That engagement with awe soaks into our soul and becomes part of it. We’re uplifted, giving us renewed wind in our sails; a sense of excitement and wonder. It engages us with the world It can be difficult to conceptualise fortune as we cannot see it or touch it, but we experience it nonetheless. Most […]
“My formula for greatness in a human being is amor fati: that one wants nothing to be different, not forward, not backward, not in all eternity. Not merely bear what is necessary, still less conceal it—all idealism is mendacity in the face of what is necessary—but love it.” Friedrich Nietzsche, 1888 (1908 published), Ecce Homo, […]
We know that truth can be painful to deliver and receive, and when relying on the truth to be kind we cannot guarantee to please and we will surely cause distress. But we decide what our motivations are and to what end. The act of being good implies adhering to a high standard of moral […]
Our surrounding conditions have the ability to consume us. It is incredibly difficult to fight against relentless and seemingly expanding gloom without being defeated. When we are choking on imposed misery, what are we capable of doing that isn’t a degenerative reaction to adversity. Defiance is the human spirit’s ability to disobey imposed influence. In a basic act of […]
There is so much about the world we don’t understand. It’s bizarre when we think about it; existing in this world and understanding so little. But at least it is outside of us. It can get really overwhelming when we consider how little we understand about ourselves. We are with ourselves all the time. We […]
In this act they redeemed their tragedy. They represented the very best of human nature, shouldering their suffering and showing courage in the face of fear. There are many things we wish we could change to be closer to who we want to be; the difficulty comes in how to make those changes. Imagine a […]
Fortitude is one of the cardinal virtues that most of us probably believe we understand. It is often called courage, strength, endurance-the facing of fears. But as ever, when discussed as a virtue, it becomes multifaceted. What is true and virtuous fortitude?
In late 1902, a young officer cadet began corresponding with poet Rainer Maria Rilke. ‘Letters to a Young Poet’ is a collection of Rilke’s letters to the young aspiring writer. In Letter No. 8, Rilke addresses the transformative nature of sadness. Marcus Aurelius was once the most powerful man on earth- a Roman Emperor. ‘Meditations’ […]
In recent history, the virtue of temperance has been associated with strict asceticism. A joyless lifestyle, filled with self-deprivation and suppression. But temperance was never meant to be an extreme. When we look further back in time, we find its essence and purpose. Quotes from Aristotle, Aquinas, Seneca & more. When overcome by a sense […]
What should we do in times of exhaustion? Perhaps ‘nothing’, is not the right answer. With quotes from F. Scott Fitzgerald, Joseph Addison & Charles Mackay. When we carry painful thoughts, a moment in silence can be a moment in hell. Can we tolerate sitting with stillness? Quotes from Seneca, Steinbeck & Eliot. In The […]
What can we do on the days when we can’t get a handle on negative emotions? Sometimes, the best we can hope for, is not to ruin another person’s day. With quotes from Malik, Aurelius & more. Are the cynics of the world bold realisers of truth? Or do they actually just lack the real […]
I am, like many people in the world I think, feeling significantly displaced. In his 1841 essay ‘Friendship’, R. W. Emerson looks at two basic elements that go into the composition of true friendship. With quotes from the essay. ‘Leisure time’ is a relatively new idea, and what it involves has changed dramatically. Does ‘leisure’ […]
Paying attention to what we say allows us to gain insight and promote change through our speech. With quotes from Heschel, Orwell & Eadie. Proverbs are nuggets of wisdom, passed down through centuries which we can still learn from today. ‘The Road to Hell is Paved with Good Intentions.’ The difference between being busy and […]
In Other Words | Page 2 of 9 | Making Sense of Good Advice
Feeling isolated isn’t so much about being alone, as it is about feeling like we are in it alone. With quotes from Jung, Donne & more. ‘A proverb is a short sentence based on long experience’, so said Miguel de Cervantes. This week’s proverb: “The frog in the well knows nothing of the sea.” What […]