Harper

  The wall that holds you in is the same wall that holds me out.

It seems that the faster we get, the less time we take to think deeply and clearly.  Decisions made in a hurry are rarely decisions well-made. Without regular analysis and reflection, we are at risk of living on autopilot or making decisions out of convenience rather than lasting value.   Taking the time to breathe, check in and deeply consider what we are doing, and why, it is always worth the extra time.   There is an instant buzz when reading a tweet or checking your phone, but you get a lasting benefit from reading a well reasoned article or taking time away from distractions.     Image Credit: Tim Gartside

We tell ourselves lies all the time. Little lies that cover up fears, insecurities. Lies that make us feel better. That obscure the truth. All so we don't see what it is we are avoiding. That which we fear most. 

Humans instinctively crave a sense of meaning and belonging. As well as a sense of mystery and connection. A link to the sacred, unconscious and unknowable dimensions of life. Which is probably why we created gods, religion and mythology in the first place. They gave us word and worlds to describe the great unknown, as well as security and stories we could share across generations. Acting as a guide with fables and cautionary tales on how to live. In the west we seem to have successf ully reduced and replaced these ideas with materialism, technology, mass marketing and conspiracy theories. While none of these factors are necessarily negative in their own right, the current situation leaves much to be desired socially. We have managed to take the mystery out of life, even reducing meditation to Mindfulness (TM). While this may be comforting for some, it is depressing for others.  Then there is the polarisation of identity politics and the isolation that comes from ...

Sitting at the top of the mountain never seems to feel quite as interesting as climbing the mountain.

I judge a piece of art by its ability to make me think. Boyhood has done just that. This film has made me consider my own mortality, growing up, life, experience, the greater meaning, is there one? All these topics we spend our lives living and considering. What is it all about? What is the next step? We spend so much of our youth projecting ideas, fascinations, hopes and possibilities into the future. What we get is never quite so fanciful, because its real and is tied to reality, to the moment. But then, sometimes things occur that are greater than we could ever have imagined. Those moments that transcend all others. We are greedy, and we never get enough of them, but those are the moments we live for. The moments of love, awe, of wonder. The moments where all the mundane drudgery of daily life is hidden by the bright glimmering experience of emotion, excitement and love. Thank you, Richard Linklater, for creating a story, a movie, that expresses the universal human e...

This quote from Stanislav Grof does a lot to clarify the difference between spirituality and religion. I don't believe in religion or some man in the sky, but I do believe there is a place in a human's life for spirituality. If there wasn't why would we have created gods in the first place? “To prevent the confusion and misunderstandings that in the past have plagued discussions about spiritual life and have created a false conflict between religion and science, it is critical to make a clear distinction between spirituality and religion. Spirituality is based on direct experiences of ordinarily hidden dimensions of reality. … Spirituality involves a special relationship between the individual and the cosmos and is in its essence a personal and private affair… By comparison, the basis of organised religion is institutionalised group activity that takes place in a designated location (temple, church, synagogue), and involves a system of appointed mediators...