Ecstasy.

No, I'm not talking about the drug. I'm talking about the physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual experience of an all-consuming bliss that is both immanent and transcendent in nature. I've been feeling this again lately, so I thought I'd share what I feel.

For over two hundred years, the President of the United States has taken the time once per year to deliver an address to Congress about the state of the nation. Sometimes, this was simply a written message that was read to Congress by a messenger. Other times, it has been a speech delivered personally by the President himself. Ever since the term of Franklin D. Roosevelt, this address has become widely known as the "State of the Union" address.

So... this entry is half book review and half call to action. The book is "Standing Up To the Madness: Ordinary Heroes in Extraordinary Times" by Amy Goodman and David Goodman. And the action... well, that's for you to decide. But you'd better make it good if you want to end up in Amy's next book!

Now that another year of my life has come and gone, I find myself thinking deep thoughts about life, death, the meaning of it all, and the direction that I"m headed in. The lessons that I've learned lately and the thoughts that I'm having lately will lead to some definite changes in the way that I approach social and ecological projects. I'll have more news on that soon, once I've sorted out more of the details. In the meantime, I have a bit to say on the importance of health and wellness in any quest for personal empowerment and/or social transformation.

I am pleased to wish you a happy Spring Equinox! At 12:48 AM CDT, the sun crossed directly over the equator. From this point forward, our days will be longer than our nights, and the flowers and buds of Spring will be flowering and budding all around us. This is a time for new life, new hope, deep healing, and reawakening passions and pleasures. HOORAY FOR SPRING!

On a sadder note, I am dramatically less pleased to announce that today is also the 5th anniversary of the start of the Iraq War. About 4,000 U.S. troops -- our family, friends, and neighbors -- have died in this war, and many thousands more have been wounded, permanently disabled, or otherwise harmed. I would cite how many Iraqis have been killed or wounded, but as the illustrious General Tommy Franks said, "We don't do body counts." The number of Iraqis killed and wounded, though, is many times higher than our own losses.

So take a moment, if you will, to bear witness to the horrors of war that have been unleashed and sustained by certain heartless men in Washington DC and their accomplices across the nation. Take a moment to mourn for the fallen, and take a moment to act in some way to ensure that this occupation will end, the killing will stop, and our family, friends, and neighbors will come home.

But once you've taken your moment to bear witness, and to mourn, and to act, remember that today is the Spring Equinox -- a day of new life, new hope, deep healing, and reawakening passions and pleasures. Remember to be joyful on this day, because after all that the war mongers have already done, we must not let them take the joyful celebration of Spring away from us. This is not their day; this is our day, and this is the Earth's day. Go outside, enjoy the warmth and the sunshine, and celebrate the fact that even with all of the troubles in the world, the land is still teeming with the exuberance and excitement of Spring.

Seize the Day! Spend time with the ones you love, explore the great outdoors, and enjoy all that life has to offer! This is our moment in the sun, and we should enjoy it while it lasts...

Spring is upon us! The days are longer; the snow is melting; the sun is shining; the temperature's rising; and it looks like the worst of the winter weather has finally broken. As the sun and the warmth return to the land, I find my energy returning. My heart is filled with a new sense of hope, and my goals and visions and plans are returning to the forefront of my attention with a renewed sense of urgency.

I've been noticing once again that the themes of my spiritual life really do tend to fall into synch with the themes of the seasonal holidays. These past few months of harsh, cold winter have been like a trip into the underworld -- and the coming of Imbolc has been like the return of my inner sun, rising to meet the springtime sun on the horizon.

It looks like I'll be missing part or all of my shift at the Co-op today due to the challenging travel conditions. So, rather than catching up on any of my numerous other tasks in life, I thought I'd write a new blog entry about the weather, my life, and anything else that comes to mind.

The "beatific vision" is a religious term for the eternal and direct perception of God that is said to be enjoyed by those in Heaven. For me, though, the Divine -- or "God," if you prefer -- is not a bearded old man who rules from on high in some distant Heaven. The Divine is all around us, and within us, right here on Earth. Therefore, the beatific vision is not some distant mystical state that we will only experience once we've shed this mortal coil. It's the birthright of every living being -- and it can only be found through the power of universal love.

Samhain is always a big time of year for me. This year has been no exception. Now that the old year has passed away and the new one is waiting to be born, I thought I'd share some of my latest reflections on the state of my life and the state of the world.