What if the darker moods of life are not merely obstacles to happiness, but invitations to discover a deeper way of being? Drawing on the mythological figure of Saturn and Thomas Moore’s Care of the Soul, this article explores how melancholy, contemplation, and the acceptance of life’s shadows might deepen the soul and help us find meaning beyond the demand to “only count the sunny days.”
A plethora of spiritual practices are suitable for the naturalist.
A naturalist points to wisdom to be gleaned from the historic Jesus of Nazareth.
Human beings inhabit two realities at once: the immediate world revealed by our senses and the mental world woven from memory, language, imagination, and belief. This article explores how mindfulness can help us reconnect with direct experience without abandoning the uniquely human capacity to create meaning, culture, and possibility.
There is a profound difference between using AI as a tool to save yourself a little time and using it to do all the thinking for you. I will stand in defense of genuine, independent, tech-free critical thinking.
When we identify with our fellow humans on the basis of our weaknesses rather than our supposed strengths, we open ourselves up to real connection with one another.
Losing oneself in the beauty of nature or great art is only one specific form of un-selfing, but there are others.
Large language models carry the risk of a critical distortion of reality that can lead to real cognitive hazards. Guardrails may help mitigate the psychological risks inherent in uncritical LLM usage.
In this thoughtful reflection, Allen Simon explores an unconventional understanding of religion, drawing on years of study and personal experience. Rather than focusing on doctrines or beliefs, the essay examines the role religion can play in helping people navigate life’s deepest questions and search for meaning. Along the way, it challenges familiar assumptions about spirituality, belief, and what it means to live a purposeful life…