soul — What's in a Name?

It’s all fun and games till someone gets possessed, but is contacting departed souls always an exorcise in futility, or is it possible to filter for Caspers only? It doesn’t matter, I already know who I’m gonna call in the end.

Matthew ChicolaDecember 11, 2020the 72 names of God, 72 names of god, ouija, ghost, haunt, haunting, ghost story, scare, scare factor, fear factor, scary, Disney, haunted mansion, death, contact, departed, soul, spiritual, after-life, covid, existence, ascension, truth, integrity, love, friendshipComment

What is Enough is Never Enough?

It speaks to my privilege to look at this aisle and not be panicked; I have enough toilet paper. But if demand continues to outweigh supply, I might need to get creative as my inventory dwindles. Maybe If I had approached all toilet paper buying opportunities through the “enough is never enough” lens before, this problem would have been wiped out.

What is DNA of the Soul?

I imagine the Chicken Soup for the Soul series wouldn’t be the best-seller it is today if readers didn’t have souls. Did you know that the initial version was rejected 144 times? I guess publishers don’t have souls…Though the tears flowed with each reading, I can’t remember finding a recipe for the soul. So what’s cooking in there?

What is Happiness?

A picture is worth a thousand words, but can we ever trade them in to experience a full day of true happiness? What about an hour? A moment? I’m not sure on the extrinsic value of happiness nor the exchange rate; what I do know is that I would trade in all my words, pictures, and whatever else for sustained happiness. Is that enough, though?

Matthew ChicolaFebruary 20, 201972 names of god, yehuda berg, state of the union, society, sociology, psychology, spiritual, spirituality, soul, soulful, religion, theology, love, happy, happiness, happy and you know it, san diego, mexico, friendship, beauty, selfie, laugh, smile, cry, photo, picture, unhappy, shooting, NBC, aurora, illinois, CNN, Washington Post, holy, holiness, authenticity, vulnerability, honest, truth, resting bitch face, RBF, bullying, gay, lgbt, homosexuality, sexual orientation, sexuality, dance, dancing, naperville, NCTV, dancing with the celebritiesComment

What is Sexual Energy?

Salt-N-Pepa certainly had the right idea when they started the conversation with “Let’s Talk about Sex Baby,” but why is it so difficult talking about “all the good things and the bad things that may be” associated with the topic? Is my sexual energy beyond control?

What is a Soul Mate?

MATTHEW’s mating tendencies typically center around the phone, whether recruiting via apps, cultivating via text, or stewarding via social media; however, my heart feels trapped up against the glass screen and unable to break through. Can I ever find an appropriate mate if the transmittal of soul is dependent on WiFi?

Matthew ChicolaNovember 2, 2018soul, soulful, soul mate, soulmate, sex, sexuality, homosexuality, lgbt, robert crown, health education, sex ed, mate, mating, spirit, spirituality, spiritual, masculinity, femininity, masculine, feminine, men, women, man, woman, adam, eve, identity, gender, love, connection, yehuda berg, 72 names of god, robert jensen, getting off, fearless, mature, sensual, joyful, confident, peacefulComment

What is Heaven on Earth?

“It’s hotter than hell.” The warm Chicago summer fueled the overuse of this phrase, but what is it about hell that makes it so hot? And what does it take to escape the burning agony and break through to the cooler conditions of heaven? Who is ready for a temperature change.

Matthew ChicolaOctober 6, 2018faith, hope, spirituality, spiritual, suicide, negativity, heaven, hell, earth, soul, soulful, hereditary, sequoia, self belief, self, self-esteem, positive, positivity, 72 names of god, yehuda berg, belinda carlisle, heaven is a place on earth, heaven on earth, relationship, lgbt, chaos, Sedona, Grand Canyon, California, Arizona, bell rock, beauty, nature, natural, outdoors, hike, hiking, photography, photos, adele, love, compassion, writeComment

What is Self-Esteem?

When we take matters into our own hands, we must prepare to be confronted by our deeply-rooted fears. The payoff? A boost after having effectively resolved whatever issue. What happens when we take fear itself into our own hands, though? Is the payoff worth it?

Matthew ChicolaJuly 10, 2018self, self belief, self-esteem, fear, fearless, confidence, maturity, big picture, skydiving, chicago, windy city, sky, plane, airplane, adventure, chaos, risk, hope, dare, journey, spiritual, spirituality, soul, stronger, journal, Eknath Easwaran, time, peace, Take Your Time, wisdom, slowing down, mind, mindful, dog, pet, jump, defying gravity, mantra, meditation, meditate, peaceful, integrityComment

What is The Big Picture?

Though I first began this blog article in April, the magnitude of the response held me back for 2 months. How can I, a mere mortal, come up with an answer to what the Big Picture is? Surely, I’m not qualified, but who does decide how we define power, success, love, gender, and God, then?

What is Power of Prosperity?

What a power trip writing about power is, except when you're not sure anyone will read it. Then it becomes a game of decisions: how much of my heart do I share versus how much do I boast about my perceived power? In the end, will anyone be left to say you've mastered prosperous living? All that and more in this long-awaited What's in a Name segment!

Matthew ChicolaMarch 29, 2018roger federer, federer, tennis, espn, warren buffet, buffet, bill gates, gates, forbes, billion, billionaires, follower, follow, audience, money, finance, financials, investment, investments, prosperity, faith, love, heart, power, powerful, powerless, hope, confidence, trust, confident, kabbalah, yehuda berg, 72 names of god, god, spirit, spirituality, spiritual, soul, soulful, dalai lama, integrity, happy, happiness, technology, science, better, world, self belief, peter keating, bonnie ford, athlete, barry bondsComment

What is Lost and Found?

"You'd lose your head if it wasn't attached to your neck," and what a loss that would be! Compared to the keys, cell phones, wallets, sunglasses (and dignity) I've lost throughout the years, losing my head would be disastrous since it connects me to my senses. What would happen if I lost my heart though, and if I did, how hard would it be to find?

Matthew ChicolaMarch 3, 2018kabbalah, yehuda berg, 72 names of god, chincoteague, pony swim, lost, found, assateague, pony, horse, family, friends, friendship, self, awareness, mindfulness, mindful, spiritual, soul, soulful, spirit, universe, god, religion, spirituality, heart, voice, authentic, vulnerable, faith, imagination, creativity, creative, writing, write, written, journey, path, way, happiness, love, acceptance, trust, name game, name, game, fearless, misty of chincoteague, misty, virginia, vacation, memoryComment