And how we can break out of our default patterns.

A colloquial translation of Paradiso might make people actually read it. “Nowhere in poetry,” T. S. Eliot wrote about this last scene , “has experience so remote from ordinary experience been expressed so concretely.” Excerpt: "Now is a good time to pick up Paradiso. Some readers might be looking for salvation along the way, but the message is even more universal than that. When the world feels out of control, you can still use your imagination to ascend above the noise, th

This Question Can Change Your Life Excerpt: "Something I’ve been working on over these past months and years is being able to sit with doubt. And not just doubt — being able to sit in the wonder of uncertainty. Because the first person we believe is ourselves: the stories we tell, the things we think we already know. Maintaining an openness and a curiosity is important politically. It’s also very important in my work as a podcast host. But it is, above all, a spiritual pract

Being a reader means cultivating a relationship with the world that, by most standards, can seem pointless and counterproductive. Excerpt : "If we want to keep reading from going extinct, then the best thing we could do is tell young people what so many great writers readily admit: Literature doesn’t make you a better citizen or a more successful person. A passion for reading can even make life more difficult. And you don’t cultivate a passion for the sake of democracy. You d

I’m a longtime practitioner and teacher of loving kindness meditation. Here’s what you need to know.

Don't forget to drink and reflect at "Hidden Brain" regularly Other noteworthy podcasts you might want to sample

A Bizarre, Challenging Book More People Should Read: The true pleasure of literature can be found in demanding works such as Your Name Here , by Helen DeWitt and Ilya Gridneff.

Joseph Campbell argued that nearly every myth can be boiled down to a hero’s journey. Was he right?

THE BOOKS THAT MADE US THINK THE MOST THIS YEAR

Anti-science mysticism is enabling autocracy around the globe. Related

Retirement is about emotional needs as well as financial. Somewhat related: The 3 key financial lessons of ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ Frank Capra’s meaningful story of community and connection, ‘It’s a Wonderful Life,’ shows us how to weather tough times together.

But maybe also more meaningful

It’s not just okay for some things in life to be hard—it’s essential.

Scientists are redefining autism as a complex condition with multiple forms, challenging traditional notions.

In a year when the United States seemed more split than ever, Americans united in one way: We demanded results and we wanted them now.

What happens when a generation gives up on ever owning a home? New research explores the potential consequences, and what to do about it. Perhaps somewhat related?

DM Good day Claude. Today I would seek to (feebly) share my on-going Fitness=Truth™ thinking regarding Pantakinesis™ , The Universal Holophren™ and my conjecture of an apparently continuous Pantakinetic creation in the "Realm of the Present-Now™ (RPN), for your commentary (of, and beyond, our related past conversations; ...and please no sycophancy, nor anemic dichotomies!): 1) Pantakinesis, by definition, would (seem to be) without or beyond any imaginable shape or boundaries

I traveled to Sommarøy to find out whether a town really can live free from the clock. Excerpt: "Time-management styles do seem to influence how people experience the world. In Avnet and Sellier’s studies, at least, clock-timers were more likely to believe that events are steered by fate, not by intention. They are also worse at distinguishing between events that are causally linked and events that are unrelated. Those who follow event time are more likely to say that what h

As deadlines pile up and holiday demands escalate, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. These strategies can help.

Society tells us we should have a partner—but we shouldn’t want one.