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In this section of our Faith Library, you'll find a hand-picked collection of some of the best spiritual writings of modern times. Our editors have assembled a broad range of powerful work — from personal essays by well-known spiritual leaders to special stories and fables for teens and families. We invite you to settle in and read from our Articles of Faith for information, insight and inspiration. Take a look down the page and you'll find Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Jewish, Muslim, Ancient, and Modern essays and articles.
>> Go to Articles of Faith Home
The Waterfall by Shunryu Suzuki 
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A great Zen teacher talks about what it really means to be in harmony with nature.
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>> Go to Article
The Cabbage Sutra by Sharon Salzberg
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The central teaching of the Buddha is emptiness or no-self. This means that if you take away all characteristics of a thing, you are left with nothing. As abstract as this may sound, Buddhists regard it as a key to enlightenment. In this piece, Sharon Salzberg describes her experience of this fundamental Buddhist truth.
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Wasting Energy by Tarthang Tulku
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A Tibetan lama offers simple ideas for increasing your effectiveness in daily life.
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The Precepts for Young People by Sandy Eastoak
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The Ten Precepts are the fundmental moral teachings of Buddhism. Here’s an interpretation that makes sense for our needs today.
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The Life of the Buddha by Cherry Gilchrist
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How the Buddha left a life of comfort and privilege and went on a relentless search for illumination.
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>> Go to Article
Spiritual Being Seeks Practice by Richard Smoley
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As we learn more about the practices of the world’s great spiritual traditions, the question becomes, how can we each discover what’s right for us?
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>> Go to Article
The Rituals and Festivals of the Buddhist Life by Robert C. Lester
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The various festivals commemorating the Buddha’s life and enlightenment as celebrated in various Buddhist countries.
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>> Go to Article
The View from the Factory by Susan Gordon Lydon
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Can knitting help lead to enlightenment?
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Buddhism by Huston Smith
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When the Buddha preached, people asked if he was a god, an angel, or a saint. He said he was none of these. Instead, he simply told them, "I am awake."
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>> Go to Article
Tylenol Prayer Beads by Jarvis Jay Masters
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The central concept in Buddhism that all suffering is due to desire and attachment is particularly striking given the circumstances of Jarvis Jay Masters. Born in 1962 and now an inmate on Death Row in San Quentin Prison, Masters received his Buddhist initiation from a Tibetan lama on the other side of a glass partition, over a telephone. In these selections from his book, Finding Freedom: Writings from Death Row, Masters, alone in his cell, contemplates the karma of his own past actions and, in the midst of the daily violence of prison life, dedicates himself to the Buddhist precepts of purifying body, mind, and speech.
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>> Go to Article
Eastern Lingo for Westerners by Richard Smoley
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Do you know what karma is? Or nirvana? If you’ve been hearing these words and want to know what they mean, here’s a brief glossary.
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>> Go to Article
BUDDHIST BASICS: The ABC's of Buddhism
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Tricycle’s editors explain what Buddhist teachings are all about in Buddhism Basics: The ABC’s of Buddhism
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>> Go to Article
Meditation FAQ
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Meditation has become a standard part of the spiritual path for many seekers today. What is meditation? What is it supposed to do? How do you learn it? This FAQ from a British spiritual school called Saros gives some pointers.
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>> Go to Article
What About Technique? by the Monks of New Skete
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Many spiritual seekers wonder what methods of prayer or meditation they should use. Does it matter? Does the right technique guarantee experience of God? The monks of New Skete, an Eastern Orthodox religious community in Cambridge, New York, talk about this question.
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Stop the Dating Game by Vernard Eller
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A Christian scholar argues against the relentless efforts by some earnest souls to try to predict the date of the Second Coming.
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>> Go to Article
The Drama of Transformation:
From Baptism to Eucharist by Sandra Sizer Frankiel
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A discussion of the two most basic and universal rites of the Christian tradition: baptism and the Eucharist.
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>> Go to Article
A Mormon Sunday by Richard N. Ostling and Joan K. Ostling
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How does a typical Mormon congregation worship every week? A firsthand account from a new book, Mormon America.
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>> Go to Article
The Holy Ground of Kalighat by Anita Mathias
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Have you ever wondered what it would be like to go to Calcutta and work with Mother Teresa? This memoir will give you an idea.
