Engaged Spirituality

The story of Joseph is a story of the journey of the soul. It seems that this is a soul that has gained wisdom through other lifetimes, and is able to maintain its connection with God throughout its trials on earth. Therefore, it is safe to say that this is the story of an old soul and its journey through the senses and desires of the physical body and the earth plane.  In the Bible story of Joseph we see the story of the soul. Joseph has a dream: 5. And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told... Read Full Story

I was sent this YouTube video by a friend yesterday that shows an elephant painting a portrait.  In the same series of YouTube videos are other elephants painting a variety of plants and some abstract art.  Being a bit of a sceptic, I looked the phenomena up on Snopes.com ...and this is what I found: http://www.snopes.com/photos/animals/elephantpainting.asp Indeed, it's a real thing.   Check it out. Pretty amazing. This image of elephants engaged in art is even more provocative when we read... Read Full Story

I burned my trash today, that's what we do out here in the country left without any city services. I like to set things on fire, so that's a pretty nifty perk. Don't need to concoct a why and... [Click title to read more.] Read Full Story

Here's an amazing website and video 'The Story of Stuff''   by Annie Leonard, who spent 10 years researching the issues of the production/consumption patterns of western culture.  It's well-worth  20 minutes to watch the video.  While doing so you can also look at th workbook and other features on this well-designed, interactive site.  'Good stuff' so to speak!  From its extraction through sale, use and disposal, all the stuff in our lives affects communities at home and abroad, yet most of... Read Full Story

Carnival on Engaged Spirituality! Bill Wilson's pilgrimage to India and Nepal When I thought about hosting the first Engaged Spirituality Carnival, the first thing that went through my head was, “Carnival, eh?” I wonder what the root meaning of the word is?” The root is Latin, of course, and the Italian word that the English word flows from is carnevale , meaning the removal of meat from the bones. How fitting…even though we’re past the ‘carnival’…and deeply into the Lenten season, we are... Read Full Story

Technorati Tags: spirituality , honoring , humor We had a bizarre and strangely funny thing happen in our lives today.  Our good friend, Jack Kennedy, a spiritual director, teacher of Ignatian spirituality and much-loved human being from Portland, Oregon was proclaimed both dead and then miraculously alive all in one day today. Here's how Jack's pre-Easter, pre-emptive Phoenix routine came down.  Tonight when I got home from work there was an email from a mutual friend, Gabrielle saying that... Read Full Story

Review by Eric D. Lehman , Professor of English at the University of Bridgeport in Connecticut. Review is linked to Umbrella: a journal of poetry and kindred prose Note: While this book was published in 2003, it is a classic that VTH readers will want...( read more ) Read Full Story

About 13 years ago I had a dream that I will live-into for the rest of my life. In the dream, I'm part of the life of a retreat center or monastery of some sort. The center is on an island and on top of a large plateau or mountain with ocean surrounding....( read more ) Read Full Story

This is not to be confused with 'who's yo' mama?' although there may be similarities. As I begin to develop a blogroll for the Virtual Tea House, wanted to start with who I currently aggregate and move outward in concentric circles from there. oops that's...( read more ) Read Full Story

We had a lively and wonderful gathering for the March Central Oregon Fire Circle last night, March 21st. Great fire with the full moon rising over the back fence. Several new people, as well as regulars and us old-timers came out for the celebration of  the coming of the light or spring AND at the same time the holy darkness that is Good Friday.   The individual topics seemed to have some umbrella themes.  Last night's themes were: swamplands of the soul; the difficulty of   transitions from... Read Full Story