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Most of us, at one time or another, have had the experience of sailing through our daily lives easily and effortlessly. And then suddenly, everything goes to hell. And we wonder what hit us. Sound familiar?

John Cali

A few mornings ago, I was out for my daily run in the foothills south of my town. When I started it was a pleasantly warm, early fall morning. The rugged mountains all around were bathed in autumn’s golden light. The intoxicating aroma of sagebrush filled the air.… Read more

Okay, I admit it — I’ve chosen yet another wacky title for our newsletter. But I promise it will make sense. It’s all about change — something Spirit and I talk about often. And something many of us dread.

John Cali

This past summer, I spent some time out on the prairie of northern Montana. As with much of the American West, it’s a bone-dry, arid area. Not much water, save for a few almost-dried-up streams or those running at a fraction of their normal flow.… Read more

In this week’s newsletter article, John and Spirit do a follow-up to last week’s article. Most of us are taught from infancy to always be doing. And yet the most masterful manifestors don’t do much at all. They simply allow what they’ve asked for to manifest in their lives — and it happens easily and effortlessly.

John Cali

Alan Cohen is a favorite author of mine. He’s one of those rare teachers who speaks fully from his heart and can uplift and inspire us with just a few words.… Read more

John Cali

My dear friend, Helen Halton, sent us a letter in response to several of our recent newsletters. Here are some excerpts from her letter, followed by Spirit’s response.

I am in a great re-examination of all my beliefs. It is a very unsettling and interesting experience!

I am also in a quandary about activism — what do I let BE, and what do I react to? Do I go out and march for Peace? Or do I stay home and create Peace in my heart?… Read more

John Cali

When I was growing up, we kids were urged to always prepare for “rainy days.” In other words, expect the worst. I’m sure many of you grew up with that same perspective.

Many years later, when I was finally getting serious about my spiritual path, I remember reading or hearing someone say “If you prepare for a rainy day, you’re sure to get one.” You’ve probably heard that one too.

All this reminds me of something the famous American architect, Frank Lloyd Wright, once said: The thing always happens that you really believe in; and the belief in a thing makes it happen.… Read more

John Cali

This is the fourth article in our series about food. This week we’re continuing with the issue of obesity and being overweight.

We didn’t receive nearly the amount of feedback on last week’s article as the two preceding weeks. I’m not sure why — perhaps the issue of obesity is a sensitive one for many folks. At any rate, this will be the final article in this series. Next week we’ll move on to a new topic.

To briefly repeat what I said last week, obesity and overweight are a major problem for most of the American public.… Read more

John Cali

This is the third article in our series about food. This week we’re going to discuss the issue of obesity, or being overweight. This is a major problem for most of the American public. According to studies I’ve read, roughly two-thirds of Americans are overweight. So this is obviously an issue not only for some of our readers, but for most Americans. And, I’m sure, for people in other countries too.

You may want to review last week’s newsletter before you read this one, and also the previous week’s.… Read more

John Cali

We talked about food in last week’s newsletter. Because this is such a fascinating, and also troublesome, subject for many folks, we’re doing a follow-up to our first article.

As you may recall, last week, Spirit and I were responding to several emails sent by one of our readers. We included some fairly lengthy excerpts from her letters. I don’t normally like to make these newsletters that long, but the subject matter seemed to justify it.

You may want to review last week’s newsletter before you read this one.… Read more

John Cali

Although we’ve never talked about this subject publicly (at least as far as I can recall), it’s come up many times in personal readings over the years. Obviously it’s an important issue for many folks.

This whole thing about food has fascinated me since I was a little kid. I grew up in a large family of Sicilian immigrants. For us, food was fun. It was festive. It was a cause for celebration.

We never thought about food as either friend or foe.… Read more

John Cali

Last week’s newsletter, you may recall, was about pain. In response to that newsletter, I received a wonderful email from a dear friend. She’s given me permission to use her letter, including her contact information, for anyone who wishes to follow up with her.

No further introduction is needed, as her letter eloquently speaks for itself. Here it is:

Dear John,

“Pain” is a familiar subject to me — has been for the past several years. Mine became so severe that my life was no longer worth living, and so I tried to “end it all” on January 22nd.… Read more

John Cali

I can almost hear some of you groaning and rolling your eyeballs, thinking “Well, Cali’s gone and done it again, coming up with another crazy newsletter article title.”

What on earth do running shoes have to do with your spiritual path? Well, as with most (maybe not all) of my wacky titles, this one will eventually make sense.

Several months ago, my feet started hurting whenever I jogged. But since I love running so much, I just put up with the pain.… Read more

John Cali

A couple of weeks ago, I was talking to a relative about an upcoming family wedding. We were discussing gifts for the bride and groom. After the conversation was over, I realized how much of our discussion revolved around the number of dollars we thought appropriate to spend on gifts.

I don’t see anything wrong with thinking about money or numbers — after all, they’re a necessary part of our physical world. It’s pretty hard to avoid them. Nor would we want to.… Read more

John Cali

I know that sounds like yet another strange title coming from my somewhat weirdly unconventional mind. But bear with me, and it will make sense.

