Dr. Howell’s Reflections
Everyday, Dr. Howell writes a reflection, inquiry prompt, and a prayer.
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The Power of Hope
December 13, 2023
What do we do when told that there's no hope? Do we believe it? Do we deny it? Do we rebel against it? Do we succumb to it?
The Power of Hope
December 12, 2023
There is a town on Mobile Bay in South Alabama called Fairhope. What a positive name for a town. All my life, I have been going to or through Fairhope. Growing up, it had a plain downtown full of typical storefronts. It was primarily agricultural and also a haven for intellectuals and artists.
The Power of Hope
December 11, 2023
When a child is brought to a psychologist’s office for evaluation, the parents and the child are usually evaluated. To that end, noted psychologist Richard Abidin developed a psychological test for parents of children.
The Power of Hope
December 10, 2023
The opposite of hope is despair. In prolonged despair, we lose contact with inner light and instead focus on the pain of a seemingly unending condition. Our peace is hijacked by unsolvable circumstances which make us anxious, depressed and helpless. These conditions extinguish our living daylight and the hope born with us.
The Power of Hope
December 9, 2023
The mentality of scarcity promotes hoarding because, in that state, we constantly anticipate a looming disaster. Stockpiling our goods may be prudent, and we do need to save for a rainy day. But when our prudence becomes stinginess, we end up too fearful to hope.
The Power of Hope
December 8, 2023
The hope that we will survive death is universal. Those few who do not believe this believe that their existence ends at their death. The only hope they have is for the temporal.
The Power of Hope
December 7, 2023
Hope is a powerful and universal idea. It is one of the essential Holy Ideas. Though Holy Hope is associated with Ego Type Three, it is essential to all nine ego types.
Pilgrimage Into Soul
December 6, 2023
The English term "pilgrim" is from the Latin word peregrinus (which means coming through a country or land and would refer to a foreigner, a stranger, someone on a journey or a temporary resident).
Pilgrimage Into Soul
December 5, 2023
Does your soul long for restoration, healing or transformation? Does your inner being yearn for more wisdom, clarity or capacity? Are you tired of suffering the same things over and over again?
Pilgrimage Into Soul
December 4, 2023
As a little boy, I made a regular pilgrimage into the woods with my dog Sparkle. I always visited two special places in the woods. The first was a natural spring and the second, an old lady’s home.
Pilgrimage Into Soul
December 3, 2023
In November of this year, we participated in a spiritual pilgrimage with Phil Cousineau, author of The Art of Pilgrimage. A master of leading small expeditions, Phil sets a beautiful tone and prepares his pilgrims long before departure.
Pilgrimage Into Soul
December 2, 2023
In my late thirties, I pilgrimaged to North Carolina to learn spiritual breath work. Though leery of altered states of consciousness, I was eager to know more about this technique that, through simple breathing, heals many traumas.
Pilgrimage Into Soul
December 1, 2023
Some embark on a spiritual journey without knowing what draws them. At such times, our soul needs something, even if we are not conscious of it. And we know that only a particular place can provide it. Once in these places, we will likely see what drove our soul there.
Pilgrimage Into Soul
November 30, 2023
My first dog was a female black cocker spaniel named Sparkle. I was five years old when she came to our family. Actually, she was owned by the young couple next door, but they were gone much of the time, so Sparkle wended her way over to our yard and into our hearts.
Pilgrimage Into Soul
November 29, 2023
Some may think of pilgrimages as religious journeys, but they were going on even before religions developed.
Unforgettable Things I Have Heard
November 28, 2023
When I was about twelve years old, I heard a very unusual guest speaker at our little Methodist church in Mobile, Alabama. I’d never before heard a woman speak from the pulpit. I do not recall her name, but this lady was quite a preacher, even though ordination for women would be years away.
Unforgettable Things I Have Heard
November 27, 2023
While backpacking across Europe in 1971 with four close friends, we visited the Nazi concentration camp, Dachau. The camp operated until April 1945 and is now a historical site and sacred pilgrimage for thousands each year. All of our parents lived through WWII, so our day at Dachau was profound. It was in the nearby town of Dachau that I heard something I will never forget.
Unforgettable Things I Have Heard
November 26, 2023
I had the pleasure of meeting my future sister-in-law’s parents at an engagement party for my brother Trevor and his fiancé, Karen. I recall asking Karen’s mother what it was like for her daughter to leave home and begin married life. With soulful eyes, Mrs. Fowler replied, "How would you feel?"