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John Cali

As some of you know, I grew up in a small American farming town on the shores of Lake Erie in Western New York State. I was surrounded, at times engulfed, by a large family of Sicilian immigrants.

Many of my family were extraordinarily colorful characters. And my Uncle Jack was about the most colorful of the lot.

Jack knew how to enjoy life, how to extract every ounce of pleasure and passion from every present moment.

As a little boy, I just loved being around Uncle Jack.… Read more

John Cali

Last weekend I was reflecting on all the changes in my personal life this past year.

My son had gotten married and then decided to move to Africa for two years. I had moved from the USA’s east coast to the northern Rocky Mountains. Some of my years-long relationships faltered and vanished. Other new relationships sprung up and flourished.

And those were just “the tip of the iceberg.”

I was actually a bit startled at how many changes I’d experienced, how many “rites of passage.”… Read more

John Cali

We recently received the following letter from a reader.

John,

I was touched by Spirit’s message regarding “truth.” Staying out of judgment is a thing many, many gifted people have written about and, certainly, refraining from judgment is a key. However, there is something that seems to precede refraining from judgment. That is the Law of Allowance.

“Churchianity” has conditioned us to accept God/Source as full of judgment, blessing the chosen few and raining difficulty on those that seemingly disobey the commandments.… Read more

John Cali

Recently I had several bizarre conversations with someone I’ve known and been close to all our lives. We’ll call him Tom (not his real name).

Tom and I grew up together in the same small town, in the same neighborhood, in the same extended family, in the same environment. And we had what I remember as a wonderful childhood. Oh, there were the usual “growing pains” but, overall, it was a happy time.

Tom called me last week to talk about a difficult situation that had just come up in his life.… Read more

John Cali

Spirit and I recently received an interesting letter from a reader. The letter was on an unrelated subject, but the writer raised the issue of truth.

Here is the relevant excerpt:

“You don’t corner the market on truth. You offer much in your letters that is flawed, but tolerable in recognition of the fact that it is all a part of your path, your growth.”

Neither Spirit nor I have ever said our truth is “the” truth. In fact, quite the opposite.… Read more

John Cali

Spirit and I receive lots of questions from you, our readers. We cannot possibly answer them all in a weekly newsletter. After all, there are only 52 weeks in a year.

So we strive to answer those questions we feel have the broadest relevance to our readers. This week’s newsletter is based on one of those questions, a question we received in response to our newsletter, Love Is Not Enough, from February 26.

Here’s what our reader wrote:

“I enjoy reading the newsletters .… Read more

John Cali

Over the many years Spirit and I have been doing personal readings, I’ve been able to clearly group the questions we get asked into just a few categories.

But the common thread running through all those categories is this question:

What is my life’s purpose?

We live in a world today filled to overflowing with chaos and confusion. There are many voices crying in the wilderness our world has become. A wilderness of often conflicting voices.

Many of those voices are urging us to follow their paths.… Read more

John Cali

Some years ago I had a friend Ann (not her real name) who was always talking about her “dark side.” And about the dark side which, she insisted, all humans had.

Clearly I remember that bright shining summer day Ann and I visited an old friend of hers in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley of Virginia.

Sam (not his real name) was a wonderfully warm and caring man. And he was excited about some big changes happening in his life.… Read more

John Cali

Many folks have commented to Spirit and me over the years they feel stuck in their lives. They’re in a place they don’t want to be. They’re in a rut, and they can’t get out of it. Their lives are a constant struggle. And all they know is being stuck and being in struggle. Or so it seems.

Here’s a typical comment:

“This stuck place is where I am right now. This is reality, and I must deal with reality, must I not?… Read more

John Cali

I can hear you all saying it: “Well, Cali’s come up with another weird title!” But it got your attention, didn’t it? 😉

Seriously though, one of the questions Spirit and I get asked most frequently goes something like this:

“You guys are always saying we’re supposed to live joyful lives, and that was our souls’ intent when we came into these physical bodies. Well, how can we be joyful when the world is filled with tragedy, death, disease, disasters of all kinds?”… Read more

John Cali

The response to last week’s newsletter was, in a word, overwhelming. And I want to thank all of you who wrote for your outpouring of love and support for Spirit and me.

If you did not see last week’s newsletter, and want to before you read any farther, you’ll find ithere.

I know many folks view Spirit and me as your “teachers” or “leaders.” But all of you also teach and lead us. It’s a two-way street.… Read more

John Cali

This past month or so Spirit and I have received several letters from folks unhappy with the way we write this newsletter. Specifically, with our emphasis on joy, on seeing life as a game and having fun with it. The letters ranged from mildly critical to harshly judgemental.

