theology Archives | DonnieYance.com

October 4, 2025September 29, 2025

The Virtue of Patience: Lessons from St. Francis for Modern Life and Healthcare

By Donnie Yance

October 4th marks the feast day of St Francis. I love to celebrate by sharing thoughts inspired by this humble man filled with so much spiritual wisdom.

In our hyperconnected world of instant notifications and same-day delivery, patience has become a rare commodity. Yet for healthcare professionals and individuals alike, cultivating patience remains one of the most essential skills for both personal well-being and professional effectiveness. The wisdom of St. Francis of Assisi, who lived over 800 years ago, offers timeless insights that modern science continues to validate.

September 23, 2025September 23, 2025

John Coltrane Wasn’t Just Playing the Saxophone—He Was Preaching a Homily

By Donnie Yance

September 23 marks the birthday of musical legend, John Coltrane.

When Coltrane stepped to the microphone, he wasn’t just performing—he was giving a homily or a sermon. His saxophone became a conduit for what he called “spirit communications,” transforming concert halls into sanctuaries. Each solo was a sermon without words, each phrase a prayer ascending.

The very structure of his improvisation mirrored the rhythm of spiritual practice: the patient building of themes, the sudden eruptions of divine insight, the return to contemplative quietude. In “A Love Supreme,” you can hear him cycling through the stages of devotion—supplication, gratitude, ecstasy, surrender—all within the span of a single breath through his horn.

This wasn’t performance for its own sake. Coltrane understood what mystics have always known: that repetition opens doors to transcendence. His famous “sheets of sound” weren’t technical showmanship but spiritual discipline made audible, like the repeated mantras of monks or the circular breathing of ancient prayer practices.

April 18, 2025April 16, 2025

The Easter Connection: Death, Resurrection, and Transcendence

By Donnie Yance

“There isn’t anything about a caterpillar that tells you it’s going to be a butterfly.”

–Buckminster Fuller

The parallels between near-death experiences (NDEs) and the core narrative of Easter in Christian theology are both striking and profound. Easter commemorates Christ’s resurrection—the ultimate transition from death to new life—which resonates deeply with NDE accounts. Many experiencers report feelings of transcendence, encounters with a loving presence, and a sense of passing through darkness into brilliant light, mirroring the Passion and Resurrection story central to Christian faith.

April 1, 2025April 1, 2025

The Art of Living: Finding Balance in a Fragmented World

by Donnie Yance

In our hyper-connected yet somehow disconnected modern world, many of us find ourselves longing for something deeper—a sense of wholeness that transcends the fragmentation of daily life. We seek not just physical health, but a harmonious existence that nourishes body, mind, and spirit equally. This integration isn’t just a luxury; it’s increasingly becoming essential for navigating our complex lives with grace and purpose.

The Forgotten Wisdom of Wholeness

Ancient healing traditions from around the world share a common understanding: true wellness emerges when we honor the interconnectedness of our physical, emotional, and spiritual dimensions. From Traditional Chinese Medicine’s concept of qi balance to Franciscan spirituality’s reverence for natural harmony, these wisdom traditions remind us that fragmentation leads to suffering, while integration leads to flourishing.

The Latin root of the word “health” is salvus, which is also the root of “salvation”—suggesting that true healing involves both physical restoration and spiritual wholeness. Similarly, the words “health,” “whole,” and “holy” share linguistic origins, pointing to an ancient understanding that true wellness encompasses far more than the mere absence of disease.

December 23, 2024December 24, 2024

Christmas and Chanukah: A Light Shining in The Darkness

Imagine a world without light. I know it can be really hard, right? Without this fundamental element there would be no sight, no plants, no animals, no life; just a cold, dark, lifeless, void. The Christmas season is the time to contemplate the birth of The Light of the World, and the Chanukah season is a celebration of miraculous Divine Light.

As Christ said, “I am the light of the world. He who follows me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life” (John 8:12)

Light is fundamental to both spirituality and science, and the concept of plasma is a bridge to understanding this critical source of light that fills the cosmos.

April 6, 2023April 13, 2023

In Death and Grief We Find Love

Reflections for Easter, Passover, and Spring

By Donnie Yance

Just before Christmas, I lost my youngest sister Gi Gi, to a sudden accident. She was in a coma for several weeks prior to her transition. As my sister hovered between life and death, I found myself in a deep state of grief and reflection. A reflection on birth, life, death, and the embracing of the great mystery. I choose to call the great mystery Love, or, better stated, Agape Love.