“Nothing is neither good nor bad, but thinking makes it so”, wrote Shakespeare. Interpreting things and finding meaning for them is so automatic we don't generally question it. Our minds provide an endless parade of interpretations and meanings in the personal soap opera we call thinking. There is another way, but you may not like it.
Open mind good – closed mind bad; it is implied if not actually said. The trouble is that even when the mind is open there is a sort of glass door just behind the opening that filters what comes in. It's no good having and open mind if it is only 'open' to what yo want to hear.
'Spiritual' does not only mean 'religious'. It has a lot to do with confidence, sense of purpose and wellbeing.
Delusion is unavoidably part of what we are. We condemn it in others but rely on it in ourselves. Conversely we also accept it socially and can use it destructively against ourselves. It's a necessary habit, but one that needs to be kept in check, and while it is perhaps socially necessary to deny that we lie, on a personal level we need to be more honest.
If only they knew how! There are issues of of ability and responsibility when it comes to managing your personal space.
It's been said that we are symbol making creatures, and symbols are a powerful influence in our lives. Happy New Year.
When you hear it, make sure you understand what is meant, in that particular case.
Today may be a significant day. Even if it isn't, for you, it could be made into one. You don't have to be a philosopher to think about what's important to you, and there are more opportunities to do that than you might think.
If you have ever done a meaningful interview with another [...]
Causal explanations – where we make automatic assumptions or explanations for events – can be very upsetting. Since it is the meaning we give to something can trigger an emotional response, we had best beware of meanings. It get worse, guess who is responsible for meaning?
