A solitary walk in the woods can deliver any of us to the hushed, enlivened experience of wonder — bare wonder, free from elaboration. As our feet step atop the thick carpet of sheddings returning to the earth, our face registers the warmth as slim

“If we could surrender to Earth’s intelligence, we would rise up rooted, like trees.” — Rainer Maria Rilke One day recently I woke up with no voice, just a breathy whisper. This is challenging under ordinary circumstances, but on this particular day it felt like catastrophe.

Jewish mysticism, also known as Kabbalah, has been popularized as a New Age, hippie trend, thanks in part to celebrities like Madonna and Britney Spears. However, its roots are nearly as ancient as Jewish practice itself. Dating back to the Second Temple of Jerusalem between

One teacher told me the goal was enlightenment. Another told me that enlightenment wasn’t the goal—it was something I was born with. Neither seemed to be able to explain the meaning of enlightenment. Is a mystic so named because the final result is a mystery?

It’s quite rare for me to arrive at an appointment, meeting or work at the exact scheduled time. I frequently arrive either a few minutes before or after. For instance, if an event begins at noon, and unless it’s a life-or-death situation or extremely rude