by Eric Steinhart An old story from Plato: The ancient Greek scientist Timaeus is getting ready to narrate his Theory of Everything, his theory of the origin and structure and purpose of the universe. His lecture will summarize most of the best science of the day, including cosmology, basic physics, chemistry, and biology. Timaeus was sort of an ancient Greek version of Carl Sagan (or maybe Sagan was a modern version of Timaeus!). But before getting into the science, Timaeus... Read more
by SNS Guest Credit: rawpixel.com (Today’s article is by guest writer Herman Matthews. For a brief bio, see below.) This is my attempt using logic to look at Who am I? We are all aware of the world. We are all aware of ourselves. And some of us ask questions like: Who am I? Where am I? What am I doing here? These are universal questions, so there are many “answers” in different cultures and traditions. But ultimately these questions cannot be answered with our... Read more
by James Jarrett Credit: fran_kie. Adobe Stock One of the most valuable invitations I have received along my journey is the invitation to embrace paradox. What is a paradox, you ask? A paradox is when any two or more contradictory phenomena coexist within the same larger phenomenon. Linguistically, a paradox can be described as “both/and” instead of “either/or.” In terms of logical syllogism, sometimes “If this is true, then that is false” can become “Both this is true and that is... Read more
by Thomas Schenk Credit: Jonathan From Flickr The mind likes patterns. It finds them everywhere. Sometimes these patterns actually exist, and sometimes the mind imposes them where they don’t actually exist, and sometimes the mind simply invents them for the joy of it. The fist of these is a basis for science, the third a basis for art, and the second is a basis for the broad realm of illusions. It is far easier to remember something that is organized... Read more
by SNS Guest (Today’s article is by guest writer KaZ Akers. For a brief bio, see below.) I’m writing from a borrowed PC somewhere between Barking Sands and Kalaheo, Hawaii. Where? Exactly. Why? Early this morning a cup of coffee was accidentally “catapulted” onto my MacBook Air. I got the kiss of death on the computer screen: a white folder with a black question mark in it. What does that mean? Au revoir, MacBook Air. After it was dried out with a hair... Read more
by Jeff Worthy Do people need to belong? Is it possible to navigate through our lives in virtual isolation from others save for when absolutely necessary, self-reliance becoming the highest of virtues? Even if such a life is possible, is it desirable? In her article “The Science Behind Our Need to Belong: Insights into the History, Present, and Future of Belonging Research,” Kelly-Ann Allen, a senior lecturer at Monash University and Fellow of the College of Educational Development Psychologists, reveals... Read more
by SNS Guest (Article is by guest writer Rob Wheeler. See bio below.) “Make your own Bible. Select and collect all the words and sentences that in all your reading have been to you like the blast of triumph out of Shakespeare, Seneca, Moses, John and Paul.” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson ~ “I must create a system or be enslaved by another man’s. I will not reason and compare: my business is to create.” ~ William Blake ~ Compose a Florilegium If... Read more
by Leigh Anderson In the quiet of dawn or the stillness of night, have you ever sought solace in silence, only to be met with a mind that races with the erratic speed of a roadrunner? This paradoxical experience begs the question: is the key to true peace merely the absence of noise, or is it something deeper? In our relentless search for tranquility amidst the chaos of daily life, many of us turn to meditation. We seek a sanctuary, a... Read more
by Thomas Schenk Creator: Ralph Credit: Gratis Graphics We all make choices, usually several a day. Some of these choices have significant consequences, but most are trivial. Correspondingly, for some we think long and hard, and for some we scarcely think at all. Observing how I make choices, I see that there are two major psychological factors that enter into my conscious choices. I call these two factors “preference” and “principle.” My preferences are deep set, habitual. Making choices based on... Read more
by SNS Guest (Today’s post features art work by British artist VOHL. A brief bio is provided below.) “Transformation.” This work is about regaining one’s power and unleashing one’s higher self to its fullest potential. “Nature Is All Around You Not What You See.” Nature is what we feel and connect to inwards. It is feeling grounded and connected to mother earth. The dark forest represents part of the unconscious that... Read more
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