Alan Watts, philosopher and popularizer of Eastern spiritual ideas to the West, observed that “everyone’s a philosopher; most are poor ones.” That is, just in the nature of human life itself, you can’t get away from reaching conclusions concerning “what it’s all about” and the meaning and purpose of your life, yet few ... Read More
“Renewal at Nature’s New Year” (or “Anybody Can Meditate!”)
I’ve never really understood why we make resolutions in the dead of winter, at the darkest, coldest time of the year. Or even why we celebrate the New Year at that time, just because Julius Caesar said so and had the calendar set up that way (before 45 B.C.E., the New Year started in March). The obvious time to ... Read More
The Neurochemistry of Hope
As I write, it’s one day past the start of Spring, and we’re in the middle of a Nor’easter dumping six inches of snow so far on New York City. So it seems worth reminding ourselves of the old familiar saying of the English poet Alexander Pope, “hope springs eternal.” So, hopefully, will Spring--eventually. Although ... Read More
Minding the World with Care
“Mindfulness” is an idea that seems to be everywhere, sometimes; at least, if you hang out in spiritual, recovery, therapy, or other healing-based places. It’s an idea that began to gain a toehold here in the west back in the 1970s, when adventurous spiritual seekers like Joseph Goldstein, Jack Kornfield, and Sharon ... Read More