Over the course of our lives many of us will have gotten into arguments with friends, family or loved ones which goes somewhat along the lines of: “You are not thinking, can you hear yourself? You need to stop being so hard headed and stubborn, and just listen to the facts. Can’t you just be a bit more reasonable!?” Notice how we are quick to … Continue reading Why We are Mostly Emotional, and Sometimes Rational
Regarding knowing recognition of our essential nature, it has been my experience that apparently “little” points can make a huge difference in the degree of our understanding. Through Grace, the gifts of clarity often arrive when we least expect them and displace more of our delusional beliefs. The following is the account of one such incident that occurred out of the blue: *** About three years ago, … Continue reading Ever-Present “I Am”
To set the stage, the term “Balkan” references the geographical area that stretches from Slovenia to Greece in southeast Europe. It was formerly known as Yugoslavia, the country which was composed of present day Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Slovenia, North Macedonia, and Kosovo (still disputed). The passing of Josip Broz Tito, the former President of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, marked the … Continue reading Balkan Literature: Where brilliant writers flourished despite the dissolution of a nation
Hi everyone, I hope you all had an awesome week. I had a good but tiring one. The most prominent topic in my mind this week has been how much close relationships mean adaptation. My new and first cat reminded me this. Before I got him, I was thinking that he would come home and just hang out. I would just live as I did … Continue reading Adapt and Relate
The inversion of Truth (that things and achievement are the source of our joy) has become so prevalent in society that the majority of persons are unaware that it is an utter falsity. For reasons that are highly suspect, the story related to happiness/joy has become very corrupt. On a daily basis, we are informed that this, that, or another thing will guarantee our happiness. The problem is that the heavily-advertised … Continue reading Being Joy
Zdrasti to my fellow bloggers and blog-lovers. Today I’m writing to you from Sofia, Bulgaria, where I’ve been taking this week to do my own DIY writer’s workshop. The beautiful mountains have been a peaceful backdrop to inspire my days of creative writing. You might’ve read my most post last week titled, Translated Literature: A plea to bolster your reading palate, where I advocate for … Continue reading Recommendations for Translated Literature: A window into another world
Hello everyone, Let’s try something different today. Instead of discussing a topic, let’s just discuss how our week went: what we did, what were some good things, some challenges etc. For me, I had a good week. I am finishing up a project at work, so it is a little stressful, especially because I am new at the job. I work with data and data … Continue reading How was your week?
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 influence the outcome in our favour – to shape our … Continue reading Amor Fati and The Acceptance of What is Necessary
Once upon a time, I knew exactly how it felt to be home, sweet, home. My vision of that place in time and space was very clear. It was defined by the shape of a backyard, the dimensions of a house, and the placement of surrounding trees and shrubbery. What mattered most, however, were the loved family members who resided there. The faculty of memory … Continue reading Home, Sweet, Home
Hello my fellow bloggers and blog-lovers. Today I am writing this entry from a sleepy town in Montenegro, Bijela, to be specific. Not much happens in this provincial, coastal town, which means I’ve been doing more reading than touristing here. Particularly, enter today’s topic, translated literature. Over the past year, I’ve developed quite an affinity for translated literature. Authors around the world pour their life’s … Continue reading Translated Literature: A plea to bolster your reading palate
We can all learn something from our losses. Some of you may remember Yoda saying on Star Wars: The Last Jedi – Pass on what you have learned. Strength, mastery, hmm… but weakness, folly, failure also. Yes: failure, most of all. The greatest teacher, failure is. Somehow, Yoda finds himself explaining how failure is a characteristic that often differentiates a beginner from a master. There … Continue reading Re-framing Failure: Learning from your losses
Hello all! How have you all been? I have been a bit busy with my new cat, my first own cat. I got him last Sunday and we are now completing a week. It has been an emotional rollercoaster. I was very scared the first four-five days. I kept thinking ‘what if I do something wrong and harm this cat?’. Now I am getting used … Continue reading Want to feel safe? Yeah, same.
A look at how we all can be heroes Continue reading The Hero Within
One of the books that I’m currently reading is entitled The Yoga of Knowledge, Jnana Yoga, by Swami Vivekananda. From what I’ve discovered about Swami Vivekananda, he was an Indian monk who was a disciple of Ramakrishna and played an instrumental role in bringing the teachings of Vedanta and Yoga to the West. Here, I offer you the quote which inspired this article: “Only the man … Continue reading To Swim As God
Papyrus scrolls. Elaborate tombs. Unparalleled prosperity. Ancient Egyptians spent much of their time day dreaming about the after life. This, no doubt, influenced their literature; writing is a reflection of the times. The restless streets of Cairo have a beguiling charm. The vast history of the country unravels itself to newcomers through their unique hieroglyphics, sweet hibiscus tea, bustling traffic, refreshing wafts from the Nile … Continue reading Egyptian Literature: Ancient dreams influence modern writers
A meditation on inperfection Continue reading Finding Beauty in Brokenness
The Story So Far I moved into a new house in March and for the first time in my life, I am the only human living with myself. I find, almost five months in, that I’m generally OK to live with, albeit a little moody and quiet sometimes. I usually keep the same hours I like to keep, which is helpful. I’m good, for the … Continue reading How Can I Live with Myself? Well, Let’s See
As a young man, I was naturally drawn to books about motivation and the powers of the mind. Despite my very limited understanding at the time, I read Think and Grow Rich, by Napoleon Hill; Success Through a Positive Mental Attitude, by Napoleon Hill and W. Clement Stone; and The Power of The Subconscious Mind, by Joseph Murphy. Intuitively, I understood that the degree of our success … Continue reading Think and “Glow” Rich
Hello to my fellow bloggers and blog-lovers! I’m Elle, or E.L. Jayne as my pen name states, and I’ve embarked my own rendition of an Eat, Pray, Love trip this summer, albeit, without the dramatic divorce and existential crisis at the onset, luckily. Deciding to travel for 4 months made me reflect on the catalyst that drives people to travel in the first place. Some … Continue reading On The Different Reasons People Travel
Hello! This week’s topic is change, specifically how our wants and needs change at different ages. Up until recently, I lived in big cities. First, in Istanbul for 6.5 years and then in Los Angeles for 6.5 years. Istanbul has a population of 15 million and it is the bigger of the two, but both are big, active cities. I loved living in them when … Continue reading Change and Aging
