A nice little exercise to clarify your direction, in regard to life in general, or in relation to some specific thing. Make two short lists: Desired. The things you most desire for yourself in life. Admired. The qualities you find most praiseworthy and admirable in other people. You will often find yourself with two very different [...]
Category: Philosophy
Feel the feelings
We feel all kinds of feelings about all things. That is normal. It goes on all the time, and often the messages carried by them are confusing and conflicted. If you let them dictate your direction, you will get nothing done, or you will get the wrong things done. Let your brain do the thinking. [...]
Flow freely, without compulsion
Do not desire something at any cost. Do not avoid something at any cost. Withdraw into self-sufficiency when needed. Keep your mind free of unhealthy passions, to the best of your ability. That free mind is your fortress. Make it strong! (Meditations 8:48) Take the information provided to you by your initial impressions. Don't torture [...]
Learn to be happy – Memento Mori
Just remember that this will not last, not forever and not even for a very long time. There will be the last breath. The last kiss. The last meal. The last time for anything and for everything. Don't worry and think so god-damn much. Live now and give a lot of kisses. Play that guitar [...]
If it’s not right or true
“If it’s not right, don’t do it. If it’s not true, don’t say it.” Marcus Aurelius Sometimes it's the most simple and obvious advice that we need.
It does not exist!
At that moment, consciousness looked at the thought “I can’t live with myself,” and I realized there are two here—“I” and the “self I can’t live with.” And then there was another little thought: Who is this self that I can’t live with? But there was no answer; that was the last question. And then [...]
The watchword of the day
Attention. Retire into thyself. The rational principle which rules has this nature, that it is content with itself when it does what is just, and so secures tranquility. - Marcus Aurelius, Meditations 7.28 The directing mind is satisfied when doing the right thing. Therefore, watch what you do. Keep it clear all the time; am [...]
Expect difficulties
Today as I was planning the day ahead, I made a little list of things I'd like to get done today. From there I moved on to remind myself of the expected difficulties. 1) Greed. Not being happy with all the wonderful things I have but wanting more. 2) High expectations. Nagging doubt that I [...]
How much virtue does one need on a given day, anyway?
Turns out that... It depends. “...the harder these things are to bear, the more virtue you must summon to your aid, and the more bravely you must struggle... - Seneca When you have nice problems, small problems, or no problems at all, you can do with fairly little virtue. When life throws fear, pain, sorrow [...]
What needs to happen today
So now the time has come to stop some things altogether. Time to stop whining, bitching, criticising, judging and to stop saving yourself from the trouble. It is time to cut out any traces of passive-aggressivity and sense of entitlement. It is now a perfect, and a due time to do all this, [...]
Fate Permitting 