1038 posts since 2008

Insights on Life Archives

Welcome! Sharing my reflections on the spiritual path.
Join me on a profound journey of self-discovery and spiritual growth.

Sep 9, 2025

Always Listening, Never Hearing Yourself

We live in an age of constant input. Music plays in our ears. Podcasts stream without pause. News updates arrive minute by minute. The scroll never stops. From the moment we wake until the moment we sleep, we are listening—to everything and everyone but ourselves. But if we never pause to listen to our own mind, how will we know what is there? How will we recognize the clutter that needs to be cl...

Aug 28, 2025
4 MINUTES READ

The Ego is Worth Cultivating

I’ve been deeply drawn to spirituality ever since I was a young boy, and the one message that was repeated again and again was that the ego is bad. That we must get rid of the ego. If you want to be spiritual, you cannot have an ego. I adopted this message. I knew no better. It
Aug 21, 2025
4 MINUTES READ

Why Most People Drift in Life

I often hear people repeat this common phrase: “It’s not about the destination, it’s all about the journey.” I disagree. I deeply believe that it’s all about the destination first. Then it becomes about the journey—because the destination defines the journey. Imagine walking in
Aug 14, 2025
3 MINUTES READ

The Gift of Presence

One of the greatest gifts you can give another person is your presence. We see quotes about this everywhere—online, on mugs, on T-shirts: Be in the moment. Be in the now. Be present. These are wonderful calls to action, but simply telling someone to “be present” doesn’t help if
Jul 29, 2025
4 MINUTES READ

Protect Your Mind with This One Discipline

Most people never think to filter what enters their mind—yet it shapes almost all of their experience. One of the greatest things you can do for your mind is to create a filter—to wisely discern what you allow into it. Just like the filters we use in our homes. We have a kitchen
Jul 18, 2025
5 MINUTES READ

Why “Beginning Again” Matters More Than Perfection

The quiet power of spiritual practices—your promise to return, again and again. "Enjoy the journey. It's just the beginning." That line appears at the opening of my Study Guide—a beautifully illustrated book, woven with teachings, reflection, and daily practice—a spiritual road
Jul 9, 2025
6 MINUTES READ

Live From the Inside Out

We pulled up in our monastery van and parked at the Coconut Marketplace, a charming, open-air shopping village on the east side of Kauaʻi. My guru needed to run an errand and invited a senior monk and me to come along. We stepped out of the van and walked toward the store. As I c