Two talismans
Two mental talismans protect my life. These are two questions that keep me from making the wrong choices. Two questions that offer a way out of existential dilemmas and spiritual impasses. For…
Original sin
The concept of ‘original sin’ in many ways isn’t a much discussed topic anymore – at least in the part of the Christian world where I come from. It has become a…
The Om sign
Om is a basic symbol of Hinduism. Often it is also called ‘Aum’. But the precise transcription does not matter for the important part is the sound: a long stretched vowel that…
Silence of the soul
One weekend I shared a couple of silence and fasting days with some friends when a funny little Zen story kept popping up in my mind: There once were four monks that…
In the face of history
One day I found myself in Gaziantep, a city that got wrapped in many layers of history. Hittites, Romas, Selçuks, Ottomans, French and Turks imprinted their marks on this place in the…
How to recognise false gurus?
“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits.” (Mt. 7, 15-16) I can often be pretty…
Levels of consciousness
Sooner or later every spiritual seeker encounters some theory which explains the different levels of consciousness. The spiritual evolution of man, so these theories uphold, builds up in different phases towards a…
The Yin & Yang of Good & Evil
The concept of Yin & Yang is as beautiful as it is straightforward. The symbol is known all across the globe and the depth of its meaning has inspired many truth-seekers. Yet…
The denial of altruism
In our individualistic society a widespread pernicious conviction holds that eventually everybody does everything out of egoism. Even when helping someone else, you only do so because it makes you happy or…