Tag: buddhism

After a while, I realized when I allow myself to be empty and still, I don’t stay that way–well-being inevitably follows, and inspiration follows that well-being. As I began to accept the idea that well-being is my default state, I also began to accept the related premise that this same well-being alchemizes thoughts and emotions…

The true self, I believe, is not a series of narratives that run through my mind, reiterating who I was, who I am, who I’ll be, and/or why any of those narratives aren’t valid or real. It’s a wordless transcendence that becomes apparent when all the narratives quiet and still.

Perhaps abundance is not defined by resources, but through unrealized possibilities. Maybe there’s always a way to pull a benefit out of unpleasantness, defying odds, expectations, and ironclad beliefs.

I’ve swung from denying negativity, to accepting to it, to allowing it (allowing it, in my opinion, is different from acceptance in that it doesn’t immediately assign it a fixed quality or quantification, which is what usually happens when I accept. Allowance just lets it be, without intellectual categorization). Allowing it, in my experience, expands…

As soon as we’re born, we’re pushed and pulled by countless conditions, originating from biology, society, and circumstance. For much of my life, I viewed this in a resentful light, as a series of obligations I never asked for. Then, after I railed against the world for several decades, I began to play with the…

Perhaps we are born with internal guidance–a compass that transcends external metrics, that can guide us through societal standards, and let us know when to conform or diverge. Perhaps fulfillment isn’t dependent on chasing metric after metric, checking off box after box, and is more a function of conscious allowance: settling into the present moment,…

Many seem intent on condemning themselves, even though they’re with that same self every hour of every day; through ingestion, excretion, every second of sleep, and in other private moments. No one but you sees the entirety of your existence, from mundane to profound to exciting to routine. I’d rather not spend energy beating myself…

My view of abundance is that it isn’t just about resources and time, but an abundance of possibility–I believe good can become bad, but more importantly, that bad can become good. Practically, that boils down to staying present and open, so my creativity, imagination, and spontaneous inspiration can sync with my perception and plans. Instead…

I used to put great weight in originality, until I realized everything is original by default. (Even if there’s seemingly a repetitive event, nothing has occurred in the exact same universal configuration of particles and energy). So i shifted focus to whether something felt personally engaging–whether its tone and delivery sparked inspiration and resonance. Who…

How much do I want to loathe and condemn, in search of an abstract promised land that hides behind unending problems, supposedly deserving of my unending hate? I hope not as much as I want to be present, and framing our transient and mysterious existence as adventure, opportunity, and healthy engagement with growth and challenge.…