:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(jpeg)/GettyImages-1298119727-327a0a61f8314749b9e239713e1e40fa.jpg)
The Benefits and Drawbacks of Celibacy
Celibacy, the voluntary abstention from sexual intercourse, is gaining traction among professionals seeking to sharpen focus and avoid health risks. Proponents highlight benefits such as increased productivity, reduced expenses on contraception, and deeper spiritual or personal growth. Critics point to potential downsides, including sexual frustration, social pressure, and gender‑biased stigma. The practice’s rise prompts businesses to reconsider wellness strategies and mental‑health support.
Thomas Rhett Knows the True Meaning of 'Live Like You Were Dying'
Country star Thomas Rhett appeared on the Human School podcast to unpack Tim McGraw’s “Live Like You Were Dying.” He argued that if every day felt like a final one, concerns such as a 401(k) or career milestones fade, while relationships and...
The Gift of Inner Stillness
“The Gift of Inner Stillness” curates a collection of mindfulness resources aimed at helping readers cultivate mental calm. The page links to over a dozen articles covering topics such as daily meditation, pain management during practice, and seasonal mindfulness rituals....
Spiritually Burned Out? Tish Harrison Warren and some Ancient Monks Have Advice.
Tish Harrison Warren, an Anglican priest and former New York Times columnist, released her fifth book, “What Grows in Weary Lands,” on May 12, 2024, describing her own spiritual burnout despite a thriving career and family. She credits a social‑media detox—prompted...
Letting Go of All Contraction
Michael Taft leads a guided nondual meditation that asks participants to set the thinking mind aside and rest in effortless presence. The session moves through sensory openness, mantra chanting, emotional awareness, and heart‑opening, repeatedly urging listeners to relax and let...
The Goal of Buddhist Life
The article frames Buddhism as a universal, non‑sectarian teaching rather than a religion, emphasizing the Buddha’s role as an investigator who uncovered timeless truth. It outlines the goal of liberation through understanding impermanence, suffering and non‑self, and describes the three...
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(jpeg)/balanced-stones-on-a-pebble-beach-875372302-5a91e16bc673350037f6c2ca.jpg)
How Spirituality Can Benefit Your Health and Well-Being
Spirituality, defined as a personal connection to something larger than oneself, is shown to improve mental and physical health. Research highlights reduced stress, anxiety, depression, and lower hypertension among individuals who engage in practices like meditation, gratitude, and community service....
How We Make Use of Our Inner Worlds
In "How We Make Use of Our Inner Worlds," Dr. Grant Hilary Brenner outlines a mental‑mapping framework that treats inner experience as a navigable terrain. He introduces a repertoire of "inner moves"—noticing, releasing, following, pushing, pulling, witnessing, and distancing—to help...
What Does “Divine Mother” Actually Mean?
The article explores the "Divine Mother" archetype, tracing its roots from Jungian psychology to religious traditions such as Catholic Marian devotion and Hindu goddess worship. It argues that the maternal image shapes personal identity, cultural narratives, and spiritual practices across...
Navel, Bury
The essay weaves a personal narrative of a pregnant academic navigating a new town, a historic college, and the lingering weight of colonial namesakes. It details the physical realities of early pregnancy, the emotional strain of a demanding job market,...
The Poetry of Simplicity
The article curates a suite of mindfulness resources—including sleep meditations, romantic rituals, grief release guides, and two‑minute practices—delivered via audio, music, and short reads. By emphasizing simplicity and brevity, it targets busy professionals seeking quick mental resets. The collection reflects...
Elisha Goldstein on the Power of Tiny Shifts
Psychologist Dr. Elisha Goldstein’s new book *Tiny Shifts* proposes a four‑step “Four R” method—Recognize, Release, Refocus, Reinforce—to break habitual emotional loops with micro‑adjustments. The approach blends mindfulness, somatic awareness, and neuroscience, showing how brief breath‑based releases can shift the brain’s...
I’m 37 and My Wife Asked Me What I Wanted for My Birthday and I Said I Didn’t Need Anything,...
