Articles written by Richard Dance

What is Helium

About me - Richard Dance

I am currently an 'urban pioneer' in Phoenix, AZ. I rehab and find new uses for old buildings in urban areas. See www.kismet1.com. The background for this work comes from a prior career as a commercial real estate appraiser.

I was a working philosopher for

+ more bio information

RSS Feed

Religion & Spirituality > Religious Speculations & Criticisms What is the function of religion: 1 of 7
At the inaugural conference of Arizona State University's Center for the Study of Religion and Conflict, I listened to an erudite panel of speakers discuss today's complex issues of religious conflict. I found myself asking why we humans created religion in the first place? I began reviewing in my mind Joseph Campbell's "Four... More..
Religion & Spirituality > Spiritual Insights Transcending religion: 1 of 6
The practitioners of any religion should continually monitor the actual potency of their chosen system of faith. If it begins to lose its elastic (not emotional) and inspirational (not sentimental) effect on people, then the tribe should let the circumstances that exist transform that religion into a new system of activating ... More..
Religion & Spirituality > Christian Beliefs & Culture What is reincarnation?: 4 of 21
From the Buddhist point of view, reincarnation is a slippery subject. Actually, the Buddha (a title, and whose actual name was Gotama Siddartha) would either not respond when asked about reincarnation, or his response would essentially say, "Speculations about reincarnation have nothing to do with ending suffering. They only ... More..
Religion & Spirituality > Comparative Religion Notions of God: East and west: 1 of 5
Notions of DivinityWe live in a time when people are exploring many approaches to spirituality. There are also new dialogues emerging among our traditional religions that explore common threads, reinterpret religious messages, etc. This exchange of ideas always arrives at fundamental questions about how God(dess) is perceived... More..
Religion & Spirituality > Meditation & Prayer Meditations for the mind and body: 6 of 18
Just BreatheIt was the first thing you ever did on your own. It will be the last thing you ever do. It's what you instinctively begin any new project with, and what you do when you finish a big project. It's what automatically happens when someone asks you a deep question, and is your first natural reaction to an unexpected s... More..
Travel > Destination Guides (Other) A guide to sacred sites: 1 of 3
When surrounded by a beautiful natural setting-a forest, the edge of the ocean, or way out in the desert-most of us immediately feel a sense of wonder, reverence, and familiarity. Something in us knows we have come home. For thousands of years certain places on the earth have been instinctively recognized as holding and emitt... More..
Religion & Spirituality > Comparative Religion Theories on the soul: 9 of 25
In contemplating our spiritual life, it is natural to ask about the soul. Is it something individual, a chariot or ship transporting us through innumerable lives and experiences? Does it attain something like enlightenment? Does it have a fateful reward or punishment? Is it everlasting? Does it even exist?Generally, Western r... More..
Religion & Spirituality > Hinduism The meaning of Om: 2 of 5
The Meaning of Aum (Om)Perhaps you've chanted the Sanskrit word Aum in meditation (often written Om), or listened to it on a CD. As we Westerners begin to assimilate more of the Eastern symbols and techniques, we should gain a deeper understanding of what they mean. Following is a summary explanation of the Aum syllable as gi... More..
Religion & Spirituality > Religious Speculations & Criticisms The observing self: 3 of 6
Two WorldsIf you stand on the banks of a river and step into the water, then step out, and step in again, have you stepped into the same river or a different river? In a wonderful line from his Fragments, Greek philosopher Heraclitus answers: "Into the same river we step and do not step. We are and we are not."In these two ob... More..
Religion & Spirituality > Self-Awareness & Realization Personal mythology: Seeing your life in mythical terms: 1 of 1
To keep you sense of magic and wonder alive, begin viewing your life as MYTH, as an adventure that is unfolding relative to your own desires as well as lessons needed to be learned. We think of myths as legends from lost cultures of long ago, and today the word "myth" means an outdated way of seeing or even a lie. But the Gre... More..