I write about philosophy and culture and the search for meaning in the modern age.
This idea of surrendering ourselves to something beyond our control is foreign to our natural inclinations as human beings. At our core we are meaning making creatures who tirelessly seek to rid the world of uncertainty, and have power over our natural environment. We develop myths, rituals, belief systems, and socio-political institutions all in an attempt to … More Amor Fati and The Acceptance of What is Necessary
A look at how we all can be heroes … More The Hero Within
A meditation on inperfection … More Finding Beauty in Brokenness
The Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg had a mission to break down spatial and geographic barriers and connect the world. In many respects he has succeeded. You can now instantaneously connect with family members or friends living across the globe. Moreover, you can virtually keep up to date on key milestone events in the lives of … More The Search for Connection and Solitude in a Digital Age
Throughout history water has represented a powerful symbol and metaphor in different cultures, philosophies and religions. It has been viewed as a symbol of purity in the Christian tradition while being embodied as the Greek god of Poseidon in the ancient world. Water is life-giving. It is vital for the health and existence of life … More Drifting with the Tao: Drifting Like Water
A vision into our interconnected selves … More The Great Illusion of Separation
A poem on the search for peace … More The Mysteries of Nature
In the modern world, our job titles tend to be the centerpiece of our identities. When you meet someone new at a social gathering, the first piece of information that they will likely disclose to the question ‘what do you do?’ is the details of your chosen profession. Your answer to this question will dictate … More Redefining Success: Beyond Your Job Title
On a planet that has existed for billions of years, the human lifespan is remarkably short. Assuming I live to 80, the average age of a Canadian male, I have about 4,000 weeks on this earth. If I am lucky and healthy enough to make it that long, that gives me about 2,500 weeks left. [1] … More Racing Against the Clock: A Meditation on Being Human in a World of Endless Possibility
It was at a university book sale where I was first introduced to the ideas of Taoism. Hidden away deep in the philosophy section, I picked up what initially seemed like a strange esoteric book – the Tao Te Ching. It was a short text, under 100 pages, that was filled with often puzzling language … More Lessons from Taoism: Ancient Wisdom for Modern Times
Below is a poem I wrote inspired by the peace, joy and reprieve being in nature provides me. What do you find in nature? Let me know in the comments below. Nature, teach me how to live To embrace change and Flow effortlessly like the steady stream To embody the wisdom of the trees Who … More Lessons from Nature
Take a deep breath. Open your eyes and observe what is around you. Look at the sun beaming through the blossoming trees. Listen to the birds singing ecstatically with feverous joy. Touch the different textures of plants in your garden as you await a bountiful feast upon harvest. We didn’t earn the pleasures of the … More Living in the Gift
A review of Victor Frankl’s ‘Yes to Life: In Spite of Everything’ … More The Value of Acceptance: Saying ‘Yes to Life: In Spite of Everything’
I believe that we all yearn to create. To nourish our unique gifts and bring something new and authentic into the world. This is how we affirm our identity and find meaning in the world. The role of the artist is to show us the way, and point towards the vast possibilities that are available … More The Artist
Emerging through hardship … More On the Duality of Life
As noted by the philosopher Aristotle, humans are ‘social animals’ who exist and thrive in communities. We have the ability to devise sophisticated institutions enabling us to co-operate with others across cultures and borders. We can see how interwoven our lives all are through the complex interdependencies in our economies, societies and in the natural … More Expanding Circles: Spiritual Exercises as a Bridge Towards Cosmopolitanism
In To Have or to Be? the sociologist Erich Fromm argues that there are two distinct modes of existence. These are unique ways in which we relate to others and the world around us. Having The first is the ‘having mode.’ This is characterized by an attitude of acquiring or possessing things. It is when … More Erich Fromm on Having Versus Being
A meditation on wonder … More Wonder
Much of our suffering and psychological problems we face are due to the fact that we are using ancient cognitive machinery to deal with the complexities of the modern world. Humans evolved though a process called natural selection in which genes that were best suited for their respective environments were passed on to the next … More Mindfulness and Evolutionary Psychology: A Primer
Amor Fati- The Love of Fate There is no doubt that we continue to live in uncertain times. No one quite knows where we are going and what the future holds. We exist in a liminal space of unknowing; a time of transition between worlds. It is easy to cling onto the promises of ideologies which … More A Reflection on ‘Amor Fati’