Suffering as Initiation...

by: Alice Muscat Why is there pain and suffering in the world? This age-old question has been knocking at my door these past six months, begging for an answer. Last November I was present during a friend’s labor and delivery. As the labor continued, I placed my hands upon her to help with the contractions and pain on and on through the night, getting more and more intense.  I wondered why (Genesis aside) a woman must...

Attitude or Insight...

“Can you still feel frustrated and inadequate even though you may have meditated for many years?” a journalist asked me recently, “or do you go around with a permanent smile on your face?” That question made me think of a peticular woman in one of my meditation courses. When she would come home after her meditation, her children would rush boisterously up to her and hug her. She wanted to remain in the...