A conscious mind correctly functioning is a guardian for the heart. A weak and permeable conscious mind makes no distinction between that which should or should not be allowed into the heart, much like a border crossing guard asleep at his post. The world is full of dubious and nefarious agents. Anyone who interfaces with …
Tag: Philosophy
Altruism is Possible and Altruism is Real
I read a fascinating article in the New York Times called "Is Pure Altruism Possible?" The article's author, Judith Lichtenberg, is a professor of philosophy at Georgetown University who is writing a book on charity and her interest seems to be in part to discover ways to increase altruism in the world today. While much …
Happiness and Righteousness Redefined
As a young man approaching middle age, I often ask myself what it is that human beings truly seek. Material wealth and comfort appear on the surface to shape the thoughts and dictate the actions of many, but scratch a little deeper and you will find that the common goal of man is happiness and …
Just say no to negativity!
I came across a scientific explanation why humanity progresses in fits and starts rather than on the basis of eternal progress. Apparently our brains are hard-wired with what is called "negativity bias," a trait that proved favorable as the process of natural selection worked its magic on our species. Negativity bias is the tendency to …
A Mind Free of Unnecessary Things
Wumen Huikai was a 12th century Chan master who wrote many beautiful lines of verse. One of my favorites, called 10,000, delivers a poignant message: Ten thousand flowers in spring, the moon in autumn, a cool breeze in summer, snow in winter. If your mind isn't clouded by unnecessary things, this is the best season …
What’s new?
A friend of mine likes to ask "What's new" when he sees someone for the first time each day. I've noticed that most people answer "nothing much" or "same old same old" and rarely do they elaborate on what is actually new in their lives. Whether or not the question is intended to be rhetorical …
Anacondas, Truth and Envy
I saw two documentaries on the Anaconda, those infamous boas of the genus Eunectes. The first was a nature show that identified the Anaconda as one of the twenty deadliest critters on earth. The second, in stark contrast, featured a husband/wife team of scientists who walk through the swamps of South America (barefoot!) in order …
Creative Cycles, Creative Outcomes!
Between the shoulders of summer and fall lies my favorite 'tween' season. The bugs are less common in the cooler evening air while the biological clocks of the furry animals signal a coat change in preparation for the winter to come. The days, in the Great South anyway, continue to impart their only slightly diminished chaleur …
Purpose, Vision and Change
"Change is inevitable - except from the vending machine." ~ Robert C. Gallagher Of all of the assumptions that stop people from thinking clearly and from moving forward, there is one that stands as a giant amongst grasshoppers. I am careful to point it out as knowledge of this basic life principle is a double-edged …
A Bias for Action
Inertia is as great a force in human development as it is in nature. Defined as the resistance of any physical object to a change in its state of motion, inertia is the reason why the "stuck" things in your life tend to stay stuck while that which is in motion tends to continue moving. …
Gregory Hake 