All posts in Philosophy
A Modest Goal
Photo: Muir park, San Fran Our goals in the practice of non-attainment may be quite modest – to be present in each moment’s sensation, perception, feeling, thought. We stop looking …
The Wind or the Sun?
Photo: akakumo In 2004, I learned our society was in serious trouble. I’d wandered onto Life After the Oil Crash, which aptly opens with the line: Civilization as we know …
The Enlightenment Business
Maybe you’ve felt it – or read it. Or perhaps even seen it. There’s a growing global sense that a worldwide shift is coming. While some link this shift with …
The Art Of Doing Nothing
I have a problem…and admitting it is the first step. I have a problem doing nothing. It’s not as bad as some people I’ve met. These are the people who …
Flow
Photo: hypergurrl I have a confession to make. Buddhism has been my philosophy of choice for the past 5 years. The smiling face and rounded belly of the Buddha never …
Osho: Life Is A Mystery
A few weeks ago, I wrote about my experience at an Adyashanti satsang. Aside from the talk itself, the most interesting part of the evening was the questions asked by …
The Necessity Of Facing Pain
Photo: azarius Norman Fischer, a Zen teacher recently returned from a meditation retreat, offers his views on why it’s important to tackle life’s problems head on. If you live long …
20 Questions, Age 28
Photo: oliphant These questions are in response to a post on Brave New Traveler, asking readers to chronicle their current spiritual beliefs. 1. Why is there poverty and suffering in …
The Need For Existential Understanding
Photo: questfortheheartstone “You are all here tonight, because you are here,” began Adyashanti, a spiritual teacher speaking in St. Andrew’s church in downtown Vancouver last Tuesday. “Why did you come? …
In Defense Of Flexitarian-ism
Thoughts on giving up meat-free for meat-less-often. A few years ago, I decided to band together with my wife and become vegetarian. Prior to this, I hadn’t attributed much thought …
Always On The Side Of The Egg
I recently came across this gem of a speech delivered by Japanese author Haruki Murakami. He was in Israel, accepting the Jerusalem Prize, given to writers whose work deals with …
The Message Or The Messenger?
Last week, I covered the Carnaval Baranquilla Colombia. Aside from the colourful costumes and legions of dancers, I couldn’t help but notice a little booklet that kept appearing. The book …
Us Versus Them
We. A film based on the words of Arundhati Roy The defining conflict of the 20th century tends to be characterized as Democracy versus Totalitarianism. First, the Fascist dictatorships of …
The Myth Of The Hero (And Why Small Things Matter)
A jug fills drop by drop. – Buddha Chesley Sullenberger miraculously landed US Airways Flight 1549 in the Hudson River, saving the lives of every passenger on board. On his …
Yes, Meditation Should Be Taught In Public School
Photo by Mre770 A recent article in the local paper “Breathing or Buddhism, parents ask” highlights a few parents who are upset their children are being taught “religion” in school. …
Does Your Path Have Heart?
I’m a believer that everything happens for a reason. But not in the way most people tend to use the phrase. Traditionally, I find optimistic people say “everything happens for …
Perfection Of Wisdom #02
“All my life I believed I knew something. But then one strange day came when I realized that I knew nothing, yes, I knew nothing. And so words became void …
Enjoy The Silence #01
“When a man (or woman) knows the solitude of silence, and feels the joy of quietness, he is then free from fear and he feels the joy of the dharma.” …
Do Films Like ‘Children of Men’ Warn Us Of Alternative Futures?
Last year, while watching Children of Men in the theatre, I remember feeling a slight twinge of deja vu. It wasn’t the personal type that makes you wonder if you’ve …
Aldous Huxley: Don’t Mistake The Trickle For Ultimate Reality
You are more than the mind occupying your body. In fact, you have a tenuous connection with your Higher Self, a part of you that is connected to the rest …