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>> Go to Article
Who Is Praying? by C.S. Lewis
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Which I is it that addresses God in prayer? And how can we make contact with it?
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>> Go to Article
Eschatology by Kathleen Norris
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Eschatology means "the study of the last things." It can help us appreciate the present as well.
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Living the Mythic Life by Jean Houston, Ph.D.
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Throughout history people have used myths to express deep truths about the human mind and soul. Here Jean Houston, a popular author and leader of the human potential movement, suggests that today we are ourselves living the mythic life.
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>> Go to Article
Letting God Be the Matchmaker: by Eileen Flanagan
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Should you marry? Maybe you need to ask the divine voice within.
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>> Go to Article
The Dread of the Good by Ann Ulanov
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Why we can't accept the good within us without also acknowledging the evil.
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>> Go to Article
Haimavati by Lizelle Reymond
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From To Live Within, in which the author describes her studies with the Hindu spiritual teacher Shri Anirvan. Here she talks about helping set up his ashram or spiritual school in the Himalayas.
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>> Go to Article
What People Want by Huston Smith
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If we were to take Hinduism as a whole — its vast literature, its complicated rituals, its sprawling folkways, its opulent art — and compress it into a single affirmation, we would find it saying: You can have what you want.
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>> Go to Article
The Kingdom Within by Swami Muktananda
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All philosophies and scriptures say the same thing: "God dwells in this human body."
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>> Go to Article
The Need for Knowledge by Richard Smoley
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What is lacking in daily life? What can supply this missing element? A glimpse into what hidden forms of knowledge may mean and how they may help.
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>> Go to Article
The Travels of Twain
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Twain's tales of his encounter with India and Hinduism are typical of the famous essayist—witty, sagacious, exaggerated and cynical. Yet few people know he ever went to Dharma's homeland or wrote so extensively about what he saw there.
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>> Go to Article
The Essence of Torah by Adin Steinsaltz
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For a devout Jew, the Torah is much more than just a code of law. It underlies the pattern of the universe.
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>> Go to Article
Body Of Love by Nessa Rapoport
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If the opposite of depression is not happiness but vitality, a journey to Israel is my prescription for anyone who seeks to “renew our days.”
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>> Go to Article
What is Prayer? by Helene Ciaravino
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There are countless phrases that might define “prayer”-the term means so many things to so many different people. In this excerpt from “How to Pray”, Helene Ciaravino takes a fascinating broad look at prayer, as a path to transformation, as introspection, as a conversation with the divine, as a source of protection and as a dynamic force.
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>> Go to Article
Mark Twain's comments on Jewish People
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This article was written in 1899, when anti-Semitism was
widespread in the US. Large companies did not hire Jewish people.
Universities either did not admit Jews or limited their numbers with strict
quotas. 'Respectable' people like Ford and Edison expressed their
anti-Jewish feelings openly. Mark Twain had an answer for them.
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>> Go to Article
Taming Your Gremlin: A Guide to Enjoying Yourself by Richard D. Carson
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Why is it so difficult to be at peace with yourself sometimes? Writer Richard D. Carson suggests that it may all be the fault of your gremlin.
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>> Go to Article
Something from Nothing by Bernie S. Siegel, M.D.
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Sometimes the best present you can give is nothing.
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>> Go to Article
Leaving the Bed Unmade by Maxine Silverman
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An unusual approach to honoring the Sabbath.
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>> Go to Article
Polanski Hits a Sour Note in ‘Pianist’ by Tom Teicholz
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Author and critic Tom Teicholz thinks: 'The Pianist' is not so much Szpilman’s story as it is Polanski’s apologia for his life. Polanski has said that he could never film the story of his own survival — that would be too much to bear. But to the extent 'The Pianist' is about Polanski, I find the movie to be meretricious in the extreme. Basically, Polanski’s 'Pianist' makes the case that we should cut artists a break. Throughout the movie, Szpilman is granted special consideration…
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>> Go to Article
Concerning Wisdom by Solomon ben Judah ibn Gabirol
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Ibn Gabirol, one of the greatest Jewish philosophers of all time, lived almost a thousand years ago. Here are some of his classic reflections on wisdom.
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>> Go to Article
Beauty and Hospitality by Anita Diamant with Howard Cooper
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These two vanishing forms of grace lie at the heart of a true Jewish home.
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>> Go to Article
We Are Co-Creators with the Divine by the Editors at Skylight Paths
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How can we transform the world through spiritual practice?
