“Nothing is exactly as it seems, nor is it otherwise.” Alan Watts
Here is a reality that many of us forget: Everyone is partially correct. Every theory, belief, and philosophy…partially correct. There is a Zen saying I think describes this: “As soon as you speak of something, you have missed the mark.” I think this applies to our perception of reality as well. When it comes to our understanding of reality, Continue reading
I read a great piece today from Brian Kim. It came in an E-mail, but I’ve added his site to the blogroll, because he gets to the heart of things rather quickly on what can be a complicated matter of happiness. If you came here direct to my post, here is the link: briankim.net.
The quote that stuck in my head is Continue reading
Remember the Stoic Triad? Body, Mind, Spirit? At this point, I would like to talk about Body, about minding your health.
“Keeping your body healthy is an expression of gratitude to the whole cosmos-the trees, the clouds, everything.” Thich Nhat Hahn Continue reading
In your preparation for taking on life, there are three facets of your training that are key. You’ve heard them before, as they are nothing new. They are Body, Mind, and Spirit. A Stoic Hero, of course has his own spin on these three aspects. I know these seem kind of cliche. I tried to be more original but there really is no other way to break it down. To be ready, to be virtuous (which means to be happy), I have to work on all three. They are not independent of each other…no way! Your physical health is affected by your mind and spirit, your mind is connected to your body is connected to your emotional well being, and on and on. Interestingly, each of these aspects fit quite nicely with the buoys on my philosophical raft. Continue reading
Every once in a while my view on how society should be organized seeps into my entries on philosophy. This view stems from my objectivist leanings, as well as my libertarian outlook. I say “should be” because society is actually a compendium of different personal philosophies bastardized by the collective brutality of government, societal norms, and those who abuse natural law. Simply put, how things should be as a society are not how they are…at least not exactly. However, that does not mean that I shouldn’t strive for the “ought.” The Stoic maintains his virtue despite its absence all around him.
A cornerstone of our behavior is personal liberty. Continue reading