The Ramana Maharshi self-inquiry meditation inspired my “Who am I?” poem. I send massive gratitude to Ramana Maharshi for inspiring me to shape this poem. – Who am I? I was born in the city of Isfahan That’s the place my parents met They fell in love, danced the flame of love and drama kind of – Who am I? I am a daughter A Sister A … Continue reading Who am I?
It’s that time of year again when people think about the new year and how they’d like to make changes in their lives going forward. We often refer to these proposed life modifications as “new year’s resolutions.” The other day, while stepping out of the shower, the idea hit me—insights come as flashes of insight and often at the strangest times—that the way we verbalize … Continue reading Repost: The Importance of Language When Making New Year’s Resolutions
Santa Claus is a myth. Rudolph was created by a sales and advertising team. Scholars debate the historical existence of Jesus. Yet, Christmas remains the most powerful holiday on the calendar, and with good reason. Continue reading The True Power Of Our Artificial Christmas
In “What I’ve Learned about Life while Watching My Father Age,” a blog I wrote several weeks ago, I mentioned that I’d been reading On Death and Dying, a wonderfully insightful book written by Elisabeth Kϋbler-Ross. Throughout that tome, the author argues that doctors need to take a more “human” approach while treating dying patients. She also points out that the field of medicine stresses the … Continue reading Repost: The Real Secret to Being Happier and More Successful in the Workplace
This post will list and explain five key defining features of Complex PTSD, and point you toward the work of Pete Walker. This of course is not medical advice. Complex PTSD, by the way, is one example of what Johann Hari classes as a psychological cause of depression, within his division of depression causes into social-environmental, psychological, and biological. See my post Non-Pharmaceutical Anti-Depressants and … Continue reading Pete Walker’s Five Key Features of Complex PTSD
In the course of human history, safety has always been a guiding star. People established a structured society, enacted laws, and formed alliances to protect themselves from the physical dangers that have been and are still present in the world. However, nowadays, we see security taking center stage, outshining the conventional focus on safety. Imagine a bustling metropolis in the heart of modernity, where the … Continue reading A Paradigm Shift: Why Today We Prioritize Security Over Safety
Please don’t misunderstand. Gratitude, and the cultivation of gratitude, are wonderful. What I am asking is whether there are ways in which gratitude, or messaging about gratitude, or the cultivation of gratitude, can go wrong? How can gratitude go wrong? Have you ever experienced or seen this? (This image thanks to Pexels) Continue reading Question of the Day: How can gratitude sometimes go wrong?
My greatest regret during my Peace Corps experience is that I wasn’t into taking photos at that time. I was into living life, though, as hard as it could be lived, tiptoeing right up to the line of being wildly self-destructive. It’s just that I don’t have much of a photographic record of all that living beyond the boundaries. I do have memories, tons of … Continue reading Repost: Places that “Made” Me: Installment Three
If you read my first installment, you know that I was a Peace Corps Volunteer and was sent to PĨock, Poland, a beautiful and fascinating city located on the Vistula River, to complete my Pre-Service Training (PST), a demanding educational regime that was designed to see if I’d be up to the various challenges I’d certainly encounter once I was sent off to the town or city … Continue reading Repost: Places that “Made” Me: Installment Two
My mind works in mysterious ways. For example, three or four days ago, for no particular reason, the following question popped into my head: I wonder who said, “Clothes make the man”? I then almost immediately forgot that I’d asked this question—my brain having its own unique way of functioning—and went about my daily business. This morning I got online and found out that Mark … Continue reading Repost: Places that “Made” Me: Installment One
I’ve been thinking a lot about anger recently. In fact, I’ve been looking at the topic long enough to be ready to put my thoughts on paper. For a person interested in studying anger and the angry response, this is a kind of perfect moment. There’s so much anger out there, being expressed in all sorts of contexts by all kinds of people, that there’s … Continue reading Repost: On Anger
On Friday, October 11th, I attended a professional development workshop at the college where I’m employed. The title of the session was “Communication Skills for Collaboration.” Looking back, I don’t think the title gave an apt preview of what the talk would cover. Plus, the title was boring; whereas, the actually workshop was quite interesting. During the early moments of the presentation, the presenter began … Continue reading Repost: A Meditation on Something I Heard the Other Day
That we come to know of this ancient idea of the philosopher and philosophy is not trivial. I say “come to know” because it isn’t simply that we don’t pay enough attention to it. The idea seems somehow to be hidden and fairly unknown, even though it ought to be evident and well-known. This is all the more curious because… Continue reading Recovering the Original Meaning of Philosophy
I’m getting older. We all are. Of course, as we age, we lose things. For example, because I’m older and injured my knee playing competitive sports when I was a young guy, I can no longer jog without having significant pain afterwards. That sucks, but I’m fine with that limitation and loss. It’s not all bad news though. I’m gaining things too. For example, I … Continue reading Repost: On Dealing with Emotional Extremes
I think the claim that Marcus Aurelius would not have thought himself a philosopher is incorrect. At the same time, the way it is incorrect is very interesting. Exploring this will show us some important things about what philosophy and philosophers were in the ancient world, what they are perceived to be now, and how we might choose to regard and engage in philosophy going forward. Continue reading Marcus Aurelius: What Is a Philosopher?
Step into the world of Qi Gong, an age-old practice that traces its roots back to the rich world of ancient China, where it first blossomed some 5000 years ago. This holistic discipline has been profoundly shaped by an interweaving of philosophical strands, including the profound wisdom of Taoism, the transformative teachings of Buddhism, and the ethical principles of Confucianism. Initially flourishing within the realm … Continue reading Explore the Ancient Origins of Qi Gong: A Journey Back in Time
I’ve been thinking a lot about defiance lately. Actually, because I’m very much a contrarian at heart, I’m always thinking about ways to defy. That’s what contrarians do; they defy conventional wisdom (among other things). (By the way, it seems pretty clear that we need a lot more contrarians in the world.) I guess you could also say that I’m part of the resistance against … Continue reading Repost: Napping as an Act of Defiance
Not that long ago, I found myself stopped at a traffic light, across from a rather pricey development combining shopping and dining. Next to the road was a large sign, advertising for the entire place. What caught my eye was the slogan for this place: “Feed Your Appetite.” I was partly amazed, partly amused, and partly disturbed. Of course, if what “feed your appetite” meant … Continue reading Feed Your Appetite: An Unintentionally Honest Slogan?
Several centuries ago, during the peak of the Japanese autumn, in one of Kyoto’s splendid gardens, a tea master instructed his apprentice to prepare for a tea ceremony. The young man meticulously trimmed hedges, carefully raked the gravel, plucked dry leaves from the stones, and cleared the mossy path of any twigs. The garden appeared flawless: every blade of grass was perfectly in place. Silently, … Continue reading Embracing Wabi-Sabi: The Beauty of Imperfection in Japanese Culture
I’ve been forgetful lately. I’m talking like, I’ll be in one part of my house, decide that I need something from another room, head to that locale, and as soon as I arrive there, I can no longer recall what I wanted to get. I know this is a near universal human experience because I’ve had numerous friends, once I’ve told them about this tendency … Continue reading Repost: Does Anyone Know Where I Left My Car Keys?
