We don't need to understand quantum physicsentirely in order to appreciate it. Even those who have devoted their lives to thestudy of the universe and its atomic structurewill admit that many mysteries remain. Well, I love mysteries, so let's set the scene for this one...
There's a Big Bang. ... Views: 1055
We don't need to understand quantum physicsentirely in order to appreciate it. Even those who have devoted their lives to thestudy of the universe and its atomic structurewill admit that many mysteries remain. Well, I love mysteries, so let's set the scene for this one...
There's a Big Bang. ... Views: 1245
I love mysteries.
Not mystery books. I'm talking about life's real
puzzles.
It's powerful to contemplate the heavens and
grasp the enormity of the universe. We tend
to go along, head down, minding our own business and
struggling with the minutiae of our lives. To pause,
look up and ... Views: 1276
We don't need to understand quantum physicsentirely in order to appreciate it. Even those who have devoted their lives to thestudy of the universe and its atomic structurewill admit that many mysteries remain. Well, I love mysteries, so let's set the scene for this one...
There's a Big Bang. ... Views: 1312
You've seen the ads.
"Transform yourself!" "Get motivated while you sleep!" "Revolutionary sound techniques will power up your mind!"
But under the profit-motivated copy is a whole lot of fascinating science. Can you change your subconscious thoughts by changing what you're listening to? ... Views: 12677
It was Socrates who said that the purpose of philosophy is to help each of us become “an excellent human”. That seems like a respectable and reasonable big-picture goal for every person on the planet.
But what about the specifics? How do we become excellent humans? How can we use philosophy ... Views: 1123
Thinkers know better than to be racist. It's generallyunderstood that racists are, well, not thinkers. It'snot that racists are necessarily stupid--it's that theyare ignorant.
We like to think that racists are choosing to hang onto their bias because they don't know any better. Thoseof us who ... Views: 2269
My grandmother used to say that the secret to living a good life is maintaining a flexible spine and a flexible mind. Whether we’re talking about joints or brains, there’s just no room for rigidity.
Mark Twain once made a comment that illustrates my grandmother’s idea perfectly. He said: ... Views: 2294
I love slow living. It's peaceful, meaningful and downright radical in a go-go world.
According to a recent article in (appropriately enough)Time magazine, groups of harried parents across the
USA are joining a wave of slow living advocates by doing something really revolutionary--having ... Views: 1313
Can you draw?
Your answer to that question reveals a surprising
amount about your brain and the way you integrate
your right and left hemispheres. (In this article, the
left side will be referred to as the dominant one, which
is by far the most likely scenario.)
You see, the left ... Views: 2986
Michael Shermer speaks with the energy and passion of an evangelist, so it's not too surprising to learn that he used to be one. What is surprising is that he has made a 180-degree turn in his approach to belief. As a college student at Pepperdine University, he knocked on doors to spread the ... Views: 1331
Don't you love politics?
Me, neither. But I do like thinking about politics. And wouldn't you know it? Just when you think you've come up with a dazzling opinion, you find
out someone else had that same idea hundreds of years ago. So much for being original.
Still, it's delightful to ... Views: 2287
Feeling cranky about air travel? Get a grip.
Not on the arm of your passenger seat--on reality, history, and the incredible accomplishment of human flight.
We've just celebrated the 100th anniversary of the Wright brothers' historic flight at Kitty Hawk, North
Carolina. Although there ... Views: 1326
Are you a right-brainer or a left-brainer?
The greatest thinkers are at a loss when it comes to answering that question.
Just as we admire athletes who are able to hit a tennis ball or throw a javelin with either arm, we should emulate thinkers who engage fully in all kinds of activities ... Views: 1316
I always do a lot of thinking about good intentions in December.
It's not because I'm inspired by the holidays. I'm simply observing the anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Each year, around December 10th, I reread that incredible document just to remind myself that as ... Views: 1197
After studying scores of great thinkers like Leonardo Da Vinci, I think I've stumbled upon what really set them apart from the rest of the folks living (and thinking) at the same time.
It's remarkably simple. They learned how to entertain a thought.
