THIS!

Mindfulness is about spending more time in the present moment. It is a concept that sounds simple and perhaps not very interesting, but in practice, the present moment turns out to be an elusive thing. It does not include the present day, hour, or minute. It is only right now. It is this moment, this experience, this feeling, this action. It is only THIS… right […]

Row Your Boat

Row, row, row your boat, Gently down the stream. Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily, Life is but a dream. Having a two-year-old at home, I have been revisiting a vast array of children’s nursery rhymes, song, stories, and fairy tales. Most carry no real weight as vehicles of philosophy, but “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” caught me by surprise. As simple as the words may sound, […]

Lessons from Water

Water knows no fear, anticipation, or surprise. Remaining calm, clear, and true, It suffers not the future And reflects beauty in tranquility. Water neither seeks nor resists conflict. Flowing with simplicity and efficiency, It suffers not the present And reflects beauty in turbulence. Water dwells not on drama or regret. Resuming the original condition, It suffers not the past And reflects beauty in equilibrium. Water […]

A Formula for Suffering (Part 3)

This three-part series uses mathematics, specifically algebra, as a metaphor for exploring and illustrating the relationships between the aspects of human experience that relate to suffering. In Part 2, we consolidated our previous equations into a single formula, which I dubbed the Unified Theory of Human Suffering: (14) Suffering = (Feeling x Control / Trust) + (Stress / Coping) This formula says that, if we […]