A 37‑year‑old father reflects on his reflexive answer “I don’t need anything” when his wife asks about his birthday, tracing the response to a childhood scarcity mindset that equated wanting with being a burden. He discovers that the word “want”...
The Healing Power of Presence
The Healing Power of Presence curates a collection of mindfulness resources ranging from Kamma teachings to shamanic flute meditations and practical worksheets. It highlights how simple practices—like palm awareness or naming feelings—can be integrated into daily routines. The article links...
New Community Connections & Masterclass Wisdom: Deepening Your Mindfulness Journey Together
Mindfulness Exercises announced a major expansion of its Connect Community and Masterclasses Library, offering new recorded workshops and global discussion spaces for practitioners at all levels. The platform now hosts a growing collection of masterclass recordings covering authentic teaching, emotional...
5 Heart-Opening Yoga Poses to Help You Release Tension & Feel More Compassionate
The article spotlights five heart‑opening yoga poses—Puppy, Cobra, Fish, Wheel, and Child’s—that are designed to cultivate self‑compassion and empathy toward others. It explains how these backbends counteract the hunched posture of modern screen‑time life and activate the parasympathetic nervous system...
Mushrooms Made a Mother
A first‑person account details a guided psilocybin experience in suburban Atlanta, illustrating the author’s search for mental‑health relief after years of therapy and consumer excess. The narrative captures the emotional turbulence and curiosity that drive many to explore psychedelic‑assisted treatment....
Do We Think Too Much About the Future?
In his May 8, 2026 Open Questions column, Joshua Rothman argues that for most of human history people largely ignored attempts to predict the future, suggesting that modern preoccupation with forecasting may be misguided. He contrasts ancient humility with today’s...
Go as a River, Not a Drop of Water: Taking Refuge in the Sangha
In a 2002 Dharma talk, Thich Nhat Hanh describes taking refuge in the sangha as becoming a river that inevitably reaches the ocean, rather than a solitary drop of water. He explains the practice of kung‑an—an intense, personal koan that...
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(jpeg)/TAL-illustration-meditation-SILENTRETREAT1024-c882520da0e14c16bcadea8340e122b4.jpg)
What I Learned From a 7-Day Silent Meditation Retreat
A seven‑day silent retreat at Spirit Rock Meditation Center in Marin County gathered about 75 participants for a week of noble silence, guided by meditation teacher Oren Jay Sofer. The program centered on the four brahmavihāra—loving‑kindness, compassion, joy, and equanimity—through...
What’s the Attitude in the Mind?
The article explores how the mind automatically labels experiences as pleasant, unpleasant or neutral and then reacts with holding on, pushing away, or ignoring. It argues that resistance to unpleasant sensations and clinging to pleasant ones generate additional suffering, while...
When Insight Isn’t Enough: An Interview with Juliana Sloane on Imagination, Hypnotherapy, and Deeper Transformation
Juliana Sloane, a meditation teacher and hypnotherapist, explains why mere insight often fails to shift deeply ingrained habits. She argues that long‑standing neural pathways keep anxiety, self‑criticism, and relationship patterns intact despite conscious awareness. By entering natural trance states and...
5 Questions Yoga Teachers Can Ask Themselves Before Each Class
Veteran yoga instructors are learning to replace rigid lesson plans with adaptive teaching that meets the needs of each class. By asking five reflective questions—who they’re teaching, whether they’re trying to fix students, if they’re fostering dependence, if they’re teaching...
I’m 38 and I Realized Last Weekend that My Dad Has Started Walking Me to My Car when I Leave...
The author, a 38‑year‑old, realized his father has begun escorting him to the car and extending the goodbye by about five seconds, adding a brief comment and a longer wave. This subtle change, unnoticed for 18‑36 months, signals the father’s...
No One Has Greater Love…
The reflection interprets Jesus’ teaching that the greatest love is laying down one’s life for friends, linking it to his voluntary sacrifice on the cross. It draws parallels with parental sacrifice, citing the mother in the musical Miss Saigon as an...
