Before you speak, let your words pass through three gates At the first gate, ask yourself, “Is it true?” At the second gate ask, “Is it necessary?” At the third gate ask, “Is it kind?” ~ Rumi  The Three Gates of Speech The great Sufi poet, Rumi, believed that before we speak our words should pass through three gates. “Is it true?  Is it necessary?  Is it kind?” How many of the things we say each day could pass this litmus test?  Humans speak on average roughly 16,000 words a day.  After employing Rumi’s test, how many do you think […]

As Winter Solstice descends upon us and the end of 2018 nears I am in a divinely contemplative state. The end of one thing and the beginning of another allows us to take stock in our current stage on our journey through life.  Solstice is a beautiful time of year, a time when old chapters close and new glorious chapters arise like a phoenix rising from the ashes of our past experiences. The fertile soil of possibility awaits the planting of the seeds that will sprout the dreams of new tomorrow. For the first time in my life, I have shifted my