The Function of Meditation
A couple years ago I started coming across references to meditation in a variety of sources. They all suggested that sitting down and trying to focus on one thing for a while would reduce stress, improve health, and make you a happier person. So I researched meditation a bit more and gave it a try. […]
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The Eightfold Path
This article is not an explanation of the eightfold path of Buddhism. I have never been satisfied with the eightfold path; it feels like a list of tips rather than a path. This doesn’t seem like the best format to convince students of its effectiveness. This article is my interpretation of the actual path that […]
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The Paradox of Hedonism
Human motivation is governed by two genetically-programmed features: the pleasure/pain mechanism and the illusion of ego-persistence. The pleasure/pain mechanism is here to be understood in the broad sense of the “pleasantness”, positive or negative, of present experience. The illusion of ego-persistence is the programmed assumption that we have to be concerned about the future experiences […]
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The Desperation Cycle
Many Eastern philosophies advocate the reduction of desire in order to prevent suffering. The logic goes that if you desire little, there will be much less to disappoint you, and this is true. If you care about nothing, not even your own life, then what could possibly upset you? But by the same token, what […]
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The Psychology of Insecurity
Feelings of insecurity arise from a lack of control and confidence. When you have control of a situation, you aren’t so likely to get upset. If someone is giving you a hard time, you can just utilize your power to deal with it. But if you are relying on the cooperation of others in a […]
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Understanding Zen
Zen is a system of beliefs and practices deriving from Buddhism. It has two primary purposes. From Buddhism it inherits the goal of ending mental suffering through the refinement of thought patterns. In addition to this, Zen incorporates the goal of counteracting “oversocialization” with its own set of techniques. Oversocialization is a term borrowed from […]
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Aphorisms on Happiness
I have been studying the topic of happiness for some time now. After digging through many books and articles on Positive Psychology, Buddhism, and Epicureanism, I think I have found a set of core principles that underlay these works. Each principle is accompanied by a famous aphorism that illustrates the idea. “He who understands the […]
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Mood Regulation
Entrance to the Ents World Finding stability through lifestyle choices. Photo courtesy of Doblonaut Methods for improving life quality can be split into two categories: external and internal. External methods attempt to change the world to better suit your needs, whereas internal methods are cause you to change yourself to better suit your conditions. You […]
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Demystifying Meditation
Meditation A rational approach to meditation. Photo courtesy of Gurumustuk Singh I have heard a lot of good things about meditation, but the information always seems muddled. I once scoured the bookstore looking for the most scientific book on meditation I could find and I ended up with one called “How to Meditate” by Lawrence […]
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Mindfulness and Transcendence
Zen An analysis of Zen concepts. Photo courtesy of Rickydavid A large part of our subjective experience is based on the way we perceive things to be. A rainy day can be a downer if all you think about is how it cancelled your soccer match, but it can also be a pleasure if you […]
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