The Wild Reed

Friday, November 06, 2026

Photo of the Day

Thursday, November 05, 2026

Marianne Williamson on What A Course in Miracles Teaches

In continuing with The Wild Reed’s series commemorating the 50th anniversary of the publication of A Course in Miracles, I share this evening an interview with Marianne Williamson, one of the most well-known teachers of The Course. Her 1992 book, A Return to Love: Reflections on the Principles of A Course in Miracles, remains one of the most popular and beloved writings on The Course.

Marianne is interviewed by Ryan Weiss of the Waking Up with Ryan podcast, and following is how the podcast introduces this interview.

Ryan sits down with spiritual teacher and bestselling author Marianne Williamson for a wide-ranging conversation about A Course in Miracles, the teachings that changed both of their lives, and what decades of spiritual practice actually look like when life gets hard.

Marianne takes Ryan back to the 1970s and the strange series of events that first brought A Course in Miracles into her life, before unpacking its central ideas about fear, love, forgiveness, and the power of the mind. She opens up about emerging from her most recent presidential campaign and spending a year reckoning with what had happened – forgiving others, confronting her own mistakes, and eventually arriving at a much more radical idea of personal responsibility.

They explore why Marianne believes psychic pain should be listened to rather than simply suppressed, why forgiveness isn’t about excusing what someone did, and how carrying old grievances into the present can cause us to miss the very opportunities life is putting in front of us. Marianne shares one painful example from her own past – a lunch she entered carrying a grievance, only to discover afterward that the woman across the table had actually come to her seeking help for her husband.

Along the way, Ryan and Marianne talk about spiritual teachers and ego, fear as the absence of love, the difference between surviving and truly moving beyond what happened to you, and the daily work of choosing differently when life gives you another chance. This is a conversation about what it means to move spiritual wisdom out of the realm of ideas and actually live it.

Wednesday, November 04, 2026

In Minnesota, Greens Secure “Minor Party” Status

Last night I joined with candidates, supporters and friends of the Green Party of Minnesota at Pryes Brewing Company to watch the midterm election results come in. I have to say it was very satisfying to see Trump and his fascist agenda get so thoroughly repudiated by voters all across the country.

Above (from left): Seth Kuhl-Stennes, Green Party candidate for Secretary of State; Ngone Niang, Green Party candidate for State Senate, District 39; Cam Gordon, co-founder of the Green Party of Minnesota; and Jane Kirby, Green Party candidate for Lieutenant Governor.

Right: Green Party candidates for Governor and Lieutenant Governor, Steve Young and Jane Kirby.

For a June 2026 interview with Steve and Jane, click here.

The Green Party of Minnesota is a people-powerd party dedicated to building a more affordable, sustainable, and democratic North Star state. We had six candidates on the ballot in yesterday’s midterm elections. Along with the candidates mentioned above, there were two others: Bruce Johnson for Dakota County Soil and Water Conservation District 4; and Rachel Braaten for Three Rivers Park Board, District 3.

I voted yesterday morning before work. Given where I live in south Minneapolis, I could only vote for three of the six Minnesota Green Party candidates – Steve and Jane for Governor and Lieutenant Governor, and Seth for Secretary of State. I voted for all three.

Greens ran 300 candidates in 27 states in yesterday’s midterms. Thirty of these candidates won their races, including Pāʻele Kiakona, who flipped a state legislative seat in Hawaiʻi. You may remember that I spotlighted Pāʻele here at The Wild Reed last week.

Although all our Minnesota candidates campaigned strongly over the last six months, none of them won their races yesterday. As disappointing as this was, we did receive enough votes to gain minor party status under Minnesota law (more about this below). In addition, we were definitely heartened by the thorough troussing received by Republicans across the country, resulting in their loss of control in both the House and the Senate in the U.S. Congress.

Following is a statement shared on social media earlier today by Jane Kirby, Green Party candidate for Lieutenant Governor.

We got over 50,000 votes.

Our message of human and animal liberation, ending war and genocide, protecting our sacred Water and habitats and prosecuting the criminal federal thugs terrorizing our communities resonated with Minnesotans in every county in the state. We received 1.82 percent of the votes, with almost no money at all. We didn’t buy your support. We showed you a reasonable, sustainable and just plan of action. The Green Party has always been for universal healthcare, education and housing. It is the least we can do for each other.

Electing someone who wasted millions of dollars to attack their opponent and shine up their morally repugnant record of status quo racism, war mongering, and doing the bidding of the corrupt pedophiles is not the lesser of two evils. It’s just evil.

Peace be with you all, and may we continue to take care of each other, loving our dear neighbors without distinction.

Jane notes that the Green Party received 1.82 percent of the votes in yesterday’s midterm elections. This means that, as at other times in our history, we now qualify as a minor political party in Minnesota (a status that will be officially certified in the next few weeks).

A minor party qualifies for campaign subsidies under the state income tax checkoff and can issue political contribution refund receipts. A minor party does not have, however, any of the other rights and privileges of major parties.

According to state election laws, in order for a political party to receive minor party status, at least one candidate “must have received votes in each county” and “in total, the candidate must have received votes equaling at least 1% of the total number of individual votes cast in the election.”