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>> Go to Article
Judaism by Huston Smith
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It’s been estimated that one-third of our Western civilization bears the marks of its Jewish ancestry. What does Judaism teach?
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>> Go to Article
The Life Cycle of Holiness by Michael Fishbane
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Birth, coming of age, and marriage as seen in the light of Jewish rituals and customs.
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>> Go to Article
Sacred Texts by Jane Hope
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Holy writings are not just means of conveying ideas. They are used to open up the mind and heart to the spirit.
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>> Go to Article
Life: The Unexpurgated Edition by Rabbi Susan Schnur
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Debbie Perlman has a profession that hasn’t been practiced for three millennia. She’s a psalmist.
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>> Go to Article
The Mystery of God's Presence by Nessa Rapoport
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A meditation on the solitude of suffering and the aristocracy of divine love.
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>> Go to Article
A Woman’s Thoughts on Grieving by Nessa Rapoport
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After attending five funerals in 18 months, author Nessa Rapoport wrote the book she could not find. Here are her passionate meditations on suffering, consolation, and the paradox of God.
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>> Go to Article
Finding Answers in Kabbalah by Helene Ciaravino
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At various times throughout our lives—and more often for some people than others—we find ourselves exploring the “big questions.” Why do I exist? Where did I come from? Where am I going? Why do beings suffer? Can I attain total peace and fulfillment in this world? These and other related explorations are addressed in Kabbalah study.
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>> Go to Article
The Mystery of God's Presence by Nessa Rapoport
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A meditation on the solitude of suffering and the aristocracy of divine love.
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>> Go to Article
Rahima’s Dream by Lex Hixon Nur al-Jerrahi
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Here a teacher of the Sufis, the mystics of Islam, describes the levels of human consciousness as portrayed in the dream of a young girl.
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>> Go to Article
Tales of Rabi’a
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Rabi’a lived in the eighth century A.D. To this day she is one of the most beloved saints of Islam. Here are a few miraculous stories told about her, in versions by Charles Upton.
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>> Go to Article
The Core of Masculinity by Rumi
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The great Muslim poet talks about manhood, softness, and strength.
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>> Go to Article
The Question of Hijab by Mary C. Ali
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"Why do Muslim women have to cover their heads?" This question is one which is asked by Muslim and non-Muslim alike.
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>> Go to Article
How Can You Tell a True Prophet? By Ibn Khaldun
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The great medieval philosopher describes the signs of true revelation.
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>> Go to Article
How God Gave Life To Us by Muhyiddin Ibn 'Arabi
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The great Muslim philospher, Muhyiddin Ibn 'Arabi, describes how and why God placed us here on earth.
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>> Go to Article
Why I Boycotted the Senior Prom by Dawud Wharnsby Ali
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Limos, tuxes, and booze. Is this what maturity is all about?
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>> Go to Article
The Coming of the Archangel Gabriel by Leila Azzam and Aisha Gouverneur
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The central tenet of Islam is "There is no God but Allah and Muhammad is His Prophet." The Prophet Muhammad lived in Arabia from c.570 to 632 C.E. He is the revealer of the Holy Qur'an (or Koran), the sacred scripture of Islam, which, it is said, was transmitted to him by the Archangel Gabriel. Here is an account of the Prophet's first encounter with the Archangel.
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>> Go to Article
Faith by Jane Hope
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Faith is not just blind belief in a doctrine. It’s a deep trust in a higher reality.
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>> Go to Article
Sacred Texts by Jane Hope
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Holy writings are not just means of conveying ideas. They are used to open up the mind and heart to the spirit.
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>> Go to Article
Islam by Huston Smith
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Of all the non-Western religions, Islam stands closest to the West. So why is it that Westerners understand it so poorly?
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>> Go to Article
The Realization of the Goal of Islam
In Faithful and Observant Communal Life by Frederick M. Denny
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An account of the recitation of faith, worship, charity, fasting, and the pilgrimage to Mecca— the main spiritual practices of Islam.
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>> Go to Article
The Act of Prayer by Jane Hope
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In most spiritual traditions, prayer is believed to be most powerful when it combines physical action and speech.
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>> Go to Article
Hua Hu Ching by Lao Tsu
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Lao Tsu, the great sage of ancient China, lived in the sixth century B.C. He is considered to be the founder of Taoism. His most famous work, the Tao Te Ching, is a perennial favorite. Here are some selections from another work of his, called the Hua Hu Ching (pronounced "wha hoo jing").