The other day I was talking to a family member. He was concerned about retirement and growing older. He said, “Johnny, do you have any plans for the time when you’ll need to go to a nursing home? After all, you’re alone and don’t have anyone to take care of you.”

I replied “I have no plans to ever go to a nursing home, nor do I plan to allow my body to deteriorate as I get older.… Read more

John Cali

Those of you in my generation will remember that wonderful writer and news journalist, Charles Kuralt. He literally covered the world in a career spanning several decades.

Charles was a keen observer of world events and, more importantly, of human nature. He reported on and wrote about the entire spectrum of human experience, from the horrors of war to the ordinary everyday pleasures of life.

There was a common thread running through almost everything Charles reported and wrote about — the power and beauty of the human spirit.… Read more

John Cali

Recently we’ve had a fair number of people coming to us because they’re feeling stuck in their lives. They often point to something or someone from the past as the cause. It could be a past lifetime, or the past of this lifetime. Two common threads running through all this are wounded relationships and forgiveness (or the lack of it).

A friend wrote a few weeks ago about some challenges in her life. I was struck by one thing she said — a therapist told her she was unconsciously harboring hateful feelings toward a certain family member.… Read more

John Cali

Most mornings I jog up in the foothills just south of my house. There’s a narrow paved trail winding through the silvery sagebrush on the shores of several small sparkling lakes. Up there, I can see the whole valley below me, from the gently rounded Big Horn Mountains on the east to the raw rugged peaks of the Absaroka Mountains on the west. Between the two ranges is a vast, almost empty expanse, populated mostly by wild creatures and just a few humans.… Read more

John Cali

A few weeks ago, my good friend Jim and I were discussing money. Jim (not his real name) soon started talking about his investments.

He was complaining about his investments fluctuating so much over the years. And he started focusing on several times when they had plummeted — like September 11, 2001. Jim said he lost many thousands of dollars that fateful day.

“But,” I replied, “look at all the money you’ve made over the years. You started out with virtually nothing, and now you’re a millionaire!”… Read more

John Cali

A few weeks ago, a friend sent me a rather interesting motivational message someone had emailed her. I really liked part of what it said, especially this:

What happens to you is not as important as your reaction to what is happening to you.

Great concept! I totally agree with it.

But it also said something else I thought was strange for a motivational writer:

All your growth will depend on your activity. Your strength and growth will come only through continuous effort and struggle.… Read more

John Cali

The other day my car needed some minor maintenance. So I went to see Joe, my trusty mechanic. He runs a small car repair shop in my little town, and has a well deserved reputation as a skilled and honest workman.

As Joe popped the hood of my car to look at the engine, he looked directly at me and said, “You know, John, I just had a heart attack a few days ago.” He’s relatively young and in reasonably good shape.… Read more

John Cali

The other day I read an interview with a well known public figure (who shall remain nameless). During the interview, he suggested a way to solve all the world’s problems and create peace on earth. First, the United States should use its military forces to conquer other countries. And second, those countries should then be converted to Christianity.

Obviously, this person is a “conservative right-winger.” But there are equally overzealous “liberal left wingers” among us.

Whether they be right, left — or middle — you know the type of people I’m talking about.… Read more

John Cali

A couple days ago, I went to Frank’s Barber Shop for my regular haircut. A visit to Frank’s is always a fun adventure.

A few years ago, Spirit and I did a newsletter article called Down at Frank’s Barber Shop about the first time I ever visited Frank. Here’s part of what I said in that article:

When I walked in, Frank, busily cutting hair, paused and gave me a big smile and a friendly greeting. He was a trim, obviously fit .… Read more

John Cali

Last week a friend sent me an article on solitude. So I asked Spirit if we could do a newsletter on the subject. The answer, as usual, was “Sure.”

In our modern world, we often define ourselves in terms of our relationships, with one exception.

The exception? Our relationship with ourselves.

It’s ironic, for that is the most important human relationship any of us will ever have. That relationship defines our relationship to God/Goddess/Great Spirit — whatever you call that divine energy of our source.… Read more

John Cali

When I was a student pilot many years ago, one of the greatest challenges I faced was trusting the airplane. Then, a bit later when I became a flight instructor myself, I saw many of my students facing the same challenge.

As a pilot, you obviously cannot always see where you’re going — when you’re flying through clouds, for example. When you have no visual references, you’re literally flying blind. And if you value your life and the lives of your passengers, you must trust the airplane and what its instruments are telling you.… Read more

John Cali

Lately, I’ve been vividly reminded of the ever-changing seasons of our lives — changes in the lives of friends and family, and also in my own.

Eight days ago, a dear friend lost her beloved dog after 13 years together.

Late last year, my sister’s husband died after nearly 30 years together.

We saw both these changes gradually coming. But that didn’t make them easier.

Last week, another friend wrote me that her husband had just died suddenly, unexpectedly.… Read more