Minnesota law also states that: “A party whose candidate meets these requirements becomes a minor party as of January 1 following that election and retains such status for at least two consecutive general elections, even if the party fields a candidate who does not win the requisite votes. If the party fails in each of two consecutive general elections to field a candidate who meets these requirements, however, the party will lose minor party status as of December 31 following the latter of the two elections.”

We intend holding onto our minor party status and building upon it in the years to come.

If you’d like to join us in this endeavor, click here

“Look for My Light in All Your Circumstances”

A spiritual resource that many of my Christian patients find particularly meaningful is Sarah Young’s devotional, Jesus Calling: Enjoying Peace in His Presence. It’s a collection of daily reflections written as if Jesus himself is speaking directly to us. They are words of encouragement, comfort, and reassurance based on Jesus’ own words of hope, guidance, and peace found in Scripture.

Now, I should say that as a pilgrim on the Sufi Way, a student of A Course in Miracles, and someone who defines their spiritual path as grounded in the “mystico/prophetic” tradition, I don’t share every theological understanding espoused by Sarah Young. For instance, I don’t view the Bible as “the only inspired, inerrant, unchanging Word of God.” Rather, I see the Bible as the word of humans about their experience of the sacred in their lives; as one source of wisdom and beauty among many that seek to document and explore such experiences – experiences that, in many cases, continue to unfold. I also don’t share Young’s atonement theology, believing instead that it is Jesus’ life and message that “saves us,” not his death willed by an angry and violent God. That all being said, I still find much meaning and beauty in Young’s writing.

One of her follow-up books to Jesus Calling is Jesus Always: Embracing Joy in His Presence. It’s also a collection of daily reflections based on the words of Scripture. Although I’ve used Jesus Always less frequently with my patients, I’ve discovered in its pages some reflections that greatly resonate with me. Following is one of them. It’s inspired by Habakkuk 3:18 and 1:6-7; Psalm 107:21-22; and Psalm 100:2.

_______________

I have good intentions for you. They may by radically different from what you hoped or expected, but they are nonetheless good. I am Light; in Me there is no darkness at all. So look for My Light in all your circumstances. I am abundantly present in your moments. Your purpose is to be open to Me and My ways with you. Sometimes this requires relinquishing things you had planned or dreamed. You need to remember and wholeheartedly trust that My way is perfect, no matter how hard it is.

I am a shield for all who take refuge in Me. When you’re feeling afflicted or afraid, come to Me and say: “Jesus, I take refuge in You.” I don’t shield you from things I intend for you to deal with, for you have an important part to play in this world. However, I protect you from more dangers and troubles than you can imagine. So make every effort to live the life I have given to you. Do this in joyful dependence on Me, and your soul will be richly satisfied.

Tuesday, November 03, 2026

Something to Think About . . .

Related Off-site Links:
U.S. Voters Head to the Polls with Control of Congress in the Balance – Associated Press (November 3, 2026).
“Deeply Alarming”: Hours Before Midterm Elections, Trump Bombs Iran’s Qeshm Island – Jake Johnson (Common Dreams, November 3, 2026).
“Democracy Itself Is on the Ballot”: Voters Weigh 150+ Ballot Initiatives, from Wealth Tax to Abortion – Democracy Now! (November 3, 2026).
As Americans Head to the Polls, Here Are the Billionaires Trying to Buy the 2026 Midterms – Jake Johnson (Common Dreams, November 3, 2026).
Latino Voters Swing Away from Trump for “Terrorizing Our Communities”: Marisa Franco of Mijente – Democracy Now! (November 3, 2026).
Bernie Sanders Calls for “Fundamental and Immediate Reform” to Democratic Party If It Wins Elections – Julia Conley (Common Dreams, November 3, 2026).
Democratic Socialists on the Rise: Darializa Avila Chevalier and Claire Valdez Set to Win House Seats – Democracy Now! (November 3, 2026).
Renee Good, Alex Pretti, and Your Undocumented Neighbors Won’t Be Voting, But You Can – Will Bunch (The Philadelphia Inquirer via Common Dreams, November 3, 2026).

UPDATES: Abdul El-Sayed Becomes First Muslim Senator as Democrats Rout GOP Across the U.S. in Rebuke to Trump – Democracy Now! (November 4, 2026).
Trump’s Endless Lies, Deceit, Cruelty, and Corruption Comes Crashing Down – Bradley Blankenship (Common Dreams, November 4, 2026).

See also the previous Wild Reed posts:
• “It’s Very Clear That Something Is Brewing”
• A Spirited Exchange on Voting
• “On to the General!”
• Politics 101

Monday, November 02, 2026

Quote of the Day

A lot of people are saying, “when the rubber hits the road, liberals will always choose fascism over democratic socialism.”

While I agree with this in general, it doesn’t apply with Haley Stevens jumping ship to support Mike Rogers. Keep in mind that plenty of neoliberal, warmongering shitheads like Pete Buttigieg, Kamala Harris, Barack Obama, Chuck Schumer, Jim Clyburn, James Carville, etc. still support Abdul El-Sayed. That’s because El-Sayed isn’t a socialist at all (not by his policies or self-description), and isn’t really an anti-Zionist either. The American political scene is just so fucked up that anyone with normal liberal politics in any other country is considered “radical” in the U.S.

