A life without obstacles is a life without a chance to grow. Whatever our heart’s desire, if an obstacle stands in our way, we have to work harder to overcome it. Therein lies the value of obstacles ... the hard work of overcoming them builds wisdom in our soul.

When I was working toward a Ph.D. in clinical psychology, I wondered how I would master the courses in higher mathematics and statistics. I had trouble with Algebra in high school, so I did not know how I would ever pass the higher math courses facing me now. This was a huge obstacle in fulfilling my dream of becoming a psychologist.

Confucius wrote, “By three methods we may learn wisdom: First, by reflection, which is the noblest; second, by imitation, which is the easiest; There is a Zen proverb from ancient Chinese wisdom: “You cannot see your reflection in running water, only in still water.”

Once again, nature becomes a metaphor for life itself. When water is disturbed, it cannot reflect. In the same way, when the mind is unsettled, it cannot reflect. third, by experience, which is the bitterest.” (In Lunyu, Confucius, c. 206 B.C.)

Confucius wrote, “By three methods we may learn wisdom: First, by reflection, which is the noblest; second, by imitation, which is the easiest; and third, by experience, which is the bitterest.” (In Lunyu, Confucius, c. 206 B.C.)

Sometimes, spiritual reflection opens the door to transformation and healing. The following spiritual practice offers a set of questions that can guide this process. It is based on Gestalt Psychology, Jungian Psychology, Core Transformation, Embodiment, the Enneagram’s Centers of Intelligence and soul qualities, Neurolinguistic Programming, and Rational Emotive Therapy.

Think of when you have sat around a campfire or on a porch, talking for hours with dear friends. The group may reflect on a common experience or other sides of this wonderful and challenging life. What a gift are those informal times of reflection shared with others. However, group reflection can have an intentionally spiritual focus.

Some spiritual reflection can take the shape of reverie, a state of pleasant daydreaming during our waking hours. Reverie carries dream-like qualities, such as being lost in thought when time seems suspended. The operative word in the definition of reverie is “pleasant.” It is a gentle, uplifting state of consciousness because the mind, heart, and body experience something positive.

Spiritual reflection is a type of learning. It illuminates truths we once knew but forgot, or truths we are only beginning to realize. Spiritual reflection has a vital intention— to increase our soul’s beautiful qualities and purpose. It does this by raising awareness of the world, who we are, and who others are. Being conscious of these activates our purpose and informs our state of being. Spiritual reflection is quite different from replaying and entertaining memories. It is a spiritual exercise that teaches us various aspects of life that we may not realize or know about. Only by spiritually reflecting upon a person, conversation, or circumstance, is the teaching revealed.

It isn't easy to enter spiritual reflection when we are inundated with the story of “Me.” It seems that throughout our waking lives, we are constantly hypnotized by the fascinating movie, "Me.”

Three years ago at this time, I came across a prayer for prosperity in The Daily Word, a devotional of daily prayers published by Unity. I was impressed by how it expresses true prosperity, regardless of the circumstances in which we find ourselves. Let me share that prayer with you today. 

There are many different kinds of prosperity. But all kinds can be reduced to one essential property: a thriving life. Many rich and famous people embody the condition of being prosperous. Take Elon Musk who thrives in business and is arguably the richest man on the planet. Take Taylor Swift who thrives with talent, riches and mega-fame. And take the leading people in your community— the ones voted into office, or who own businesses and corporations. They thrive as leaders with much life force, material resources, and recognition. These are truly prosperous people. 

When I was in eighth grade, my science project was on the theory of audiotropism, also called phonotropism, which is the effect of sound on the growth of plants. I planted three pans of soil with winter rye grass. One pan was exposed to rock and roll music (WABB on my little transistor radio) for two hours daily. Another pan was exposed to slow music (WALA) for two hours daily. The third pan of grass had no exposure to music at all.

I am not a Trekkie, but I recall Mr. Spock’s Vulcan motto: “Live long and prosper.”

What a wonderful line from someone who supposedly repressed his emotions. As a Vulcan, Mr. Spock lived from logic and made decisions based on rational thought. Yet being only half Vulcan, he still had access to feelings, even if he did not outwardly express them.

There are many professional titles for those who guide us in our financial welfare: wealth manager, financial planner, investment advisor. Whether our fiduciary is a banker, a registered financial advisor, or a trained financial planner, we trust them to help guide our economic futures. Their responsibility is to ensure that we make wise decisions with our resources to prosper rather than decline economically.

How does a soul prosper? A soul prospers as it grows in its true nature. This thought can be said another way: The soul grows as we amalgamate our ego with our essence. Consulting the Enneagram of Soul, we see that each soul point is the true nature of an ego. The nine soul points are: Sacred Righteousness or Alignment, Sacred Benevolence, Sacred Action, Sacred Creativity, Sacred Wisdom, Sacred Kinship, Sacred Joy, Sacred Power, and Sacred Loving Peace. A soul alive and unobscured pulses with these qualities, while a soul denied these qualities, becomes veiled, obscured, and therefore desolate. 

October 6, 2025

Prosperity has come to mean economic thriving and success. But the Latin origin of the word has broader meaning. The root word of "prosperous” is from the Old Latin “pro spere,” meaning "according to hope" or "in conformity with one's hope." So, according to its original meaning, prosperity means having or being what we hope for. 

October 5, 2025

It is typical for young children to cover their eyes and say, “You can’t see me now.” The child thinks that by closing their eyes, they are invisible. This antic amuses us, because in the “real” world, no one can control others’ vision by covering their eyes. Child developmental psychologists call this behavior “egocentric” because, in this stage of development the child assumes they are center of the universe, and that everyone sees what they see. 

October 4, 2025

There is a familiar saying in many spiritual circles: “Let go and let God.” It reminds us to stop holding on to our concerns and allow God to hold them. Yet we often clutch our problems tightly, thinking that we will finally discover a solution by turning them over and over in our minds. But holding on to the problem only harms us.