I’m leaving in the morning for four days in the lovely Minnesota town of Grand Marais. Before I go, I wanted to leave you with a few a great websites you might be interested in. I’ve given website recommendations in the past on this blog, but they’ve always been for writing sites.This time, I’m suggesting four of my favorite websites on spirituality.
True Tao www.truetao.org If you are unfamiliar with the ancient tradition of Taoism (pronounced “daoism”) from China, you will find a wealth of information on the True Tao website. For those who already have the basics, there are in-depth articles and an annotated copy of the Tao te Ching—the great philosophical treatise of Taoism. But the best part of this website is the Journey of a Thousand Miles blog by Derek Lin, an expert on all things Tao. Lin’s blog doesn’t preach (which would go against the grain of Taoism anyway), but rather applies Taoist ideas to everyday life in a practical, thoughtful way. My only complaint: He just doesn’t post enough.
Beliefnet. www.beliefnet.com With the mission “to help people like you find, and walk, a spiritual path that will bring comfort, hope, clarity, strength, and happiness,” this site offers education, inspiration, and news on all major religions. It includes a large number of blogs on everything from mindful living to Christian faith to astrology, as well as connections to a wide variety of groups and other websites. The downside: They advertise. But at least the advertisements are unobtrusive.
Spirituality and Practice. www.spiritualityandpractice.com This multifaith website offers everything from movie reviews from a spiritual perspective to discussions of spiritual practices such as wonder, hospitality, and gratitude.The Living Spiritual Teachers Project, my favorite part of this site, offers profiles and bibliographies of spiritual writers and thinkers—it is a must-see, in my opinion.
World Pantheism. www.pantheism.net If you don’t feel at home in most traditions—and especially if notions of the supernatural don’t work for you—but still have a sense of awe and wonder that yearns for expression, pantheism may be for you. Even if you follow a religious path, you may gain fresh insights and inspiration from the World Pantheist website.The website explains pantheism better than I could, so if you’re not familiar with it, check them out. But I have one caveat: they’re preachy and not particularly respectful of other belief systems. Get past that, and you will some gems.
If you have a chance, take a look at these interesting websites. Meanwhile, I’ll be enjoying the stunning North Shore of Lake Superior. See you next week.