The meaning of life may come down to what meaning we bring to it. To make a meaningful life, each of us not only has to find meaning and purpose, we also have to make life meaningful - full of meaning. When asked what is the meaning of life, the Buddha held up a flower and asked, "What is the meaning of this flower?" (or, the answer is 42)

There is no difference between night and day - the Earth is always in a constant state of half day, half night. But from our perspective, it really seems like they are completely separate things. Same with people. Each of us are seemingly different individuals yet deeply connected with One Humanity.

Most inner work involves relaxation, meditation, contemplation and quietude. Sometimes you need to use brute force to plow your way through obstacles. Often these obstacles are ones we set in the way of our own goals. Resistance, self-doubt, and overthinking can become blocks that frustrate our aspirations and dreams. A brute force approach to these obstacles is to dig in, lean into it and push your way through. Force your small self out of your own way. You have already set a goal or have a dream to pursue. You know the steps and procedures you need to do to accomplish this. This is often where resistance takes hold. Use that brute force to plow through and keep going. Ganesha energy.

In Plato's "Allegory of the Cave", people are watching shadow forms cast on the wall, thinking that they are seeing the real world. In the movie, "The Matrix", most are also living in a false reality. Simulation Theory is very popular now, and it makes for an interesting thought exercise. How would you live your life differently if you found out that we are actually living in a computer simulation (or dream world)? The philosopher Rene Descartes, who is famous for the quote "I think, therefore I AM", gave it a lot of thought and came to the conclusion that, as long as he was thinking or feeling, he did indeed exist - even if the world was an illusion. Food for thought.

Emmet Fox was a popular speaker and writer whose works include "The Sermon on the Mount" and this very small booklet, "The Golden Key". In it, Fox describes a method by which you visualize a 'golden key' as a mediator between you and what troubles you. This could be a person in your life, a condition in the world, or an inner conflict that is in need of resolution or healing. We all try so solve problems directly, at least at first. Use the Golden Key method to take your mind off the problem, and think about God (or your Higher Power, Infinite Wisdom, etc.) instead. This will keep your mind on thoughts of healing, harmony, peace, serenity and solution - which is the goal you seek and the opposite of focusing solely on what it wrong. Better thoughts and attitudes lead toward better solutions and reconciliation. So, when you are faced with a difficult situation or person, give them "The Golden Key" treatment.

The practice of Divination - seeking divine wisdom - is as old as history. From dream interpretation and astrology to Tarot cards and Rorschach tests, people have long used various methods of ganging insight that goes beyond conscious thought. Whether you take the advice from these oracles or not, such a practice is a great way to get another angle or viewpoint on whatever situation or problem you are facing. There is also a random element involved, such as the picking of a card, flipping coins or the placement of tea leaves. This leaves the 'choosing' of the answer to fate, the gods, or luck - either way, the idea is that it comes from somewhere else, and not from your own ideas or opinions of others. 

Joseph Campbell suggested there are 4 functions of myth - the fourth being the psychological function that helps to show us who we are in the world. A myth in this case is not a falsehood, but an archetypal story about who we are as human beings. Told and re-told throughout the ages, from mythology and scriptures to Hollywood movies, these are the stories of our lives. And, by paying attention to them and to which ones resonate with you personally, we can use the lessons of myth to find meaning and hope for becoming more. Ultimately, myths and movies are about transformation - physical and psychological - as the hero(ine) in the story accomplishes an outer goal in order to solve an inner need. "A myth is a story that never was, but always is."

Spirit + Ritual = Spiritual • In older, tribal cultures, as well as modern secret societies and military groups, a candidate has to go through an initiation before being accepted in the group. Most are difficult, yet possible to accomplish. Some are even more severe, which is a way of weeding out those who are not capable of what is required for membership. Yet no matter how physical and outer these ordeals are, the point is to bring about an inner transformation. By having the person go through a visceral experience - and not just an intellectual exercise - the whole body is involved in such a way that her or she goes beyond what they previously thought were possible. This brings about an inner knowing, on a deeply personal and individual level, that leaves the person forever changed - inside and out. In this talk, I outline the difference between a routine and ritual, and describe how we can make rituals in our everyday lives.

No one here gets out alive (Jim Morrison). Death ends a life but not a relationship. It is also an inner experience, both for the one who passes on and those left behind. I have assisted two very close people through the dying process in the last year, and have some thoughts and experiences to share. Death is most often an awkward or unpopular thing to talk about, but it is an important part of life, so to speak. Just being there is perhaps the best thing any of us can do when someone is in the final reel. Let them know they lived a good life and that those behind will be able to take care of themselves. Death in natural, so you can't really help someone die, but you can make it a little easier - for them and yourself. 

Just like the Little Pig who built his house out of brick and mortar, we need to build an inner structure that is strong and secure. Freemasonry uses the metaphor of constructing physical buildings for our inner lives. Our inner structure must be well-designed, built on a stable foundation, level and true, and designed for the purposes of our lives. *I am not a Freemason and am only using the metaphor, much in the way I did in an earlier podcast, Inner Alchemy 027.