The Antidote for Creative Blockages: Compassion and Curiosity

Building creativity is practice in being receptive and present. Nearly everyone struggles with this practice and it’s the unstable foundation of most problems, creative or otherwise. The equivalent of artist block can occur in any career, hobby, relationship, religion, lifestyle, etc, to any degree of severity. When we become insular and shut off, we struggle …

I Hide From People, I Hide From Myself

Where I go, when I do what I do, when I live how I live, where I go is here— inhabiting my body willingly. When I’m offering my effort to the world, I’m accepting the connection between my internal monologue and my physical flesh. I work with my hands. I’m here in my hands, my …

The Time and Emotion of an Alchemist’s Putrefaction

Decay is employed in various areas of alchemy, notably the beginning. That initial presentation is related but dissimilar to putrefaction— symbolically tied in destruction but of a different (spiritual) mechanical practice. The first is a sudden and drastic shift from perpetuation to change, as routines are shattered by the beginning of transmutation. In contrast, the …

10 Affirmations for Insecurity (That Don’t Feel Like Lying to Yourself)

These affirmations don’t include statements easily disproven by critical self talk. Building confidence requires belief, and repeating a phrase I don’t believe doesn’t help me. Facts which are difficult to argue with are more productive. Here are ten affirmations I’ve written and use to cope with deep insecurity: I’m experiencing life, my own individual life, …

Learning About Learning About Learning

Accepting the process of learning: difficult at times, but at other times, easy, natural, instinctive, simple. The carrying out of life is fraught with inconsistencies and surreal coincidences and I don’t understand any of it but I’ve still learnt. When I’m older, I might better understand the circumstantial variables, today I merely need to be …

Jaybird Joy

For a warm moment the pressure lifts. I’m learning to allow myself the full experience of happiness, without giving all my attention away to intrusive thoughts. They’ve been heard out, accepted as part of my reality, and now it’s time to let go. I’m at peace watching birds out my window. Joy will come regularly …

Sacred Simplicity

Ornate thought compliments many topics but some states of mind are more conductive than others in the realm of self improvement.   I’m prone to lengthy in-depth rumination which ultimately brings me no conclusion. My opinions bear several definitions of productivity but above all else, I’m found asking myself, “Is this necessary? Does this sustain me? …

On Unity

All is one, one is all— you are a starfish. You are also me, writing these words, as you say the same ones in your head now, at this moment. You’re also shit. You’re also gold. What are the practical reasons behind believing in a cosmic unity? Life is fuller, but life is also easier …

Embattled in Insecurity

Low self worth, value, respect, confidence, this way of living is familiar, seemingly unavoidable. Most of life is riddled with tests of our self confidence. Some of us are born into insecurity and others have it thrust upon them by circumstance, all the same it leeches our energy reserves, our relationships, sabotages us, keeps us …

Gratitude, a Foundation

The act of struggle has been taught to abandon gratitude, crisis informs us we cannot afford to be thankful. How can I possible accept my current situation? Wouldn’t that make me complacent? But I already was complacent with struggle, resigned. I was fearful of gratitude. To accept the gifts of life, I would need to …