A spiritual allegory of solitude, awakening, and the fragrance of the soul Deep within an ancient forest, where sunlight danced between the trees and the birds sang the songs of creation, a woman lived alone in a humble hermitage. She had come seeking no riches, no recognition, and no answers to give the world. She had come simply to be. In the beginning, the silence felt unfamiliar. Without the noise of the world, she began to hear the movements of her own mind, the whispers

Happy Halloween! For a holiday full of plastic skeletons, glowing pumpkins, candy bowls, and front yard ghosts, Halloween carries a surprisingly long memory. Its oldest roots reach back close to 3,000 years, while the candy-heavy version many people know today is barely a century old. That mix is part of what makes Halloween so interesting. It can be playful, spooky, community-focused, reflective, or all of those at once. Some people celebrate with elaborate decorations. Some

Fall weather rarely follows one clear plan for the day. A chilly, dry morning can turn into a wet afternoon, then cool down enough for frost or even snow by evening. October and November are especially unpredictable across Canada, where the difference between morning, mid-day, and evening can feel like three separate seasons. That is why layering is the most practical way to dress in fall. It gives you comfort, warmth, and flexibility without forcing you to choose between bei

My heart is heavy following the tragic Calgary Transit bus fire that claimed three lives and left nineteen people hospitalized. My deepest prayers are with the families who have lost loved ones, those who are injured, and everyone affected by this heartbreaking event. As a former colleague of Calgary’s transit community, I send my love and heartfelt support to the bus operators and all those connected to this tragedy. May the light of divine love enter every place where grief

She stepped onto my magic bus at the end of her working day, a beautiful, joyful woman from Zimbabwe, carrying a cake she had brought from our local grocery store. There was a radiance about her, a warmth in her smile that seemed to come from some ancient wellspring of African sunlight. Her destination was home in the city, but for a little while, she was a passenger in the great mystery of the everyday. As we travelled along, she turned to me with the most innocent curiosity

Thanksgiving — The Power of a Grateful Soul On Canadian Thanksgiving, my heart bows low, To Jesus, whose love makes my spirit glow. To friends and family across the Earth, I give thanks for your love, your precious worth. To every soul who rides my magic bus, Each meeting a blessing, each journey a trust. Through every smile, every story we share, The light of the Divine is present everywhere. My spirit remembers what my soul always knew, A purpose bestowed from the moment I

Honesty can feel costly in the moment. It may lead to an awkward conversation, a painful admission, or a decision you have been avoiding. Still, dishonesty almost always costs more. A false story has to be protected. A hidden truth has to be carried. A goal you refuse to name stays out of reach because you cannot move toward something you will not admit you want. Living honestly does not mean saying every thought out loud or using “truth” as an excuse to be harsh. It means bu

A surprise bill can feel bigger than the number on it. The moment a car repair, appliance breakdown, or higher-than-expected utility bill lands in front of you, stress can take over fast. That stress is not “just in your head.” It can show up as a tight stomach, a headache, tense shoulders, poor sleep, or irritability. Then the physical discomfort adds another layer of pressure, and the whole situation starts to feel even harder to manage. The best first move is not a financi

This week, while attending a conference in Victoria, British Columbia, I experienced something that reminded me just how deeply the spiritual path can influence our everyday lives. During the networking dinner, I found myself seated at a table with a group of people I had never met before, apart from one person whom I had met the previous year. From the moment I sat down, something felt uncomfortable. Everyone else seemed to know one another through their shared workplace, an

Thanksgiving can feel simple when life is going well. The table is full, familiar voices are nearby, and gratitude comes easily. But when the year has been heavy, the question “What are you thankful for?” can feel painful, even unfair. Still, reflection does not have to begin with a perfect life. It can begin with one honest breath. If you are alive, if you have a moment to pause, if you are able to look back on the year and name even one small thing, that is a place to start

The shift into fall can feel beautiful at first. Cooler air, changing leaves, warm meals, and quieter evenings all have their place. Then the days keep getting shorter. The morning light arrives later. Darkness settles in before dinner. For some people, that seasonal change brings more than a craving for rest. It brings low mood, low energy, and a heavy feeling that does not lift easily. Seasonal Affective Disorder, often called SAD, is a type of depression that follows a sea

My Journey to the Tree of Life During one of my meditations, I found myself thinking about the Garden of Eden. I could see the two trees in my mind, the Tree of Knowledge and the Tree of Life. I sat quietly with the image and began to wonder? Why did humanity choose the Tree of Knowledge? Why did we reach for knowledge instead of life? The more I contemplated it, the more deeply I felt the consequences of that choice. I thought about how much human beings have struggled eve

The Breath That Carries Me On September 18, 2026, I was asked by the licensing authority here in British Columbia to attend a medical assessment for my work as a transit operator. The doctor explained that they needed to explore my medical history because my previous lung-function test had been classified as showing moderate to extreme impairment related to COPD. They wanted to understand how my breathing affected me in everyday life when I became breathless, when I became we

Every autumn,when the mountains begin to whisper of snow, something ancient stirs beneath the waters. The salmon remember. No map guides them. No voice calls their names. No hand points toward home. Yet somehow,through oceans without boundaries, through currents and darkness, through rivers rushing toward the sea, they turn and return. To the river that first carried them into the light. To the stones that cradled their beginning. To the sacred waters that have never forgotte

Beneath the moon, where no false light intrudes, I sit between forest and fathomless blue, the ancient trees behind me, the ocean breathing before me, and the heavens unveiled in their primordial multitude. Stars awaken like sigils in the dark, constellations whispering forgotten names. The lighthouse turns, a periodic flame upon the waters, guiding ships through the veil, and something within my soul through its own night. With every turning light, I feel myself ascending dr

The Morning the Birds Sang I awoke slowly, still held by the feeling of a dream I could not quite leave behind. In the dream, I was close to the Buddha. There was something deeply intimate about his presence. I was not simply seeing a figure from history; I felt as though I were witnessing something within him—something tender, human, and profoundly awakened. I saw him returning to his wife and family. And as I watched, I felt the depth of what that return meant. After leavin

It was sometime in the 1980s, deep beneath the earth, where four coal miners were working together in the darkness of a great mine. They knew the underground well. They knew the sounds of the machinery, the smell of coal, the weight of the earth above them. They were men accustomed to darkness. But on that day, the mountain moved. A tremendous roar travelled through the tunnels. Rock fell. Dust filled the air. When the shaking stopped, the four men discovered that they

An interesting day on Friday, please read my short story The Journey North The Lighthouse of Port McNeill There are journeys we take upon the roads of this world, and there are journeys we take within the soul. Sometimes, the two become one. One morning, a bus driver felt a quiet calling within his heart. It was not a voice he could hear with his ears. It was something gentler a knowing, a whisper carried upon the wind. Go north. So he began his journey toward Port McNeill, t

The Sacred Doorway At the stop they wait in line beneath the morning sky, Each carrying a story that only their hearts know why. Then slowly comes the bus, to gracefully glide you away, and gently comes to stay, A doorway opens like a prayer, inviting souls this way. The driver here with an open heart, not knowing what they bear. The stranger carrying sorrow, the dreamer lost in space. But when the doors swing open, there is welcome for all, For every soul is sacred, and ever

Does the idea of your weekly shopping trip stress you out? Whether it's about losing time on your weekend or the rising costs, I've got some easy tips that have totally changed how I shop and eased a lot of my worries about going to the store. 1 - Make A List and Stick To It - This is absolutely the most crucial tip for saving both time and money while shopping! With a list in hand, you have a winning strategy ready to go when you enter the store. No more wandering up and dow