About the author

James Hilgendorf

&nbsp;<strong>In December, 2020, Elizabeth, my wife of 50 years, passed away after a two year struggle with pancreatic cancer and stroke.&nbsp; During this time, the pandemic was raging, and America was struggling to salvage its very identity and survival.
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<br><br>In response to all this, I wrote a book - “Capricorn &amp; Cancer” - to confront the heart of death itself - not only of my wife’s passing, but of an America, fractured and dying - and the need here in America for a deep transformation in the way we view our own lives, our relationship with the universe around us, and to life and death itself.<br><br>Since then, I’ve written personally to thousands and thousands of people- young people especially - in towns and cities all across America, sharing our story; and Elizabeth and I have embarked, online and in-person, on a journey together (yes, we are together still) with “Capricorn &amp; Cancer” and another of my books, “Traveling to a New America”, a collection of 74 pieces from my previous 10 books, of articles, poems, blogs, historical portraits, and interviews with people I interviewed randomly on the streets of America, to combine both books into one new book and journey called “Traveling Together to a New America”.<br><br>At the heart of all my books and journey is the desire - amid all the chaos and division showing itself all around us - to give expression to the new world that is struggling for expression now in all our lives.&nbsp; At the heart of it is the desire to reveal and affirm the power and beauty and greatness of each individual’s life.<br><br>We are at a great turning point here in the United States, and around the world also.&nbsp; I once wrote:<br><br>“A new spiritual civilization, beyond even age-old dreams, beyond anything we have yet imagined, is struggling to be born.&nbsp; It is here and now.&nbsp; It grows from the wreckage of despair, of lost hope, of pollution, greed, injustice, hatred and war.&nbsp; It is the compassionate heart of the universe itself coming to fruition and bloom.”
<br><br>Our own story took us (Elizabeth and I) through an enormous transformative 50-year journey with Buddhism - the Buddhism of the SGI, or Soka Gakkai International, the largest Buddhist lay organization in the world now, a movement dedicated to peace, education, and culture, with 11,000,000 members in 192 countries and territories around the world chanting Nam Myoho Renge Kyo - a simple, basic practice that allows anyone to bring forth from within their own lives the potential and power to surmount their problems and become absolutely happy. <br><br>You can follow our journey on Instagram at www.instagram.com/jim_hilgendorf<br><br>

I hope you read and enjoy our books, and I would greatly appreciate if you share an awareness of the books and our journey with all of your friends everywhere.<br><br>
To arrange talks and discussions with your group, in-person or on Zoom video, contact me at jameshilgendorf1 (at) gmail (dot) com.

<br><br>If you would like to support our journey of Traveling Together to a New America, we would deeply appreciate it.&nbsp;
To donate either one-time or on a continuing basis using Paypal, or your credit or debit card, go to this link:&nbsp; https://www.bit.ly/42yHVMT 
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Thank you!


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