Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.

“Honestly hadn’t planned on giving up quite this much for Lent.”1 Holy unexpected changes. This tweet is spot on. So much has changed. A week ago, we were still talking about gathering in person for worship. One could meet a friend at a restaurant or coffee shop. We expected to hold election primaries. Now, some…

I don’t know for certain what the day will bring. There is so much possibility and I am at a loss. Depending on how stressed and tired I am, the unknown can feel frightening or exciting. I can feel overwhelmed or expectant. Sometimes the unknown feels terrifying and I don’t know what to do with…

Dear God, This rain is for the birds. … and the flowers and trees. And even me, too. The food I eat requires it. The landscape which feeds my spirit would be a barren wasteland without it. Thank you, my God, for this rain which I do not enjoy. I wrote this prayer a few…

Several years ago I was introduced to a variation on the Ignatian examen. In reflecting on my day, I would ask these questions: 1. How was I able to give and receive love today?2. How was I not?3. What is the invitation? What am I being invited to do or to be? What came to…

Listening. After many of her lectures to me my mother said that she always got the feeling I was paying attention but not necessarily taking the teaching seriously. I think she could read me like a book. I, on the other hand, have always considered listening to be one of my true strengths. I love…

This snippet of conversation took place after celebrating communion while on a retreat: “This is good bread!” “It’s fantastic!” “Oh, my word.” “Where did you get the bread?”“From the cranky lady at the market.” In response to the quizzical look, I explained. There’s a woman who sells her bread at the market. She often has…

“You are on a sacred journey,” she said to me. “Sacred journey?” I thought. “This doesn’t feel sacred. It feels chaotic, haphazard. It feels like falling apart.” I understood my friend to be referring to the season I was then in. I was doing some inner work. It was a time of changes in my…

As a child, I studied ballet.  I can tell you that centering is not a natural thing; you have to find it.  When I was a child, I didn’t care about being centered in life, in spirit, in time.  I only cared about music, climbing, and dreaming. I didn’t care about the center until I…

I recently finished reading Beautiful Boy by David Sheff. David tells what it was like for him as he watched his son struggle with an addiction to meth. As a journalist, his default was to investigate, to research. What he found was that meth is an insidious substance, one of the hardest addictions to recover…

Recently, I asked a friend to pray for me. As I made the request, I was struck by how seldom I do this. I used to ask others for prayer more often. Life has pulled me out of the habit, and it’s been a while. Curiosity led me into reflection. Here are my first thoughts:…

Another year is finished. I want to give you (wise) directions on the cusp of this new year as though my instructions are an incantation, a magic spell to make this new year contain less difficulty, less loss, less disappointment. Some years are harder than others. This past one was rough. My prayer for you…

On this Christmas day May love enfold your being and your doing, May holy wonder surprise and delight you, May grace ease and well-tend your griefs, May God’s peace find a resting place in your heart. Rachael

Santa has never been a part of my Christmas experience. I remember that as a child growing up in Venezuela, I didn’t spend the night before Christmas waiting for Santa to bring me my present (and yes, I said A present, only one). I was the youngest of five children in a home of two…

When I was 6 years old, I played Mary in the parish Christmas pageant. This was not by choice. I did not want to be Mary. I wanted to be the little drummer boy. He got to move. He got to play the drum. Mary didn’t do anything; she just stood there, holding the dumb…

Thanksgiving is past and the Christmas season has begun. “’Tis the season to be jolly.” No thanks. I appreciate the invitation. The attempt to encourage and uplift, especially when the northern hemisphere is cold and dark. I understand the impulse and it doesn’t work for me. This time of year is no more a season…

God loves us. God loves me. God loves you. lovevt: to thrive in (the rose ~s sunlight)1 What if this is a way God loves us? What if God thrives in us as a rose thrives in sunlight? God, a flower, planted in soil. Rooted in the earth, taking its nourishment from its grounding. Stretching…

A couple months ago I worked with my brother-in-law Zach to change out the hard drive in my computer. He did all the software stuff, I did the replacing of the physical bits. As we started the process, Zach narrated what he was doing. Soon into the process, I started to feel uncomfortable. He said…