Roadside Musings

Contributed by: Rabbi Rami Shapiro

About Roadside Musings

In Roadside Musings, Rabbi Rami draws from the well of the world's religious and spiritual traditions, covering life passages, answering sticky questions, and sharing comfort.

Is Lying About God Okay?

by Rabbi Rami Shapiro

“Lying about God and promoting a Pollyannaish understanding of religion isn’t going to help at all.”

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The God Gap

by Rabbi Rami Shapiro

It isn’t that Generation Z is godless, it’s that they no longer buy into (literally as well as figuratively) the God of the baby boomer generation.

A Prayer to Comfort Those Passing

by Rabbi Rami Shapiro

In these heartbreaking times, being together during life's passages is often impossible. Rabbi Rami shares a prayer to bring comfort to those who are passing.

Spirituality and Dogs

by Rabbi Rami Shapiro

You have to train a dog to be vicious. For humans, all it takes is religion, politics, or social media. Dogs are the ultimate Zen practitioners.

Empty tomb representing Jesus's empty tomb and Easter.

The Questions of Easter: Rabbi Rami Reflects

by Rabbi Rami Shapiro

What can we learn from the story of the empty tomb?

Technician plugs in a CPU microprocessor to a motherboard socket.

Spirituality and Your Motherboard

by Rabbi Rami Shapiro

“Regardless of your religion or lack thereof, what is your motherboard, your non-negotiable, your red line, your identity anchor?”

Heart-centered spirituality represented by branches with paper hearts.

Spirituality and the Heart

by Rabbi Rami Shapiro

In the context of heart-centered spirituality, love isn’t a romantic feeling but a state of responsibility calling upon you.

What does spirtuality have to do with luck? Represented here with a lucky four leaf clover.

Spirituality and Luck

by Rabbi Rami Shapiro

Do you think you won a jackpot by being born? Rabbi Rami takes on spirituality and luck.

Surreal book opens a door illuminated to a woman, enjoying spirtuality and books.

Spirituality and Books

by Rabbi Rami Shapiro

“Books are my best friends ...” says Rabbi Rami, discussing the connection between spirituality and books—and why he chooses company carefully.

Window brokern during a violent insurrection

Spirituality and Insurrection

by Rabbi Rami Shapiro

“People like to say there is only one God. They are wrong. People believe in many Gods, each mirroring the mindset of the believer.”

Spirituality and Christmas

by Rabbi Rami Shapiro

How are spirituality and Christmas related? “To me Christmas is hopeful: a time to celebrate the potential for God-Realization in all of us.”

Spirituality and Transcendence

by Rabbi Rami Shapiro

Does your spiritual practice take you out of this world or out, into this world?

On the third night of Chanukah, three small oil cups are have been lit.

Spirituality and Hanukkah

by Rabbi Rami Shapiro

Hanukkah isn’t about lighting candles, clogging your arteries with fried food, playing dreidel, exchanging presents, or eating cheap chocolate in the shape of faux ancient coins.