Confessions of a Middle-Aged Mother
Amy Julia Becker reflects on how moving for her husband’s head‑of‑school role halted her writing career and sparked a deep sense of regret. She describes the tension between motherhood duties and personal ambition, noting that her creative output dwindled as...
I Asked 5 of My Friends What They’d Say at My Funeral and Then I Sat Quietly in My Kitchen...
The author asked five close friends to imagine speaking at her funeral, seeking an unfiltered view of how she actually shows up in their lives. Their responses highlighted calmness, steady presence, and attentive listening—qualities she hadn’t prioritized herself. The exercise...
What Your Dream Life Says About You
Italian researchers analyzed 3,366 dream reports from 207 adults using large language models, linking dream content and recall to cognitive traits, mind‑wandering tendencies, and sleep quality. The study, published in Nature Communications, found that people who value dreams, experience high‑quality...
The Generation that Sacrificed the Most for Their Families Is Now Quietly Grappling with a Question Nobody Prepared Them For:...
A growing cohort of Americans in their seventies and eighties, who spent their lives prioritizing family and work, now confront a silent identity crisis. Decades of caregiving and duty have left many unable to articulate personal preferences or passions. Researchers...
Sunshine and Green Leaves
The article uses a simple apple‑juice metaphor to explain how meditation works: just as pulp settles and the liquid clears after resting, the mind becomes calm when given space. It argues that true and false mind are one, warning that...
Chop Wood, Carry Water, Care for Your Mother
The author recounts caring for a mother dying of Lewy‑body dementia while grappling with personal loss and job instability. He describes how persistent frustration threatened his ability to be present, turning caregiving into a draining routine. By applying three decades...
Psychedelic Science Breakthrough: Increased Brain Entropy From Psilocybin Predicts Lasting Psychological Insight and Well-Being
Researchers at UCSF and Imperial College London reported that a single high dose of psilocybin (25 mg) triggers a rapid surge in brain signal entropy, which correlates with heightened psychological insight the next day and sustained improvements in well‑being up to...
Former IndyCar Driver Sam Schmidt On The Power Of Purpose
Former IndyCar champion Sam Schmidt explains how a defined purpose transformed his post‑racing ventures. He details the shift from pure competition to purpose‑driven leadership at Schmidt Peterson Motorsports and his venture‑building portfolio. By embedding purpose into hiring, sponsorship negotiations, and...
The Four Faces of a True Story
Davin Malasarn’s debut novel, The Outer Country, arrived in May 2026 under One World, Penguin Random House’s literary imprint. The story draws on Malasarn’s own experience with a Thai‑style conversion‑therapy ritual his aunt arranged during his teens. Framed as a...
Beyond the Glass Tunnel
Derek Parfit’s classic teletransportation scenario illustrates his claim that personal identity is not what ultimately matters. In *Reasons and Persons* he argues that persons are reducible to streams of physical and psychological events, a view echoing Buddhist no‑self (anatta) teachings....
Where Compassion Becomes Action
The essay, written amid missile sirens in Gaza, blends personal trauma with Buddhist mindfulness to illustrate how compassion can become concrete action. It explains that intergenerational war trauma leaves measurable physiological scars, and that meditation offers a way to sit...
The Gift of Getting Weirder With Age
A new study led by Texas A&M psychologist Rebecca Schlegel examined how people perceive their authenticity across the lifespan. Participants aged 19 to 67 rated each decade of their lives as a "chapter" on an authenticity scale. The results show...
Olga Fröbe-Kapteyn — the Artist Who Built an Archive to Decode Dreams
Dutch artist and mystic Olga Fröbe‑Kapteyn (1881‑1962) assembled a 6,000‑image Archive for Research in Archetypal Symbolism at Carl Jung’s request, traveling across Europe and the US throughout the 1930s‑40s. She founded the Eranos symposium in Ascona, where Jung gave the...
Have You Eaten Yet?