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>> Go to Article
The Vision Quest by Lame Deer
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It takes courage to find your own vision. But, as a Sioux legend explains, it also takes humility.
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>> Go to Article
Exploring the Four Faces of the Divine Feminine
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Women are living longer than ever today...read Interfaith Minister Deborah Roth's observations on the new feminine lifecycle.
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>> Go to Article
What is Prayer? by Helene Ciaravino
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There are countless phrases that might define “prayer”-the term means so many things to so many different people. In this excerpt from “How to Pray”, Helene Ciaravino takes a fascinating broad look at prayer, as a path to transformation, as introspection, as a conversation with the divine, as a source of protection and as a dynamic force.
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>> Go to Article
Faithful Skepticism by Jay Kinney
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What are the basic requirements for spiritual progress? One of them may be an ability to keep an open mind about metaphysical claims.
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>> Go to Article
Spiritual Being Seeks Practice by Richard Smoley
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As we learn more about the practices of the world’s great spiritual traditions, the question becomes, how can we each discover what’s right for us?
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>> Go to Article
Taoism by Huston Smith
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Lao Tsu (a name meaning "the Old Boy" in Chinese) made little effort to leave an impact on his time. Yet he is venerated as the founder of a great world religion.
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>> Go to Article
The Purpose of Ritual by Richard Smoley
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No matter what form it takes throughout the world, ritual is intended to help connect the visible and invisible realms.
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>> Go to Article
Divination by Jane Hope
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A glimpse into the manifold techniques people have used to foretell the future.
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>> Go to Article
Chakras and Meridians by Jane Hope
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An investigation of the subtle body that is said to underlie our physical form.
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>> Go to Article
The Act of Prayer by Jane Hope
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In most spiritual traditions, prayer is believed to be most powerful when it combines physical action and speech.
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>> Go to Article
Sickness and Healing by Jane Hope
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Health is far more than the absence of disease. In its fullest sense it means "wholeness."
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>> Go to Article
Confronting Death by Jane Hope
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Although in modern times we avoid remembering death, facing it is an essential part of the spiritual path.
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>> Go to Article
Faith by Jane Hope
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Faith is not just blind belief in a doctrine. It’s a deep trust in a higher reality.
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>> Go to Article
Prayer by Jane Hope
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Prayer is universal. Ultimately it’s a way of communing with the divine.
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>> Go to Article
Sacred Texts by Jane Hope
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Holy writings are not just means of conveying ideas. They are used to open up the mind and heart to the spirit.
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>> Go to Article
The Path of Ritual by Jane Hope
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Ritual is a way of connecting heaven and earth, of bringing divine power down to the physical level.
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>> Go to Article
The Great Mother by Jane Hope
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The divine has often been seen as the mother of us all—and she is often associated with the earth.
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>> Go to Article
Goddesses by Jane Hope
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Throughout history, the spirit has often been endowed with female attributes.
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>> Go to Article
Belief Systems of the World by Richard Smoley
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A quick guide to a number of spiritual traditions, ancient and modern.
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>> Go to Article
Test Your Spiritual Involvement
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Do you tend you express your spirituality privately or in a social context? This brief quiz will help you find out.
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>> Go to Article
Shamanic Healing Practices of the Ulchi by Roberta Louis
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Shaman’s Drum writer Roberta Louis explores the work of a Siberian shaman.
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>> Go to Article
The Farewell by Malidoma Patrice Some
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An African teacher recalls saying good-bye to his grandfather — and receiving a spiritual initiation.
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>> Go to Article
Ritual, Ceremony and Us by Malidoma Patrice Somé
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In an African traditional culture, ritual observance is as important as gathering food or taking care of the material necessities of life.
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>> Go to Article
Meditation FAQ
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Meditation has become a standard part of the spiritual path for many seekers today. What is meditation? What is it supposed to do? How do you learn it? This FAQ from a British spiritual school called Saros gives some pointers.
|
>> Go to Article
Eastern Lingo for Westerners by Richard Smoley
|
Do you know what karma is? Or nirvana? If you’ve been hearing these words and want to know what they mean, here’s a brief glossary.
|
>> Go to Article
All-Encompassing Love by Roger Walsh, M.D., Ph.D.
