Whether we find ourselves in a time marked by setbacks, or a period in our lives when we are doing well, one should always be aware that ups and downs go hand in hand. This is precisely the theme that Alan Watts, in his lecture on the fact that ups and downs go together, has treated....
There is much more behind these words than just a simple phrase. Miyamoto Musashi did not give them a lot of meaning for nothing. Just because something sounds banal at first, we shouldn't simply dismiss it, and that's exactly how it is with this quote from the Japanese sword master and Zen Buddhist: "Accept everything as it is....
Even though we all live in the present, we often think that we are driven by the past. Alan Watts addressed this very issue in his talk "Living In The Present" using a boat analogy. Alan Watts wants to say with his boat analogy that just as a ship is not propelled by its wake, neither are we...
There are many wise quotes and often they sound like a rather trivial phrase. But that doesn't mean they hold much truth and great utility - if we take them to heart. This quote by Miyamoto Musashi belongs exactly to this category. Originating from the time of the samurai, it therefore still has relevance today: It...
"According to the nature of the objects which thou most commonly imaginest, thy disposition also will be determined; for from thoughts the soul takes its color." - Marcus Aurelius First, I'd like to put this quote into slightly more modern words to make the content a little more understandable. "Your mind will take the form of....
The Japanese concept of Ikigai, has been making its way more and more into our western world for some time now. I have noticed, however, that we Westerners have imported this concept too - what would be the right word to describe it correctly - "clumsily". Too unreflective, respectively not holistic enough. And that brings problems with it. If...
I see the need for emotional distance most clearly in times when a lot is happening quickly and you are more likely to be overwhelmed by the situation than to actually manage it, for example when you are separating from your partner or starting a new job. In such times, simply pausing for a moment can allow us to view the situation in a completely...
It's a great feeling every time I get into the flow state. It used to happen from time to time. By sheer coincidence. And I wasn't really aware of what was happening. Being in flow was a concept to me, but I had no idea how much more was hidden behind it. After a long...
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