Tag Archives: desert spirituality

Singing Sand Dunes of Death Valley

Posted on March 3, 2020 by

“The feeling of it may at times come sweeping like a gentle tide pervading the mind with a tranquil mood of deepest worship. It may pass over into a more set and lasting attitude of the soul, continuing, as it … Continue reading →

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Insane for the Light: Psychosis and Mysticism

Posted on February 18, 2014 by

“Everyone has to have a spirituality and everyone does have one, either a life-giving one or a destructive one. No one has the luxury of choosing here because all of us are precisely fired into life with a certain madness … Continue reading →

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Temptations in the Desert

Posted on February 9, 2014 by

“….the lone and barren sands stretch far away.” Ozymandias, Percy Shelly. “Like a roaring lion your adversary the devil prowls around, looking for someone to devour.” I Peter 5:8 (NRSV Bible) The hot, dry desert breeze flows through open windows … Continue reading →

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Zane Grey: Solitude and the Western Hero

Posted on June 5, 2013 by

A bright yellow streak on the triangular head of the Diamondback Rattlesnake glistened in the sunlight as my father held out his hand. The snake’s mouth opened wide; huge yellow, needle-sharp fangs wet with saliva emerged fully from the sheath … Continue reading →

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Bread of Heaven, Pan del Cielo

Posted on October 22, 2012 by

“But a tree is what you make of it, and once, much was made of the pinyon.” Ronald Lanner, The Pinon Pine. In the shadows of the landmark El Tovar Hotel, at the very edge of the Grand Canyon, clusters … Continue reading →

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Mutual Dialogue on Religious Differences

Posted on September 21, 2012 by

“The longest journey is the journey inward.” Dag Hammerskjold, Markings. A clue to encounters with the spiritualities of the world can be found in Hermann Hesse’s novel Siddartha. “One can only pass on knowledge, but not wisdom,” Siddartha explains at … Continue reading →

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Finding Your True Self in the Desert

Posted on September 19, 2012 by

“The desert has a deep personality. It has a voice; and God speaks through its personality and voice. Great elders in all ages…have sought the desert and heard its voice.” Letter to the Student Body of Deep Springs College, President … Continue reading →

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Solitude and Silence in Cottonwood Canyon

Posted on September 15, 2012 by

“The desert empties you…it is not a place wherein you can decide how you want to grow and change, but is a place that you undergo, expose yourself to, and have the courage to face. The idea is not so … Continue reading →

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Encounters with Native American Spirituality

Posted on September 9, 2012 by

“I never felt alone or afraid up there in the hills. The hummah-hah stories described the conversations coyotes, crows and buzzards used to have with human beings. I was fascinated with the notion that long ago humans and animals used … Continue reading →

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Finding Gratitude in the Desert

Posted on September 1, 2012 by

“Gratitude is the foundation of future hope. Hope without gratitude is wishful thinking.” Father Gordon Moreland SJ, (my beloved Spiritual Director). “For Augustine, human memories are the most powerful dynamisms in a person’s life precisely because they are not merely … Continue reading →

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