It’s never been easier than now to use an electronic device to trigger a cascade of stress hormones and immunosupressing responses within our bodies. …

I recently realized that “personal growth” is like a treadmill. For years, I associated personal development and my striving to be a better person with some kind of moral high ground. Now, I’m really questioning that certainty. It began obliquely. My recent quitting of caffeine has left me calmer and…

I’ve been off caffeine since the last few days of 2019. At the end of this month, I’ll be travelling to the desert to participate in a 12 day initiation, also known as a Wilderness Fast (Vision Fast). …

People often talk about the importance of gratitude and appreciation, being thankful, and having a very positive outlook on things. It’s become hip to think of gratitude and “be grateful.” In general I agree, this is helpful (and virtuous!), however, it can also be from a sense of guilt that…

There’s a guy I play hockey with who has a certain quality. I had to think about it for a while, but the best way I could come up with is to say that he possesses “Radiant Intent.” His posture is excellent. He is always driving forward, moving the puck…

Since the end of WWII, a particularly insidious idea has crept into western culture. This idea, that one’s individual life has at its focal point the fulfillment of personal desires and aspirations, found fertile ground in 20th century consumer capitalism. …

“Life is suffering” has become a common trope, especially with the subterranean swing toward classic “conservative” values in the under 30 crowd. It’s interesting to see this trend arise in response to the more superficial gestalt we often find on Instagram, where life is presented as extra shiny and extra…

While tarot cards, astrology and the I-Ching have grown more popular in the past decade, they still retain an aura of taboo. Talking to my conservative friends about my use of these tools isn’t something I have much attempted. …

In Buddhism, Stoicism, and with certain modern father figures like Jordan Peterson, we hear that “life is suffering.” From Peterson at least, we hear this as unassailable fact, but that one way of mitigation can be found through the cultivation of personal meaning. In other words, if you have a…