I guarantee that if there were an actual threat to capitalist order in the U.S., all the major Democrats – including the “progressive” ones – would link arms with the GOP to protect their property rights. Stevens’ defection is not about maintaining capitalist order – it’s just rank opportunism and careerism.

– Ben Marenlensky
via Facebook
November 2, 2026

Related Off-site Links:
Haley Stevens Endorses Republican Candidate in Michigan Senate Race, Spurning Abdul El-Sayed – Sam Gringlas and Barbara Sprunt (NPR News, November 2, 2026).
El-Sayed’s Primary Opponent Stuns Democrats by Endorsing Republican Opponent in Michigan Senate Race – Joey Cappelletti, Corey Williams, and Mike Householder, (Associated Press via PBS Newshour, November 1, 2026).

UPDATE: Abdul El-Sayed Defeats Mike Rogers Despite Haley Stevens Drama – CK Smith (Salon, November 4, 2026).

See also the previous Wild Reed posts:
• Abdul El-Sayed: The Disruptor Michigan (and the Country) Needs
• Why the American Political Establishment Is Panicking
• Four Political Commentaries Worth Viewing
• Abdul El-Sayed and the “Unforgivable Rehabilitation” of Kamala Harris

Sunday, November 01, 2026

Photo of the Day

See also the previous Wild Reed posts:
• Kyrie and Penny
• An Inquisitive Little Visitor
• Sleepy Eddie and Wide-Awake Ziggy
• Photo of the Day – October 27, 2012
• Photo of the Day – April 4, 2012
• Photo of the Day – July 15, 2010

Image: Michael J. Bayly.

Saturday, October 31, 2026

“It’s Very Clear That Something Is Brewing”

I think most of us here in the U.S. sense that in the political sphere, something indeed is brewing. I appreciate how Marianne Williamson writes about this without fear-mongering or going into panic mode.

Following (with added links) is an excerpt from her latest Substack post.

Our democracy, and at this point the security of our country, is threatened by a cabal of people deeply unworthy of the power they now hold in this country. This isn’t a moment to further analyze how we got here, however; it’s a moment to analyze where things have to go from here. Democrats gaining back the House and Senate will be a powerful win, if it occurs, but it in no way means that all our problems will be over. First of all, should that occur we have no idea what President Trump’s response would be. Many speculate he would become apoplectic, doing anything from suing State election officials to seizing ballot boxes and voting machines to even declaring martial law and seeking to interrupt the certification process. It’s long past time when any reasonable person should assume the rule of law means anything to Donald Trump. In his mind, the highest law is himself.

[. . .] Somehow, someday, we will get through this dangerous period.

Whether it will be sooner or it will be later, I do not know. But we should start articulating now what we want on the other side of it. Christopher Life, founder of United Independents, has said the values which should guide all policy decisions – independent of the limitations and biases of either major political party – are the following: 1) to prevent harm; 2) to reduce human suffering; 3) to increase the quality of life; and 4) to steward well the natural world. I could not agree more.

Having had my own experiences trying to articulate a more enlightened politics, I received regularly the mockery of those who run the political game as it now exists. Notice that to them it is a game, while to us it is our lives. It was said repeatedly that I was naive to think we could shift our political bottom line from corporate profits (in this case, the profits of war manufacturers) to humanitarian and democratic values. I said then, and I say now, that what’s naive is to think we will survive another hundred years on this planet if we don’t at least try.

We’re more than playing with fire at this point. The fire is already burning. May there be a concomitant fire within ourselves, as beginning now we rise to the challenges of this moment, preparing for next Tuesday, engaged on that day and every day thereafter in whatever way conscious citizenship demands.

The Pentagon has instructed major U.S. military bases to prepare to be able to function independently for ninety days. Several Western countries have warned their citizens to keep 3 to 10 days worth of survival supplies on hand in case of major disruptions. It’s very clear that something is brewing. Some believe that in the event of an all out war, the President might shut down the power grid to prevent Iran (or anyone else) from being able to attack it.

When reading about the Cuban missile crisis we learn there were people around Khrushchev, as well as Kennedy, pretty much gunning for nuclear confrontation between Russia and the United States. Yet there were also those around both of them who more than anything were citizens of the world, successfully advising both leaders to come back from the brink of nuclear war. Had the champions of brute force prevailed, it’s possible that none of us would be here today.

I was ten years old during the Cuban missile crisis, and I remember my parents glued to the TV news one night as events unfolded. I remember the seriousness of the looks on their faces, and one of them saying that we might go to war. I remember when my mother saw me standing at the door she said, “What are you doing up, Marianne? Say your prayers honey and go back to bed.”

Once again we’re in this terrible place, where the purveyors of war are on an outrageous rampage. In so many ways we’ve simply circled back to where this country has a habit of finding itself far too often. But I’m not ten years old anymore, and neither are you. Our mission now isn’t to pray and go back to bed. Our mission is to pray and wake up.