

It was clear, from the feedback and discussion, different people have widely different opinions of what happiness is. Some questioned whether true happiness can be sustained — or achieved, even if only momentarily. Especially in today’s world. So many people, instead of celebrating what’s right with the world, complain about what’s wrong with it.

As “coincidence” would have it, after we published the newsletter last week, I came across a video called Celebrate What’s Right with the World.… Read more

We usually talk about peace on earth at this season. However we celebrate the season — Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Epiphany, or another way — many of our thoughts turn to peace.
John Cali

For many years at Christmastime Spirit and I have talked about peace on earth. And we’re doing it again this year, but with a slightly different slant.

Nearly everyone wants world peace. Of course, there are many different, often conflicting, ideas of how to achieve that goal. The path to peace sometimes turns into a warpath.… Read more

Are you doing what you love? Or are you just making a living instead of making a life?
John Cali

I have a good friend of many years who travels almost constantly all over the world doing her work. Her name is not a household word, but she’s internationally famous in her own niche.

She has a beautiful home in a place many would love to live. But she spends most of her time on airplanes and in other countries. She loves what she’s doing.… Read more

I had a short, but strange and curious dream several nights ago. It was very vivid, and I knew it held an important message. As our dreams often do.

John Cali

In the dream Spirit gave me a gift, an unusual gift. It was a small multi-colored ball. Small enough to easily hold in the palm of your hand, or carry around in your pocket or purse. It had a pattern similar to the ball used in American soccer games. Or, for those of you in Europe, I believe you call those games “football.”… Read more

If you grew up the way I did you know our elders were forever pressuring us to work hard if we wanted to succeed in life. We always had to be DOING something.

John Cali

We live in an action-oriented society today. Even during our so-called “leisure” time, we have to be doing something productive. We work hard at relaxing. After all, working hard is the only way we’ll ever achieve anything worthwhile.

Right?

I used to think so. But no longer.… Read more

The other day I read a short article by Dr. Andy Weil titled What’s Wrong with Antidepressants?

His answer: Plenty.

John Cali

As I read the article, it reminded me of something we’d written a couple years ago about depression. The stimulus for our article was also something Dr. Weil had written on the subject.

I know many folks among my family and friends suffering from depression. Some of it only occasional, some of it chronic and severe, all of it disturbing or worse.… Read more

Last week in the grocery store I couldn’t help overhearing a loud discussion two women were having about politics. I guess this is true in other places also, but folks here in Wyoming love to discuss politics. Or, more accurately, argue about politics.

Anyway, one woman was describing to the other a heated political argument she’d recently had with someone. She said she ended the argument by hurling out what I guess she intended to be an insult: “You liberals are all alike!”… Read more

I recently talked to my brother Paul about some computer problems he’d been having this past month. So I volunteered to help him. I’m no technical guru, but I am pretty handy with the basic stuff.

John Cali

Last weekend I went over to Paul’s house. We sat down at his computer and I asked him to show me exactly what had been going wrong.

We sat there for more than half an hour trying to re-create the problems, one-by-one. Bizarre though it was, all the problems had totally vanished.… Read more

Quite a few folks Spirit and I have talked with lately are having a hard time accepting all the changes in their lives. Many of them are seeing so many profound, sometimes scary, changes on the planet today — and in their own personal and spiritual lives. This includes me. Might you also be one of these?

John Cali

When I was younger I absolutely hated change. The status quo, even though it may not have been my ideal, was better than facing the uncertainty of change.… Read more

A few weeks ago on the internet I came across an article about how hard it is to be happy in today’s world. Intrigued by the topic, I printed it out and read it later that day.

John Cali

The author, clearly an articulate, accomplished, and spiritually aware writer, proceeded to lay out the reasons he thought happiness was an elusive goal for humans.

He argued that just because we think we deserve to be happy, it doesn’t mean we will be happy.… Read more

How many of us deliberately hide our talents or downplay our strengths? I certainly have in years past, many times.

John Cali

I know many of you are familiar with Ann Albers. Among her many activities, she publishes a wonderful weekly newsletter of channelled information from her spirit guides whom she calls, simply, “The Angels.”

In Ann’s newsletter last week The Angels said this: “Your talents, when hidden, do not serve you or the world. Change yourself, be willing to share what you love and do for the joy of it, and receive in return.”… Read more

Thich Nhat Hanh, the Vietnamese Buddhist monk, activist and writer, talks about “mindful consumption.” What is mindful consumption?

John Cali

Nhat Hanh’s use of the phrase, “mindful consumption,” has its roots in the Buddhist Fifth Precept. Here is part of that precept:

“Aware of the suffering caused by unmindful consumption, I am committed to cultivate good health, both physical and mental, for myself, my family, and my society by practising mindful eating, drinking, and consuming. I am committed to ingest only items that preserve peace, well-being, and joy in my body, in my consciousness, and in the collective body and consciousness of my family and society.… Read more

I grew up in a small farming town on the shores of Lake Erie in western New York State. It’s a quiet little town, pretty and peaceful. I suppose that’s part of what attracted so many Italian immigrant families, including my own family.

John Cali

One of my family’s old neighbors and friends, Tony, was recently featured in the town’s weekly newspaper. Tony died many years ago, but I still remember him clearly. He was a multi-talented and colorful character.

Tony was a self-taught artist.… Read more

John Cali

The other day I was chatting with Grant Connolly of ZPoint. Our conversation turned to the topic of perspective, and how powerfully our personal perspective or point of view can affect us, for good or ill.

The conversation reminded me of an article I’d read a few days earlier. The article, “Turning the Clock Back,” published in Cosmic Lighthouse, was an interview with Ellen J. Langer, Harvard Professor of Psychology.

Dr. Langer talked about a study she and a partner conducted with chambermaids.… Read more

In his brilliant best-selling book, Illusions, Richard Bach said “We teach best what we most need to learn.” I had a minor, but painful, reminder of this recently.

John Cali

Spirit and I are forever telling people it doesn’t matter what other people think or say about you, especially if it’s critical or destructive. All that matters is what you think of yourself.

The details of my painful experience don’t matter. What does matter is I allowed myself to get upset by a remark about my channelling from someone I love and respect.… Read more

Last week the Washington Post talked about the Great Aletsch glacier in southern Switzerland. What do glaciers have to do with God?

John Cali

In 1678 the devoutly Roman Catholic people of the isolated Swiss mountain villages of Fiesch and Fieschertal made a deal with God. They vowed to live virtuous lives if God would spare them from devastation by the then-expanding glacier descending upon them.

Today Great Aletsch is Europe’s largest glacier. And it’s melting, posing a different threat — flooding and the potential loss of the area’s primary water supply.… Read more

One of our newsletter readers recently wrote us asking “How do I get out (and stay out) of my body’s way to facilitate healing?”

Great question!

John Cali

Here’s the letter:

I was delayed in reading your article on physical disease. So sorry for the late response. But there is a question I would like to ask.

Would you offer some suggestions to assist with releasing resistance (mine is resentment). Or as Spirit puts it “Quit rubbing the poison ivy on your body .