Epictetus' path to freedom attends to the aspects of life that can be controlled, while meeting with equanimity the things we can do nothing about.
Tag: Happiness
Alain de Botton on Why We Marry the Wrong People
Alain de Botton takes a sledgehammer to the notions of romanticism that spawn unrealistic expectations in relationships which eventually lead to disillusionment and painful parting.
Nietzsche on Why It Is Also Important to Forget
Friedrich Nietzsche suggests that the key to happiness is knowing when to remember and when to forget.
Words of Advice from Ruth Bader Ginsburg
In tribute, and with gratitude to Ruth Bader Ginsburg, here is a selection of some of her finest pieces of wisdom.
Philip Larkin – High Windows
Written in 1967, at the height of the sexual revolution and the Summer of Love, Philip Larkin's High Windows is about sex, freedom, generational shifts and transcendence.
Staying With the ‘Ouch’ – Tara Brach
Why is self-acceptance so hard and self-criticism so deeply wired in us? Psychologist and teacher of meditation Tara Brach reminds us that self-love is one of the most neglected areas of our psychic landscapes.
The Most Penetrating Preachers: Herman Hesse’s Ode to Trees
This wonderful fragment of Hermann Hesse's writing comes from a book that's actually out of print and one of the hardest of the author's books to come by - Wandering: Notes and Sketches. The book itself follows the author's contemplations through nature and the insights that transpired. Here he talks about his reverence for trees,… Continue reading The Most Penetrating Preachers: Herman Hesse’s Ode to Trees
Suffering, Crying, Happy Buddha
The kind of happiness Buddhism proposes to us is not of the sunny, skipping-through-a-field-of-daisies variety, but rather a readiness and a sense of composure in facing whatever feeling might come up, be it pleasant or unpleasant. In this chapter from his book, Branching Streams Flow in the Darkness - which is based on a series… Continue reading Suffering, Crying, Happy Buddha
Who Am I?
Who am I? Is the central question of Indian sage Sri Ramana Maharshi's lifelong teaching about the true nature of the Self. That single persistent inquiry, he says, is all that is necessary to activate an awareness of the delusory sense of Self that the mind creates. This excerpt is taken from a booklet titled… Continue reading Who Am I?
Jane Hirshfield’s “A Carbon-Based Life Form”
New York-born poet Jane Hirshfield studied Zen at the San Francisco Zen Center and at the monastery in Tassajara for a total of eight years before going on to garner a host of accolades for her poetry writing and editorial work. "A Carbon-Based Life Form" A person tired from happiness grows sober. Another, worn… Continue reading Jane Hirshfield’s “A Carbon-Based Life Form”