David Jones is a retiree after an enjoyable 35-year career with the American government. Diagnosed with an anxiety disorder, he works through things by sitting with the breath and other meditation techniques. David writes about mental health and enjoys exploring the intersection of Abrahamic religion and Buddhist teachings. Scary movies, reading, writing and helping folks as they walk along their paths are among his most favorite things. He dearly loves his wife, their five children, and all their grandchildren. And yes, he’s aware that he’s weird.
How to Keep Holiday Traditions after Your Beloved Family Member Dies
By David Jones December 25th. It's Christmas day. It's also the solstice celebration of Dies Natalis Sol Invicti (among other names), represented the renewal (rebirth) of the sun's dominance after being absent so much from the winter...
Coexist: Finding Unity with the Dalai Lama’s Spiritual Advice for Buddhists & Christians {Book Review}
By David Jones I'm a Christian guy who writes with a community filled with other traditions, beliefs, and practices. I wouldn't have it any other way. I'm not here to change their paths, and they're not out to change mine. It's a...
How Do We Reclaim the Word Faith
By David Jones Can the word "faith" be saved? A friend of mine brought up this captivating thought in a piece he wrote. Now that might sound kind of weird. Faith and religion are words as natural to some as sunshine and breathing. For...
The Politics of Halloween: What’s in a Name & Why it’s All an Illusion
By David Jones Well it's that time of year again when we go to the store and buy an outfit designed to be worn exactly once. No, not a Prom dress. No, not an Easter dress. Not a wedding dress either. Okay, stop guessing! It's Halloween,...
What Does it Mean to Have the Patience of Job?
By David Jones The character of Job is familiar to the Abrahamic religions. He's considered a patriarch, a prophet and the ultimate example of human patience. The phrase, "the patience of Job" has to do with enduring despite trials and...
My Meditation: I Just Sit with the Breath
By David Jones As a Christian who struggles with anxiety, I find great value in meditation. I don't have a complex practice with chanting, incense, a gong or even a specific way of sitting. Mine is a very simple, basic form: abiding with...
Why Should We Honor Our Anxiety?
Anxiety and depression don’t always respond to prayer and meditation. Sometimes one strategy or another works great for you, and good on you when it does.
Could Deepfakes Be a Good Thing? A Practice in Mindful Acceptance
By David Jones Americans are talking about living in a post-fact, post-truth, post-morality nation, partly because the mediaverse hammers the notion into our brains. I remember when we weren't informed 24/7 about anything (not counting...
Is the Bible Misogynistic? A Look at Views on Women in Christianity
By David Jones I may not know much about women, but I do remember one of the first things I was ever taught about them: Sin was all their fault. I mean right from the get-go. At Genesis 2:22 Eve was created, and within nine verses...
Meditation and Prayer: What Happens When We have Expectations
By David Jones A friend of mine once asked me if I thought praying to God worked. I said I did. He asked because a girl he'd met said she didn't because she never got what she prayed for. I said she drew her conclusion because her...