philosophy
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The benefits of walking in nature
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2 min read
One of the main benefits of walking in nature is that trees inspire feelings of awe. According to research done by psychology professor Dacher Keltner at UC Berkeley, awe benefits not only the mind and body but also improves our social connections and makes us kinder. Spending time outside is also vital as a de-stressor.…
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Fearing a loss of mind
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1 min read
There are very few moments in the day when we pause. Instead, we latch onto the sugary obsession of tech and its distractions, awaiting the next shock of dopamine. But we can have tea with ourselves, going through what our worries and wishes are in the quest for ever-fleeting presence. Man is more versatile than…
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‘Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it’
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1 min read
If you are thinking in absolutes, the fickle world will shake you. Uncertainty is what keeps you on our toes, never in a standstill. Predictable patterns try to lull you to sleep. You compel yourself to ride with the pendulum. Comfort meets chaos with patience and confidence. If you need reassurance, read Rudyard Kipling’s 1895…
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Curiosity is not neutral
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1 min read
Life can be a string of unnoticeable moments. That’s why we compel our eyes to see. The secret to paying attention is being inquisitive. Not just asking questions, but seeking a different perspective. People act like each other on the surface but deep down they are unique. They know how to intuitively think for themselves.…
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Go another click
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1 min read
Ask more questions, not because you want to be right but because you’re naturally curious and want to know more about the spaces inside, not the exterior of opinion. Wrote René Magritte: “Everything we see hides another thing; we always want to see what is hidden by what we see. Every thought has one that…
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Stuck on autopilot
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2 min read
Do you ever ask what happened to the day that just past? We often carry on throughout the day without thinking about our actions. We tune out of our existence, and we turn into robots, competent without comprehension. Said writer and philosopher Colin Wilson: “The more I allow the robot to take over my life—that…
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The gateway to light is the eye
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1 min read
A short-term realist, a long-term optimist. Can one hedge against fear and doubt while simultaneously pushing for a better and brighter future? Most of us struggle in bear markets when confidence ebbs into despair. We can only permit pertinacity. What keeps one going is the light at the end of the tunnel, connecting the slightest…
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Alan Watts: The Story of the Chinese Farmer
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2 min read
Some of Alan Watts’s most influential lessons and ideas emerged from lectures he gave at universities across the United States, including the old folktale of the Chinese farmer. The story, recorded and transcribed below (after the jump), is also part of a collection of lectures entitled Eastern Wisdom, Modern Life: Collected Talks: 1960-1969. The Story of…
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The unique shall inherit the Earth
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1 min read
There are three ways to stand out and be remembered: Be so good that they can’t ignore you. Be so interesting that they can’t ignore you. Be so unique that they can’t ignore you. Talent is usually enough, but everyone can take a great picture. Technology and the internet leveled the playing field. Grabbing attention…
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Upgrade your human operating system
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1 min read
There is no doubt that the mind changes as it ages. You’ll be a different person in your 20s, 30s, and so on. For some, brain deterioration is genetic. While you can’t medicate mental problems away, you can upgrade your internal software by widening your perception and controlling your emotions to so-called triggers. The human brain…
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The chemicals between us
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1 min read
We all want to experience pleasure all the time. But it’s utility is temporary, the dopamine hit comes and goes. Addiction is the attempt to make it last forever. Spinning the social media wheel, again and again, is a prime example of its superficiality. Happiness, on the other hand, “is long-term, additive and generous.” It’s…