Truc, a lay Buddhist in Ho Chi Minh City, leads volunteers who deliver home‑cooked meals to street‑dwelling residents each night. Using motorbikes as mobile kitchens, the team serves 20‑30 hot boxes at a cost of under $1 per dinner. The effort is...
There’s a Specific Kind of Loneliness that Comes From Outgrowing the Life You Worked Very Hard to Build
The article explores a subtle form of loneliness that surfaces when high‑achieving individuals outgrow the lives they painstakingly built. Drawing on personal experience and Buddhist concepts of impermanence, the author describes feeling like a stranger in familiar surroundings and the...
The Philosophy Textbook Every Man Should Own
The Art of Manliness author recommends Norman Melchert’s textbook *The Great Conversation* as the most approachable yet comprehensive philosophy guide. After struggling with Aristotle’s *Metaphysics*, the author found the book clarified complex ideas and helped re‑read primary texts. Priced at...
I Grew up with Parents Who Said They Loved Me but Were Never Around, and the Hardest Part Wasn’t the...
The author reflects on a lifelong pattern of chasing partners who disappear and reappear, a behavior rooted in an anxious‑preoccupied attachment formed by inconsistent parental love. After nearly 40 years of mistaking intermittent attention for affection, therapy and self‑study have...
A Fearless Activist and a Rebel for Her Time
Clare Paterson’s new biography, *The Nine Lives of Annie Besant*, chronicles the life of the British‑born activist who became the first woman president of the Indian National Congress in 1917 and a leading figure in the Theosophical Society. The book traces...
Nothing Prepared Me for Losing My Mother. But in Islam, to Mourn Someone Means Keeping Them Alive in Our Actions...
Shadi Khan Saif recounts the profound loss of his mother, who died after a prolonged illness in Kabul, and reflects on how Islamic teachings shape his mourning. He describes the communal support at the mosque and the Afghan belief that...
Salman Khan’s Co-Star Anna Jaisinghani Quit Showbiz for Spirituality, Lives in Vrindavan
Anna Jaisinghani, who entered the Indian entertainment world as a freelance choreographer in 2011 and later landed TV roles on Crime Patrol and Savdhaan India, announced she has left showbiz for a spiritual path. Her breakout came as the lead’s...
The Way, the Truth, and the Life
Blessed James Alberione, founder of the Pauline Family, frames his core devotion around Jesus as the Way, the Truth, and the Life, echoing John 14. He teaches that this triad is both a theological anchor and a mission‑driven call for modern...
In ‘Conversion Therapy Dropout,’ a Survivor Exposes the Discredited Practice
The U.S. Supreme Court’s 8‑1 ruling upheld Colorado’s ban on conversion therapy, preserving a key legal barrier against the practice. Survivor Timothy Schraeder Rodriguez released a memoir, "Conversion Therapy Dropout," detailing his eight‑year experience with Exodus International and ongoing evangelical pressures....
Struggling in Warrior 2? Here’s How to Work With Gravity Instead of Against It.
The article reframes the Warrior II pose as a study in how the body relates to gravity, outlining three distinct states—collapse, prop, and yield. It argues that yielding, or trusting the earth’s support, creates balanced muscle tone, deeper breathing, and optimal...
Take Your Seat, Wherever You Are
Cabin Cushion, a sustainable textile brand, creates waterproof meditation cushions from upcycled clothing and recycled denim, produced in New York and Nepal. Its sister venture, Centered Life, is a nature‑inspired sanctuary offering sensory‑immersion rooms, workshops, and a seed library. Both...
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(jpeg)/GettyImages-1223950839-1f57b70c4cc349b49904ac65fb3767cd.jpg)
Nihilism: History, Philosophy, Theories
Nihilism, first coined by Friedrich Jacobi in the Enlightenment, questions any intrinsic purpose in life and has been shaped by thinkers such as Kierkegaard, Turgenev, and Nietzsche. The philosophy splits into several strands—existential, cosmic, ethical, epistemological, and political—each targeting a...