Steven Charleston

My site will b e on hiatus until this September. Thank you for your interest, I hope to see you when i return.

Feed the hungry. Can we agree at least to do that much? For all of our other conflicts and struggles, surely we can find a way to manage getting food and medicine to those in need, There reallyis no excuse for doing otherwise.

Share all you can of your vision, for what you see in your heart is no accident, but a glimpse of tomorrow, given by Spirit to enlighten your way, and bring you safely once more to that far and distant shore called home.

Let me give you a reason to smile: the Earth is a miracle of beauty. How can I not see that truth all around me, every day, from the smallest pot of flowers on a city window, to mountains of majesty wearlng shawls of snow. This Earth is a gift beyond measure.

We will not cease praying, or caring, or working for change. We have set our seal on this promise: that nothing will go by uncontested. We will stand watch over justice. We will protect the vulnerable. We will reveal truth where truth needs to be seen.

As old things pass away, new things emerge. Do not become distracted by what you see, but see what is right before you. Integrity is our lodge, where we make our camp and wait for tomorrow. We are many and we are growing. Hope is becoming younger.

I have a rosary, a living rosary, of people who have inspired me throughout my life. Men and women who have been my mentors, my examples of spiritual life. Whenever I need help, I remember each one, like the beads on my rosary, a lifeline of love, a focus of faith.

My ancestors began a dance ten thousand years ago. We are still dancing today. And we will keep on dancing, around the drum of the moon, beneath the stars of heaven, beside a sacred lake that has never known a storm to waken its sleeping waters, forever.

There is a small stream of light flowing through the daily news, a hint of hope tucked away in the background. I noticed it when I was being mindful. I was not looking for someone to blame, but someone to bless, and there it was: a clear sign of Spirit moving around and through us.

To live a life of integrity. To be thought of as being trustworthy. To make an impact on the world. To find peace of mind and heart. To discover why and how. To understand.

We are here for a reason. That is the starting point: the recognition that life is not random. There is a purpose, the shape of which we can clearly see. The human heart leans into love, our source and our destination. Our task is to love until love is who we are.

When my ancestors were asked to sign treaties with the American government, they always knew to pay close attention to anything they were told was not important. When they say look the other way, that is when they are trying to deceive you. I have a feeling not much has changed over all these years.

Give the lonely heart a reason to be hopeful. Give the weary traveler a place to rest. Give the solo singer a chorus. Give the troubled spirit room to breathe. Give old poets a reason to keep writing. Give young ones the same.

We have not forgotten you. How many people in the world would like to hear those words? People who feel forgotten. People who feel abandoned. We see you. We have not forgotten you. We will help in every way we can. How many people long to hear those words?

Let me pour out a small amount of grace into your hand, that whoever you touch will receive an unseen blessing. It is a free gift to us all, direct from the heart of Spirit, a handful of grace is all that is needed, to turn hope to blessing.

I have been thinking about heroes. Real, down to earth, hard working heroes. There are so many. Risking their own welfare to help others. Standing their post to keep things stable. There are all kinds of heroism needed these days and, thanks be to Spirit, we are blessed to have it in abundance.

The elders taught me to speak the truth, care for the poor, and respect Mother Earth. I have been trying to live up to those values for a long time now. I have seen what happens when we don't practice honesty and humility. I will stay with the elders.

Listen for the sound of distant prayers. It means other souls are flying their hope like kites, sending up appeals to the heart of heaven, looking for an answer in the subtle love of an innocent longing. Listen, for the prayers may be your own.

Look over your shoulder. See how far we have come. Spirit has brought us to a quiet spot looking out to a sky that goes on forever. Rest here as long as you want. The tea is good and the cookies are free.

Day after day, month after month, year after year, small messages of light and hope keep appearing, helping us find our way, giving us hope and encouragement, binding us together, releasing love into the world. The quiet presence of Spirit: at the heart of each day.

Just when you least expect it, that is when Spirit will surprise you with good news. Just when you need it most, that is when Spirit will provide. Just when you thought you did not have a chance, that is when Spirit appears with a fresh idea. With Spirit, you never have to say never.

I have a simple message: keep going. Don’t stop and don’t give up. Don’t despair and don’t fear. Just keep going. Toward peace. Toward hope. Toward love. One step at a time. Among so many friends. Keep going.

If you haven't heard it in a while, please let me say thank you for all that you are doing to help in these hard times. Every little bit helps, and you do much more than you realize. So thank you for giving us hope for better days. Your example means a great deal.

You know in your heart what is right. No society can long endure when it is willing to steal the health of its elders to make others rich. Do not lament, but strive harder still to change our direction. You know in your heart what is right.

Restorative not reactive. I have been thinking about how I respond to things these days. Am I helping to restore the world around me, or am I caught up in a cycle of reactions? Some people may want me on a hamster wheel. I have thought of that too. I want to be restorative not just reactive.

Love will find a way. Whenever I face a really hard situation, I remember these simple words. They give me strength because they are true. Whatever we face, love will help us navigate it. I can testify to the truth of what I say, and I know I am not the only one.

When I was in school you needed a hall pass to be out of the classroom. It gave you permission to be out and about with no problems from the dreaded hall monitors. So here is my surprise: free hall passes for anyone who feels a need to get up and move.

Come sit quietly, intentionally, mindfully, as the storm of the day passes over us, come sit beside me, here on a cushion, floating over a sea of time, come sit in peace, in hope, in gratitude, until the day returns, and finds us sitting quietly.

An old world is passing away, a new world is emerging. We are midwives to this change. We can do anything but stop it. Now is the time to uphold our values. Now is the time to unite around them. Now is the time to steer change in a positive direction.

Did you ever find money in a pocket you had forgotten? The surprise. The delight. It brought a smile. Your mission is to give that kind of happy feeling to someone else. A surprise call, a little gift, a word of affirmation. The goal: happiness. The tactics: surprise and delight.