by Rick Baldwin | Jul 27, 2022 | Deeper Explorations
I’ve noticed that what we might call illusion almost always captures our attention more easily than what we might call Truth. Truth—whatever name we give it—tends to be quiet, still, and unchanged. Illusion, on the other hand, is busy. It moves. It creates drama. It...
by Rick Baldwin | Jul 21, 2022 | Deeper Explorations
Today I’ve been thinking about something I call a Random Renaissance Person. You’re welcome to think about this with me. By that, I don’t mean a king or a famous artist. I mean an ordinary person. Someone who lived during the Renaissance whose name we will never know....
by Rick Baldwin | Jul 20, 2022 | Deeper Explorations
“Do not judge by outward appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.” – John 7:24 [New American Standard Bible] I’ve often thought that much of spiritual work comes down to learning how to look past appearances. That isn’t always easy. The mind prefers what it can...
by Rick Baldwin | Mar 24, 2022 | Deeper Explorations
Meditation is a powerful practice for cultivating mindfulness and awareness, but many myths surrounding it can discourage people from trying it. Let’s debunk some of the most common misconceptions. Myth #1: Meditation Is Spiritual Meditation is often associated with...
by Rick Baldwin | Mar 8, 2022 | Deeper Explorations
It’s easy to forget that we are not the mind. In fact, forgetting this seems almost built into being human. Day after day, our attention is pulled into thoughts, opinions, judgments, and inner commentary, until it feels as though this—the mental activity—is who we...
by Rick Baldwin | Feb 10, 2022 | Deeper Explorations
For a long time, I talked about my spiritual life as a journey. I could describe where I started, what I believed then, and how different things looked later on. In many ways, that language made sense. It gave shape to the changes I was noticing. Still, the more I sit...
by Rick Baldwin | Feb 7, 2022 | Practical Spirituality
You might notice how quickly opinions appear. You’re scrolling, listening, or half-paying attention to a conversation, and suddenly there it is. I agree, I don’t, that’s ridiculous, that’s obvious. The mind doesn’t hesitate. It responds almost automatically, as if...
by Rick Baldwin | Feb 6, 2022 | Deeper Explorations
To be worthy of the name “god,” a being would need to live by its own moral principles more faithfully than its followers do. A deity that operates by a “do as I say, not as I do” standard is not divine. It is manipulative, and unworthy of devotion. If a god instructs...
by Rick Baldwin | Jan 21, 2022 | Practical Spirituality
When I sit down to meditate, I’m not trying to make anything happen. I’m not aiming for a particular state, and I’m not looking for some special experience. There’s nothing I’m trying to fix or improve. Meditation, for me, is simply a willingness to be with what’s...
by Rick Baldwin | Jan 19, 2022 | Deeper Explorations
The story of Adam and Eve in Genesis tells us that the woman saw the fruit of the tree as good to eat, pleasing to the eye, and capable of making one wise. She ate it and shared it with her husband. Almost immediately, something changed. They became aware of their...