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You’ve heard the injunction "Love your neighbor as yourself." But how do you go about it? Transpersonal psychologist Roger Walsh offers a simple exercise to help.
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>> Go to Article
The Subliminal Altar by Denise Linn
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Why you may have an altar at home without knowing it.
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>> Go to Article
Exploring the Four Faces of the Divine Feminine
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Women are living longer than ever today...read Interfaith Minister Deborah Roth's observations on the new feminine lifecycle.
|
>> Go to Article
What is Prayer? by Helene Ciaravino
|
There are countless phrases that might define “prayer”-the term means so many things to so many different people. In this excerpt from “How to Pray”, Helene Ciaravino takes a fascinating broad look at prayer, as a path to transformation, as introspection, as a conversation with the divine, as a source of protection and as a dynamic force.
|
>> Go to Article
Do One Thing at a Time by Roger Walsh, M.D., Ph.D.
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What’s the best remedy when you feel pulled in all directions at once? Focus your concentration just on what you’re doing.
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>> Go to Article
The Spirit of the Universe by Patricia Lynn Reilly
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How can a young woman reconnect with the divine? Perhaps by recognizing it in nature — and in herself.
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>> Go to Article
What to Tell Children About God by Alan Watts
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A beloved teacher describes how he answers those hard questions a child may ask.
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>> Go to Article
The Need for Knowledge by Richard Smoley
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What is lacking in daily life? What can supply this missing element? A glimpse into what hidden forms of knowledge may mean and how they may help.
|
>> Go to Article
Spiritual Being Seeks Practice by Richard Smoley
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As we learn more about the practices of the world’s great spiritual traditions, the question becomes, how can we each discover what’s right for us?
|
>> Go to Article
From Here to Eternity by Cynthia Bourgeault
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One woman’s account of how love is stronger than death.
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>> Go to Article
The Millennium Is a Mirage by Jay Kinney
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Why it's crucial to avoid projecting out hopes and fears onto the future.
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>> Go to Article
A Time for Silence: On Not Speaking about G—— by Sam Keen
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When words only get us deeper into trouble, maybe silence is the only rescue.
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>> Go to Article
Meditation FAQ
|
Meditation has become a standard part of the spiritual path for many seekers today. What is meditation? What is it supposed to do? How do you learn it? This FAQ from a British spiritual school called Saros gives some pointers.
|
>> Go to Article
The Meaning of Modern Paths by Richard Smoley
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What are the many new religious movements today trying to tell us? Is it worth listening?
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>> Go to Article
The Purpose of Ritual by Richard Smoley
|
No matter what form it takes throughout the world, ritual is intended to help connect the visible and invisible realms.
|
>> Go to Article
Divination by Jane Hope
|
A glimpse into the manifold techniques people have used to foretell the future.
|
>> Go to Article
Chakras and Meridians by Jane Hope
|
An investigation of the subtle body that is said to underlie our physical form.
|
>> Go to Article
The Act of Prayer by Jane Hope
|
In most spiritual traditions, prayer is believed to be most powerful when it combines physical action and speech.
|
>> Go to Article
Sickness and Healing by Jane Hope
|
Health is far more than the absence of disease. In its fullest sense it means "wholeness."
|
>> Go to Article
Confronting Death by Jane Hope
|
Although in modern times we avoid remembering death, facing it is an essential part of the spiritual path.
|
>> Go to Article
Faith by Jane Hope
|
Faith is not just blind belief in a doctrine. It’s a deep trust in a higher reality.
|
>> Go to Article
Prayer by Jane Hope
|
Prayer is universal. Ultimately it’s a way of communing with the divine.
|
>> Go to Article
Sacred Texts by Jane Hope
|
Holy writings are not just means of conveying ideas. They are used to open up the mind and heart to the spirit.
|
>> Go to Article
The Path of Ritual by Jane Hope
|
Ritual is a way of connecting heaven and earth, of bringing divine power down to the physical level.
|
>> Go to Article
The Great Mother by Jane Hope
|
The divine has often been seen as the mother of us all—and she is often associated with the earth.
|
>> Go to Article
Goddesses by Jane Hope
|
Throughout history, the spirit has often been endowed with female attributes.
|
>> Go to Article
Belief Systems of the World by Richard Smoley
|
A quick guide to a number of spiritual traditions, ancient and modern.
|
>> Go to Article
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