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Arthur Brooks' thoughts Excerpt: "I n 1924, a German professor named Eugen Herrigel set out to learn about Zen Buddhism, which was starting to penetrate the West. He found a teaching position in Japan, where he hoped to locate someone who could instruct him in the philosophy. Rather than the sort of course he had in mind, he was informed that because he lacked proficiency in Japanese, he would be required instead to learn a skill—namely, kyūdō (the way of the bow)—and this would indirectly impart the Zen truths that he sought. To this end, Herrigel took up his archery studies with the master Awa Kenzō, which he later chronicled in his 1948 book, Zen in the Art of Archery . Herrigel’s archery program was arduous and frustrating. “Drawing the bow caused my hands to start trembling after a few moments, and my breathing became more and more laboured,” he wrote . “Nor did this get any better during the weeks that followed.” Indeed, the weeks became months, and the months wound up becoming five years. At long last, Herrigel learned how to loose an arrow and hit his mark. When he finally acquired the skill, he also realized that he now understood the Zen attitude. “The shot will only go smoothly when it takes the archer himself by surprise,” he wrote—when you “let go of yourself.” In short, Herrigel learned that the secret to archery—and the approach to life he was seeking—is to know when to stop resisting change and simply let it occur. Fortunately, you don’t have to spend half a decade studying archery in Japan to benefit from this central insight. To figure out what sources of resistance are holding you back, and discover how to find release from them and live better, read on. Reality is in motion, ... and you're one of the architects

Most of us have done this, but we shouldn't continue Excerpt : " For the uninitiated, the silent treatment is when a person intentionally refuses to communicate with you — or in some cases, even acknowledge you. It’s a common maneuver that’s used in all sorts of relationships, said Kipling Williams, emeritus professor of psychological sciences at Purdue University who has studied the effects of the silent treatment for over 30 years. The tactic I was using on Tom is one that researchers from the University of Sydney call “ noisy silence .” That is when a person tries, in an obvious way, to show the target that he or she is being ignored — such as theatrically leaving the room when the other person enters. ... Some people think the silent treatment is a milder way of dealing with conflict, said Dr. Gail Saltz, clinical associate professor of psychiatry at the NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital. But it isn’t, she explained. “The silent treatment is a punishment,” she said, “whether you are acknowledging that to yourself or not.” For the person who is being frozen out, it creates “anxiety and fear, and feelings of abandonment,” Dr. Saltz said, and it often causes a “cascade of self-doubt, self-blame and self-criticism.”' Distantly related: dealing with rejection @work

Anthropic is attempting to find out Summary: A new wave of research sheds light on how LLMs reason with probabilities, creatively plan ahead, and think in universal concepts—revealing both their potential and their risks.

The nearly 375-year-old religion’s principles line up surprisingly well with modern parenting research Excerpt: "From where I stand now, I can see that her decision to use positive reinforcement aligns with research on motivating kids, something I’ve become quite familiar with as a journalist covering parenting and education. Still, for years, I didn’t recognize the connection between my faith and the child-development studies I frequently combed through at work. Then, when the coronavirus pandemic temporarily left our public school without enough adults to meet my son’s needs, we switched him to a Quaker school. The school is organized around an acronym I’d never heard before— SPICES —that stands for principles I know well: simplicity, peace, integrity, community, equality, and stewardship. Those aren’t the only pillars of Quakerism, but they’re big ones, and seeing them all together got me thinking. Sitting in the meetinghouse one Sunday morning, after nearly an hour of silent worship, I had a Queen’s Gambit moment. Whereas the chess champ saw pawns moving across a phantom board, I saw each child-rearing best practice I’d been writing about line up with a principle of Quakerism. The Religious Society of Friends—“Quaker” being a derogatory term, reclaimed—is a hard faith to explain, because it tries to eschew dogma. It’s now possible to be a Muslim Quaker or a Hindu one, or to not believe in any god at all. That said, Quakers all over the world tend to talk about the same principles and take part in some of the same practices. For example, in place of rules, Quakers publish “advices and queries,” which prompt individuals to make good, considered choices. Attendees of Quaker meetings near me were recently asked to ponder: “Do I make my home a place of friendliness, joy, and peace, where residents and visitors feel God’s presence?” The children’s version read: “In what ways am I kind to people in my home?” Certain expectations underlie these questions—that one should try to be kind, for example—but so do curiosity and an openness to differing answers."

