To Go Beyond Thought, an Interview with Karen Armstrong
One bright spring day, Parabola met with Karen Armstrong in her suite at the Parker Meridian hotel in Manhattan. The petite, friendly 62-year-old British ex-nun, arguably the most influential commentator on religion in the English-speaking world, was on tour to…
The Gates of Paradise
In the following passage from his new autobiography, Becoming Who You Are, Joseph Rael (Beautiful Painted Arrow) relates to David Kopacz, M.D., some of his extraordinary shamanic experiences.– The Editors Some people call me a shaman or a medicine man.…
Wonder is a Level Within Us: A conversation with Rabbi Dr. Raphael Shuchat
Parabola reached out recently, via a Zoom link, to Raphael Shuchat at his home in Israel. We had met him with his family at a vacation spot in upstate New York in summer 2021, not far from his original home…
Make This Moment a Diamond
Father Guidalberto Bormolini asks people to take a new view of death—and life. After training as a lute maker, he became a priest and monk and studied extensively about both ancient and modern spiritual and religious teachings. He has created…
Pure Gold
The Bhagavad Gita—the “Song of Spirit”—has been a living scripture and moral doctrine, a veritable “golden rule” of Indian civilization for thousands of years. Its seven-hundred verses are a sacred dialogue between the Lord Krishna in his role as Cosmic…
How to Open Ourselves Out: A Conversation with Abhijata Iyengar
BKS Iyengar and Abhijata Iyengar Exploring yoga with the guru’s granddaughter In January 2018 I went to study yoga at the Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Institute in…
The Gates of Paradise
In the following passage from his new autobiography, Becoming Who You Are, Joseph Rael (Beautiful Painted Arrow) relates to David Kopacz, M.D., some of his extraordinary shamanic experiences.– The Editors…
Make This Moment a Diamond
Father Guidalberto Bormolini asks people to take a new view of death—and life. After training as a lute maker, he became a priest and monk and studied extensively about both…
A Path of Love and Freedom
Born in London in 1953, Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee has followed the Naqshbandi Sufi path since he was nineteen. In 1991 he became the successor of Irina Tweedie, author of Daughter of…
To Feel the Love: A Conversation with Barry Svigals
Main Entry Perspective, new-Sandy Hook School How do you heal from sorrow beyond compare? In the beautiful woods of Newtown, Connecticut, a new elementary school is…
To Go Beyond Thought, an Interview with Karen Armstrong
One bright spring day, Parabola met with Karen Armstrong in her suite at the Parker Meridian hotel in Manhattan. The petite, friendly 62-year-old British ex-nun, arguably the most influential commentator…
Exploring the Frontiers of Science: A Conversation with Leo Piilonen
I’ve interviewed hundreds of scientists and engineers. Typically there are no surprises. The scientists are happy to share what they know, more or less by rote. Every once in a…
The Tree of Life, An Interview with Wangari Maathai
Green Belt Movement tree nursery in Tumutumu Hills, Kenya. Photograph by Ariel Poster In the Fall of 2007, Parabola sat down with Nobel Peace Prize winner Wangari…
The Yoga Master at Ninety, an Interview with B.K.S. Iyengar
EKA PADA VIPARITA DANDASANA (ONE LEG REVERSED STAFF POSE) Born in India in 1918, B.K.S. Iyengar has been teaching yoga since the age of seventeen. An…
The Great Unknown Is Me, Myself: A Conversation with Jacob Needleman
Photograph of Jacob Needleman by David Ulrich Jacob Needleman’s voice has been prominent in the conversation about man’s inner possibilities for some forty years. Turning away…
A Conversation with Alexandra Isles
Patty de Llosa: The theme for this issue of Parabola is “Seeing,” so can you tell me how you come up with an idea and then turn it into a visual action?…
To Try To Have Some Healing, A Conversation with Silas Hagerty
Silas Hagerty. Photo by and courtesy of Richard Whittaker Silas Hagerty was a young filmmaker in his twenties when I met him at a Servicespace retreat.…
To Let the Light In, a Conversation with James George
James George is a retired Canadian diplomat who served with distinction as High Commissioner to India, and Ambassador to Nepal and Iran. Chögyam Trungpa called him “a wise and benevolent…
We Are All Witnesses: An Interview with Elie Wiesel
Wiesel in 1987 (Wikipedia) Elie Wiesel died Saturday, July 2, 2016 at his home in Manhattan. The Holocaust survivor and Nobel Peace Prize winner was 87.…