Many charlatans promise enlightenment in one quick, easy course or workshop. Enlightenment is not quick, nor is it easy. It requires a long practice of drawing inward. When the world tempts us with sensual gratification, that only draws us further from enlightenment.

Many people, particularly during moments of suffering, ask where God has been. We demand for God to be visible in the macro moments of our lives, but we fail to see God working in the micro moments. We might have missed those subtle hints in the small moments. The Examen, a daily Jesuit prayer practice, is a way to see where God is working in your day-to-day episodes. This episode takes you through an Examen.

The book The Cloud of Unknowing describes a “cloud of forgetting,” which is where we place the thoughts, images, and attitudes about the world during meditation. Over time, we begin to see things a little differently, recognizing how easily we get swept up into things that only serve to disturb our inner peace.

We often choose messages we want to hear. People who are popular in the media and social media are continually monitoring what people want to hear so they remain relevant. But sometimes we need to hear messages that challenge us. These messages call us out of complacency and conformity so we can learn and grow.

When Jesus healed the deaf man, he said, “Ephphatha,” which means, “be opened.” How have we closed ourselves off to the messages we need to hear? In clinging to our desires and attachments, we might not sense messages around us that tell us to modify our path.

I hear too often, “I can’t meditate.” We believe we need to sit down and silence our minds with the snap of a finger or sound of a bell. It’s not that easy. Our bodies get fidgety. Our monkey minds dart from tree to tree. Through patience and perseverance, you eventually get more accustomed to sitting.

I often hear people saying they don’t go to church because they “don’t get anything” out of it. So they find churches that will entertain them. If you consider church as a “public prayer” to complement your private prayers, you might find it plays an integral role in spiritual development. My guess is that this podcast will get the least number of listens because many in our society eschew any religious organization. It’s truly unfortunate.

Who is in charge—you or God? You or the universe? We often forget, and we limit our relationship with God or the universe to what we get out of it. We think little of what we give to the relationship. Then we wonder why God or the universe doesn’t answer our prayers. Perhaps it’s because we’re out of accord in this relationship.

The Gospel of Mary (Magdalene) is one of the books omitted from The Bible. It offers more esoteric teachings, even though they don’t contradict Christian teachings. In fact, I hear echoes of The Upanishads in it. In this passage, we are told that our essential nature is good, but we make life complicated when we look to the unnatural for contentment.

We often speak first and reflect later. Rather than really think about the consequences of our words, how often do we consider if they are universally true? Our assumptions and inferences are sometimes incorrect, so we always leave room for listening and learning.