After suffering for years from anxiety, doubt and depressed moods, I started doing what seemed the obvious, reading books. I read many Self-help books to address my suffering and live a better life. But now it has me. After over a decade of research, I wondered if all the reading was necessary. Doubts about self-help … Read more
Sometimes, I get upset, and one way I can deal with it is through Art.I get out a large sheet of paper and some pastels and scribble away my frustration, hurt, and fear onto the page.I feel better afterwards and more focused. I’ve heard it’s called Art as therapy. My Art for this is very … Read more
One attitude we often encounter in life is the notion we have to find ourselves or improve ourselves. ‘Know Thyself’. It’s said on the Oracle in Delphi in ancient Greece. The problem is finding the fixed self or essence to grasp or improve upon. As I learned this makes self-help and self-improvement a trap for … Read more
In some circles like academia and teaching, there is an expectation, even a pressure, to have art imbibed with meaning. It’s not enough to make pretty pictures; there has to be a narrative. Art is made for different reasons and to convey different things; sometimes it’s ideas; other times, it offers up experiences. There is … Read more
With the idea in Buddhism of No-Self or Non-self, there is a thought and concern that Buddhism is Nihilistic, denying any existence or meaning in life. It’s sometimes criticism of Buddhist philosophy, and we have questions as we investigate Buddhism. Illusion and Non-existence One reason why such an accusation of forwards is the Buddhist idea … Read more
My fear and anxiety have to do with the future, the fear of being overwhelmed or stressed by a situation. It’s that state where you are so overstimulated it feels upsetting. I feel it in the pit of my stomach, an uneasiness; I feel cold, palms sweaty, trembling hands. The overwhelm feels like a loss … Read more