WSJ Opinion WSJ Reporting NYT Live Reporting WP Live Reporting Perhaps related: protecting your finances Opinion: Lemonade from lemons? Related opinion NYT Excerpt: "I n the weeks since Trump took office, a flurry of new announcements by companies including iPhone maker Apple , South Korean carmaker Hyundai and drugmakers Johnson & Johnson and Eli Lilly signal that multinationals are gearing up to expand operations in the U.S. in response to Trump’s tariffs. “Shifting things around is going to be quite complicated,” said Derrick Kam, Asia economist at Morgan Stanley. That process will be slow, expensive and challenging, he said. Yet untangling the world’s supply chains and relocating to the U.S. in the way Trump wants is a daunting task, given the costs involved. There is also the risk that Trump will lower tariffs if he can use them to wring concessions on trade from other countries, executives say. Economists warn the world could face a growth-sapping investment crunch as companies sit on the sidelines until the trade-war fog clears.

Seeking a better model of relationship Excerpt: " Gen Z came of age in a swipe-right world, where instant access to dates further blurred the lines between friendships, hookups and full-fledged relationships. The loose nature of these "situationships," romantic entanglements that exist somewhere between friendship and fidelity, was meant to limit fallout and maybe even help couples take baby steps toward commitment. Dating in such a gray area has instead left many in the dark, especially when things fall apart. And zoomers have just about had enough of situationships, which they say are marked by a sense of confusion and rejection that extends long after they’re supposedly over."

Take the quiz Excerpt: " We interact with people every day: A brief nod to a neighbor. A friendly chat in the school pick-up line. A heart-to-heart with a friend. Together, these moments add up to your “social biome,” a term coined by the communication researchers Andy Merolla, of the University of California, Santa Barbara, and Jeffrey Hall, of the University of Kansas, to describe the complex ecosystem of relationships that can shape your quality of life. In their new book, “The Social Biome,” Dr. Merolla and Dr. Hall argue that there are several key elements that contribute to a vibrant, healthy social biome. Our daily routines and rhythms are different, the researchers acknowledge, and there is no one right or best way to boost social well-being. But this 15-question quiz can help you take stock of your habits, and the results will offer simple suggestions to strengthen your social biome. Don't overthink it. Social patterns can change over time, so just pick the answer that feels right for you now." Related book

Learn more Description: " Birds today make flight look effortless, but its evolution was complex. Scientists are still trying to discover exactly how birds took to the skies, and today, a new perspective has emerged by studying how flightless chicks become skilled flyers. With high-speed cameras and careful observation, discover how researchers are gaining insights into the development of bird flight, offering insights into their remarkable journey from dinosaurs to skilled flyers."

“Instructions for living a life: Pay attention. Be astonished. Tell about it.” ―Mary Oliver Another example of Mary Oliver's thoughts Hence: Pantakinesis

Learn about this Excerpt: " Everyday discrimination refers to the routine ways people are treated unfairly because of characteristics such as skin color, perceived background or general appearance. Generally, it means disrespectful treatment: waiting longer than others for help at a store, having your ideas dismissed without consideration at work, or hearing rude comments about your identity. Although marginalized groups endure everyday discrimination most often, our study indicates that this is a widespread issue affecting people of all races and backgrounds."

Are we just as some other animals, ... to be bred for specific traits? Excerpt: Orchid screens embryos’ DNA for hundreds of conditions, such as retinitis pigmentosa, which can be traced to a single genetic variant. But the company also goes further, offering what is known as polygenic screening, which gives parents what is essentially a risk profile on each embryo’s propensity for conditions such as heart disease, for which the genetic component is far more complex. Today it is an expensive procedure offered to patients undergoing I.V.F., who are often but not always infertile couples seeking treatment. But Ms. Siddiqui — and others in Silicon Valley, where investors in and users of this technology abound — envision such comprehensive screening eventually replacing the old-fashioned way of having children altogether. “Sex is for fun, and embryo screening is for babies,” she said in a video she shared on X. “It’s going to become insane not to screen for these things.” “These things” presumably refers to conditions like obesity and autism, both of which Orchid says it can screen for. What she and others who run screening companies tend to talk about even less is that such things could also include traits like intellectual ability and height.

Gen X experiencing work despair Americans are wealthier than ever. What's the problem? Facism expert leaving America White House seating charts Admin error sends Maryland father to Salvadoran prison Didn't Putin leverage the same trick? Project 2025's top goal still to come