There Are No Quick-Fixes - Issue 52 - 12th March 2023

We live in a instantaneous and fast-moving culture with five second videos, fast-food, same-day deliveries and instant communication. We want dopamine and we want it now. We want quick fixes and instant solutions to all of our problems; hungry? Order fast-food. Bored? Scroll through countless five-second videos. Need anything you could possibly think of? Order it and you might just receive it hours later. Hate what someone tweeted? Tweet them abuse in an instant.

Don’t Get Lost in the Future - Issue 51 - 5th March 2023

As you can probably guess by now, I am currently dissecting Lao Tzu’s Tao Te Ching, so expect further quoting from this book. “Act without doing; work without effort. Think of the small as large and the few as many. Confront thedifficult while it is still easy; accomplish the great task by a series of small acts. The Master never reaches for the great; thus she achieves greatness. When she runs into a difficulty, she stops and gives herself to it. She doesn’t cling to her comfort; thus problems are no problem for her” (1).

Sacrifice The Conventional - Issue 50 - 26th February 2023

When we sacrifice what we truly cherish, meaning is uncovered. By sacrificing our sense of moral systems, we know what is right and what is wrong. When we sacrifice conventional forms of success and fortune, you will be rich. When we sacrifice hope, faith and ideology, we become wise and fulfilled.

Fulfilment Through Welcoming - Issue 49 - 19th February 2023

“Do you have the patience to wait till your mud settles and the water is clear? Can you remain unmoving till the right action arises by itself? The Master doesn’t seek fulfilment. Not seeking, not expecting, she is present, and can welcome all things.” This is a quote from one of the best books ever written, The Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu. It was written hundreds of years ago and it is an immortal piece of literature due to its profound themes that are applicable to every situation, at any time.

The Risks of Life - Issue 48 - 12th February 2023

It seems counterintuitive that staying safe, within the confines of a mortgaged house, working a sensible, well-payed job carries little risk with a moderate-level of reward, however this is a lie we use to convince ourselves of sensibility. The truth is that when we settle and sacrifice adventure and theunknown, we are risking our own fulfilment, which we can all agree is vitally important. The risk of not fulfilling our potential is huge. After all there is only one life and so settling for mediocre is actually the biggest and most significant risk we could possibly take.

Travel Log - Nottingham, England - Issue 47 - 5th February 2023

This newsletter will mainly centre around my recent trip down to Nottingham in which my partner and I caught up with family, ate some incredible food, drank some unique cocktails and saw a mesmerising show. What I will say about travelling anywhere new is that, wherever you go, make sure you leave some time to just sonder through the streets with no fixed schedule or intention other than taking in the city. We did this for a few hours and we managed to see some beautiful parts of the city and how the people of Nottingham live.

The Illusions of Fear & Hope - Issue 46 - 29th January 2023

One of the most profound pieces of philosophy ever produced is Lao Tzu’s Tao Te Ching, loosely translated as “The Book of The Way.” Written centuries ago, it is still the most widely translated work in world literature after the Bible (7), thus its eight one pages must hold some philosophic gems.

The Necessity of Binaries - Issue 45 - 22nd January 2023

There are few things in life that are true necessities. A necessity is a state or fact that is unavoidable, thus an aspect of life that is unavoidable is pain and suffering. Pain is a necessity for life because without it, we would not have it’s opposite: pleasure. This brings me to another necessity of life: reaction. It is a fact of physics that every action has an equal and opposite reaction and so it can be said that there are binaries of life that are unavoidable.

A Life Examined - Issue 44 - 15th January 2023

For many, the idea of focusing attention inwardly can seem like a daunting task, although that simply points to it being a worthy pursuit. By focusing inwardly, I mean examining one’s mind in order to better understand consciousness, the world and what we call ‘the self.’

Embrace The True Nature of Reality - Issue 43 - 8th January 2023

I want to explore the nature of reality. We all, in some sense, forge our own realities, some more so than others. Some keep their realities small and comfortable, others explore beyond the confines of comfort. Some maintain ordered realities, others inhabit chaos. Some do so consciously, some unconsciously. Is there a true reality? That question has been pondered for centuries. The Buddhists believe that reality is change. This sounds plausible, in that the world and nature is ever-changing. Some attempt to shield themselves from this by ordering their realities around the comfortable and unchanging. This does them no favours. Unfortunately, the majority of people who struggle to live within the chaotic world struggle through no fault of their own, given the many factors that determine how an individual responds to change. Genetics, environment, upbringing, trauma, abuse and the nature of our modern society in which attention is profit all contribute to many of us craving comfort and distraction.