Aristotle said, "It is the mark of an ... Views: 5134
As I was driving to a friend’s house recently, I passed the Dublin Pub, a local watering hole known for its live music. On the reader board, one band’s name caught my eye: Spontaneous Woo. Hmmm, I thought. What a cool concept. There is nothing quite like letting out a joyous, spontaneous ... Views: 1039
When I was three years old, I had an experience I’ll never forget. My mother had just prepared lunch for my brother and me, and a neighbor lady came running over, breathless, telling my mother some news. Mom went right to the television and turned it on. This was unusual—she rarely watched ... Views: 1617
Maybe it's just a weird week. Three times in the past three days, I've bumped into someone I know and started a conversation with, "Hey, how ARE you?"
Nothing unusual about that. But the responses were all discussions of problems with STUFF. Cars. Computers. Sprinkling systems. Lawnmowers. ... Views: 936
I'm lucky.
When I was fifteen, I was the sole survivor in one of those horrific car accidents involving a bunch of teens, lots of alcohol, and late-night fast driving. While the driver and other passengers were killed instantly when our car hit a tree on a drizzly summer night, I had the most ... Views: 1557
Are you stuck eating lunch at your desk again?
Lucky you.
You see, staying put can be surprisingly soothing compared to making a mad dash to the cafe for a sandwich and running back to your office, all the while worried that you’ll miss an important call.
If you feel chained to your ... Views: 1378
Last Friday was National Wear Red Day, an intentional opportunity to wear a red dress as a symbol of awareness of the fact that heart disease is the number one killer of women in America.
I didn't wear a red dress, but I did get my very first electrocardiogram.
I wish I could say that I had ... Views: 1217
It's back-to-school time once again, and purple is IN.
I'm not talking about fashion trends--though the September issues of most
magazines are singing the praises of plum and berry shades. No, I'm referring to the hottest item at Office Depot, Staples, and other school supply meccas.
Purple ... Views: 1297
This week, I attended a reading by Christopher Phillips. He is the author of Socrates Café: A Fresh Taste of Philosophy, and has been described as the "Johnny Appleseed of philosophy" because of his penchant for starting meaningful dialogues with groups around the world.
He was there to ... Views: 1239
What's the difference between science and magic? It's our understanding of what makes something happen.
If magic is hocus-pocus, science is simply wellunderstood hocus-pocus. Fire? Solar eclipse? Volcanic eruption? Earthquake? Once we can explain it, it becomes science. But sometimes ... Views: 1443
Feel that rising tide of anger? Surf's up! Start paddling.
Whenever we feel angry or frustrated, we get a blast of adrenalin coursing through our bloodstream. In the fight or flight response to stress, our bodies rely on our appendages. We need to hit, kick, jump or run away, and our ... Views: 1555
This one goes out to all you administrative professionals out there. That’s right. YOU. Not your boss. Not the guy down the hall who demands everyone’s attention. No. This is YOUR thing.
You work hard, and all of your energy goes into making things run smoothly and helping your employer ... Views: 1551
We all know there are ways to become a better thinker. We should read more books. We ought to go to lectures and concerts. We need to visit exhibits and appreciate art. We can take classes and expand our horizons through travel.
Blah, blah, blah. Those are the easy answers.
If we ... Views: 4615
You've got a lot to store in that brain of yours. Sometimes you need to remind yourself to remember something. The most effective way to remember is to choose your triggers wisely.
Post-its work great, but I'm all for simplifying things even further. By choosing to make a certain behavior a ... Views: 1313
My goal in life is to have no goals. They get in the way
of true progress.
Plenty of successful people swear by goal setting.
They're praising the wrong behavior. Brain research
tells us that the goals don't matter--it's the intention
that gets us where we want to go.
Intentions and ... Views: 1084
Last week, as I was standing in the checkout line of my local grocery store, I found myself staring at the dozen or so magazines on display. As I gazed upon the various photos and headlines praising or trashing the celebrity du jour, I got to thinking.
What kind of celebrity would Socrates ... Views: 1080
I keep a fossil on my desk at all times. Whenever I feel rushed or find myself creating a sense of urgency, I pick up the fossil and caress its polished surface. It’s over 200 million years old. Suddenly, returning that phone call or meeting that self-imposed deadline doesn’t seem nearly as ... Views: 1010
I read a quote in one of those celebrity columns recently that just blew me away. It’s not that I believe everything I read, especially when it comes to Hollywood, but for the sake of discussion, let’s assume that the quote was correctly stated.
It was attributed to Angus Young, member of ... Views: 1324
After studying scores of great thinkers like Leonardo da Vinci, I think I've stumbled upon what really set them apart from the rest of the folks living (and thinking) at the same time.
