Improving Lives through Heart-Centered Experiences of the Sacred

Barbara’s Columns

Photo by Aarón Blanco Tejedor on Unsplash - holding hands — Independence Day: A More Perfect Union
The Founding of Our Nation No matter the scripture, we humans argue about its interpretation. Did God give […]

July 4, 2020 in Reflections on Holidays tagged Declaration of Independence / Fourth of July / Freedom / Independence / Justice / The Constitution by Barbara Stevens

A barbed-wire fence marking someone's property — Ownership, Complacency, and Giving Up Privilege
Change Is Coming The United States, along with many countries in the world, is in turmoil. Tension has […]

June 27, 2020 in Political Events and Recovery tagged Complacency / Ownership / Privilege / Property / relationships by Barbara Stevens

A father hugs his child, showing love — Fathers, Limits to Love, and Healing
Limited by Trauma She felt guilty. Her father had just died, but instead of feeling sad, she felt […]

June 20, 2020 in Reflections on Holidays tagged Father's Day / Healing / Higher Power / Love by Barbara Stevens

With neon lights, the word hope is set up among night-darkened trees; there is a string of lights highlighting it all — The Courage to Hope
Accepting Our Lot in Life Between acceptance and hope lies a tension. According to Buddhist theory, the way […]

June 13, 2020 in Political Events and Recovery tagged Courage / Flag Day / Hope / Justice by Barbara Stevens

A painting of Jonah on the ship in a storm with the fish waiting to swallow him — Jonah and A Message for Our Time
A Call to Compassion Once upon a time, there lived a prophet named Jonah. He was a real […]

June 7, 2020 in Scripture Study tagged Compassion / Forgiveness / Jonah / Justice / Self-Righteousness by Barbara Stevens

A woman tosses some flowers toward the darkening sky - letting go — Letting Go and Protests
Enough Is Enough This week, we are exploring what it means to let go. When I envisioned this […]

May 30, 2020 in Political Events and Recovery tagged Black Lives Matter / George Floyd / Justice / letting go by Barbara Stevens

The shadow of a woman, light on one arm and leg and part of her face, hides her face with her hands as if in shame — Shame and Self-Forgiveness
Toxic Shame I met with her many times. Being chronically ill, she ended up in the hospital often. […]

May 23, 2020 in Recovery Skills tagged "A Great Wagon" / Forgiveness / Rumi / Self-Acceptance / Self-Forgiveness / Shame by Barbara Stevens

One woman carrying another on her back, laughing together, Friends having fun together — The Mutuality of Friendship
Friends Care There are many ways to understand friendship, but one thing everyone agrees on is that friends […]

May 16, 2020 in Recovery Skills tagged Friendship / Giving / Mutuality / Receiving / relationships by Barbara Stevens

A statue of Adam holding Abel and Eve kissing him — Eve and the First Death
Mother’s Day and the Loss of a Child It is Mother’s Day. Even if the holiday was, as […]

May 9, 2020 in Scripture Study tagged Adam / Cain and Abel / Eve / Grief / Sorrow by Barbara Stevens

A woman and man standing in a field of yellow flowers, shoulders pressed together, laughing - the triumph of love — J.B. and the Triumph of Love
Job’s Story You may know the story of Job. A pious citizen, he had been blessed by God […]

May 2, 2020 in Spiritual and Emotional Themes tagged J.B. / Job / Love / Suffering by Barbara Stevens

A mural of a man's face on a building, battered by time, like we are battered by suffering and trauma — Healing from Trauma
The Trauma of Coronavirus We live in a time of worldwide trauma. Not that this is new. After […]

April 25, 2020 in Spiritual and Emotional Themes tagged coronavirus / Healing / Suffering / Surrender / Trauma by Barbara Stevens

A frog sitting on a bed of gravel; this Earth Day, remember the importance of small things — Earth Day, Global Warming, and Love
The Answer Is Love Love is the answer. No matter the problem, the answer is love. I believe […]

April 18, 2020 in Political Events and Recovery tagged Climate Change / coronavirus / Earth Day / Healing / Love by Barbara Stevens