These letters are not typical of those most of you send us. By far, most of your letters are loving and supportive. But, of course, we also welcome dissent. So, in that spirit, I would like to address this handful of dissenters in this issue of our newsletter.… Read more

John Cali

This past holiday season was a most interesting time for me personally. I immersed myself in the joy and spirit of the season, as I do every year. But this year I paid more attention than I normally do to what other folks were doing and feeling at the holidays, including some of my own family.

Many of them were totally stressed out and unbelievably miserable. One told me of the holiday pressure he was feeling, exclaiming “I hate this season!”… Read more

John Cali

I was pacing back and forth in my office today, wondering what the next newsletter would be about. I often start the weekly process by choosing a topic first, and then a title. After that, Spirit and I create the content.

As I was pacing, Spirit suddenly “popped in” (as often happens when I’m wondering what to do) and suggested the title–A New Beginning.

“Well,” I said to myself, “that’s appropriate. After all, this is our first newsletter of the New Year 2004.… Read more

John Cali

Occasionally I resurrect an old newsletter when the subject is still timely. We did that last month at the celebration of Thanksgiving Day in the USA. It’s getting to be a kind of tradition here at Sentinels of the Sky Newsletter.

So this week, when the world is celebrating Christmas and humanity’s thoughts are turning to world peace, we’re revisiting Spirit’s message “Peace On Earth.” As with all our revisited messages, the subject is not only timely, but also timeless.… Read more

John Cali

A reader sent us a rather interesting question this week. I responded to her, and told her I’d present the question to Spirit. Here’s our exchange:

Her letter:

“Dear John,

“Would I be correct in assuming that Spirit is asking us to surrender to the will of All That Is? And to ask for the best possible/most positive outcome in any situation requiring prayer? Actually not even to ask, just to send positive, balanced energy that would be aligned with the will of All That Is?… Read more

John Cali

We received a follow-up question on last week’s newsletter. If you missed that newsletter, you can read it here.

So, without further ado, here’s the question:

“One question I have about that situation (possible volcanic eruptions in Yellowstone National Park) after reading pleas from the Indians that live there is:

“Do I spread the word of a need for prayer and healing balance in that area or, by doing so, would it create a worse problem by having many humans putting their attention on an eruption in that area?… Read more

John Cali

As some of you know, I live just outside Yellowstone National Park. For those of you unfamiliar with the United States, that’s in northwestern Wyoming in the mountainous far western part of the country.

There’s been quite a bit of speculation lately as whether there are any “natural disasters” about to happen in Yellowstone.

A dear friend wrote me recently. Here’s part of his letter:

“Those of you who have been called to the beautiful Yellowstone area, perhaps to anchor and calm the energy there, have a personal ‘stake’ in the area.… Read more

John Cali

Over the years, Spirit has spoken often about gratitude, and the wonders it can create in our lives. In the USA this week we celebrate a day called Thanksgiving. A day of giving thanks for all the blessings in our lives. A day for expressing gratitude.

I’ve resurrected and “dusted off” one of Spirit’s old articles from many years back. I think it’s as appropriate and timely now as it was when we first published it.

I wish you all a most blessed and happy Thanksgiving, whether you’re in the USA or another country.… Read more

John Cali

It’s a chilly, grey overcast day in northwestern Wyoming as I sit here writing this.

A bit earlier today I went to the store to pick up a few things for dinner. Then I ran over to the post office to pick up my mail. I jog almost every day, so after the post office I started driving up to the lakes in the foothills above my town–the place I usually jog.

I had a vague, uneasy feeling the whole time I was out driving around today.… Read more

John Cali

Well, we’ve talked about death several times the past few newsletters. Spirit, of course, always views what we call death in a positive and uplifting way. I realize not all of us humans do. So this week we’re moving on to a lighter subject, joy. Sound good to you?

A long-time subscriber sent us this question and some “random thoughts,” as she put it, about the question.

Her question:
“What is the best way to be joyful?”

Her random thoughts (slightly edited):
“Are detachment and meditation the things that will strengthen inner connection to joy?… Read more

John Cali

One morning this past week, I awoke to the sounds of howling winds. That’s not unusual here in Wyoming this time of year. Outside my bedroom window heavy snow was falling–sort of. The wind was so powerful, the snow was “falling” horizontally. It was a wild morning.

A bit later, as I was working in my home office, I heard a low-flying airplane. I live near the small airport outside my little mountain town. But even though the airport was close, as a former commercial pilot, I realized this plane was flying too low.… Read more

John Cali

Last Sunday afternoon I was feeling restless. So I jumped in my car and drove west up into the mountains, to one of my most favorite places on the planet. It’s a big, broad valley many miles long and surrounded by some of the most ruggedly beautiful mountains in the northern Rockies. The broad Shoshone River flows through the valley’s entire length, from the towering mountains to the west into my little mountain town many miles east.

The day was a perfect vision of autumn’s golden beauty.… Read more