It's remarkably simple. They learned how to entertain a thought.
Aristotle said, "It is the mark of an ... Views: 5260
Back in the seventies, we watched "The Six Million Dollar Man", a popular television show about a trained agent who was critically injured and given the gift of technology--bionic legs and super vision.
Lee Majors portrayed a man capable of leaping tall buildings and scanning the landscape at ... Views: 1315
It's the beginning of spring break, and we're heading south. That's all we know.
Our family is greatly anticipating what may be our last road trip for a long, long time. There's a lot of excitement in our house right now as we are shifting into a whole new phase for each of us.
My husband is ... Views: 1339
"Hoy-day! What a sweep of vanity comes this way!" William Shakespeare, "The Life of Timon of Athens"
If there's one characteristic we hope we don't have, it's vanity. We'd rather be considered aggressive, driven, petty, even mean than have others feel that we think too much of ourselves. ... Views: 1151
I don't take notes anymore. Instead, I create one wildly colorful, creative and inspiring page whenever I need to make a decision, prepare a presentation, or plan an event. That whole two-column plus and minus approach? Gone.
Bring on the Mind Maps!
I read Tony Buzan's first book on Mind ... Views: 1525
Surfing is mindfulness in action. Riding the biggest waves is an all-out, fully-present-or-die-trying proposition.
Thanks to a persistent case of aquaphobia, I've never tried surfing. However, I've done my share of snowboarding, and I am trying to imagine what it would be like to carve the ... Views: 1197
Can you hear your compassion? It's time to crank it up.
One of the most difficult challenges we face in our quest to be compassionate is dealing with conflict. Those we love most tend to be the ones most likely to engage us in sparring that cuts the deepest.
Why do we allow ourselves to use ... Views: 1281
Perhaps I should ask my doctor if there is a drug to take to combat frustration from seeing so many drug ads. You know the ones I'm talking about. They always start out with a list of questions. Then they tell you that a new drug might be just the thing for you--all you have to do is ask your ... Views: 872
Perhaps I should ask my doctor if there is a drug to take to combat frustration from seeing so many drug ads. You know the ones I'm talking about. They always start out with a list of questions. Then they tell you that a new drug might be just the thing for you--all you have to do is ask your ... Views: 891
Perhaps I should ask my doctor if there is a drug to take to combat frustration from seeing so many drug ads. You know the ones I'm talking about. They always start out with a list of questions. Then they tell you that a new drug might be just the thing for you--all you have to do is ask your ... Views: 763
Perhaps I should ask my doctor if there is a drug to take to combat frustration from seeing so many drug ads. You know the ones I'm talking about. They always start out with a list of questions. Then they tell you that a new drug might be just the thing for you--all you have to do is ask your ... Views: 1058
In a culture that embraces Adderall, paying attention has become the most sought-after skill for those looking for a competitive edge. From blurry-eyed college applicants to top executives, the ability to focus on what matters most is the key to coping—and competing—despite the stresses of ... Views: 1171
Do you believe in the power of your convictions?
It's time to lighten up.
People love attaching themselves to ideas. We can get pretty feisty when one of our beloved beliefs is challenged. We're too busy defending to spend our time analyzing.
Truth has a tendency to get in the way of ... Views: 1251
Mindfulness is all about paying attention. It's amazing what can be accomplished when mindfulness is applied to systems that need all the attention they can get. If there's an industry that needs some CPR and TLC, it's healthcare.
Cindy Jimmerson is a 30-year trauma nurse who is passionate ... Views: 2741
No matter how enthusiastically we embrace theconcept of simplifying our lives, things have a way of getting complicated.
Perfect example: My family sold nearly everything and moved to Mazatlan, Mexico to explore living with less stuff and more fun. And it's been working beautifully. It's ... Views: 1037
There's been a lot of talk about navels in our house lately. You see, my youngest daughter is asking to get hers pierced, and we are saying no--for now. So, naturally, I have been noticing navels more than usual.
The term "navel-gazing" means indulgent contemplation, and that's an interesting ... Views: 1105
A few years ago, I was the national outreach coordinator for theNorthwest Earth Institute in Portland,Oregon.
It was a very cool job. All day long,I talked to people across the countrywho were interested in gathering oncea week with a few friends, neighbors or co-workers in order to discover ... Views: 1197