I am struggling with a Nirvana paradox. If I approach cravings (thirst or tanha) as a buddhist, I want to gradually via the Middle Way and meditative practices eliminate them all. But isn’t the striving for nirvana (the extinction of tanha) also a craving or ‘thirst’ (tanha)? I end up having a thirst for Nirvana…
While philosophers have argued long on differentiating a human brain from a human mind, I find it tiresome – and difficult without adding terms like consciousness and soul. Like a self-congratulatory exercise that has no function other than distract you from more important work – living better. I recently stumbled on both a mindfulness practice…
Sometimes a book gets read and then fades away … very little impact other than enjoying a good story. Sometimes a book gets read and not only makes an impact for days or weeks, but actually changes the way I think – re-organizes my mental models. That’s this book – a new Great Book to…
After the recent article and post on Sudan’s food insecurity and humanitarian crisis, another article focused on agricultural solutions in Africa hit today. This article from The Conversation about the book, Decolonising African Agriculture: Food Security, Agroecology and the Need for Radical Transformation, by William G. Moseley. The UN State of Food Security and Nutrition in…
My moral outrage hit a high temperature this morning reading a great post from Reuters. How can we allow this to happen unless as a species we have removed our compassion and moral responsibility for others? This was Reuter’s post’s teaser in my daily email – I pay for Reuters News as one of my…
How often does a ‘read for fun’ book turn out to be one of the most inspiring and motivational books read in ages? The Art of Purring (David Michie) is just such a book. I initially picked it out of a digital library search on Dalai Lama, thinking I’d find a book about or by…
