Sandeep Kochrar is a crazy hidden gem with his profits hidden under the stone. An IIM grad, founder, writer and a Storyteller with exponential skills & achievements.His opinions on Messiah Sydrome will reflect your mistakes on the gut.

The Born StoryTeller

Basically, you think that some strange driving force or a person may come and hold your hands to reach the apotheosis heights. You always create a toxicated help and work cycle.

Messiah Syndrome

We need a strong will to push ourselves, to succeed. It comes from a strong character. I lacked character. So I externalized my need for help.

Character Mindset

Success is a lot of hard work, we are not ready for this sacrifice. We want someone to give it to us.

Getting it easy mindset

We think the world is out to get us, so we expect someone to rescue us.

Victim mindset

We don't take responsibility or action since we are afraid of failure.

Failure mindset:

If things don't work out we can easily blame the messiah.

Blaming mindset:

We love excuses - family background, conditioning, not having money, etc. It justifies our failures, not having a messiah is another excuse.

Excuse Mindset

I realized no Messiah will arrive. I will have to be my own Messiah.

Sandeep Kochhar is the Founder and CEO of BlewMinds, the organization which acts as a step-ladder to businesses in need of introspective help. He's an MBA from IIM Bangalore, and Electronics & Telecommunication Engineer with 17 years of consulting and corporate experience. Apart from his many, many professional achievements, which include working in various capacities with IBM, HT Media, HCL Technologies and more, Kochhar is also a prolific poet and takes keen interest in the education of children. He has also authored academic papers on applying Supply Chain Management principles to recruitment processes & Demand supply forecasting of human resources. When he isn't working on his never-ending projects, he can be found relaxing himself through yoga. Sandeep Kochhar is the Founder and CEO of BlewMinds, the organization which acts as a step-ladder to businesses in need of introspective help. He's an MBA from IIM Bangalore, and Electronics & Telecommunication Engineer with 17 years of consulting and corporate experience. Apart from his many, many professional achievements, which include working in various capacities with IBM, HT Media, HCL Technologies and more, Kochhar is also a prolific poet and takes keen interest in the education of children. He has also authored academic papers on applying Supply Chain Management principles to recruitment processes & Demand supply forecasting of human resources. When he isn't working on his never-ending projects, he can be found relaxing himself through yoga. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

mindfulness

Mindfulness

motivationandinspiration

Motivation & Inspiration

strategy

Strategy

education

Learning & Education

leadershipandmanagement

Leadership & Management

Sandeep Kochhar is the Founder and CEO of BlewMinds, the organization which acts as a step-ladder to businesses in need of introspective help. He's an MBA from IIM Bangalore, and Electronics & Telecommunication Engineer with 17 years of consulting and corporate experience. Apart from his many, many professional achievements, which include working in various capacities with IBM, HT Media, HCL Technologies and more, Kochhar is also a prolific poet and takes keen interest in the education of children. He has also authored academic papers on applying Supply Chain Management principles to recruitment processes & Demand supply forecasting of human resources. When he isn't working on his never-ending projects, he can be found relaxing himself through yoga. Sandeep Kochhar is the Founder and CEO of BlewMinds, the organization which acts as a step-ladder to businesses in need of introspective help.
He's an MBA from IIM Bangalore, and Electronics & Telecommunication Engineer with 17 years of consulting and corporate experience. Apart from his many, many professional achievements, which include working in various capacities with IBM, HT Media, HCL Technologies and more, Kochhar is also a prolific poet and takes keen interest in the education of children.
He has also authored academic papers on applying Supply Chain Management principles to recruitment processes & Demand supply forecasting of human resources.
When he isn't working on his never-ending projects, he can be found relaxing himself through yoga. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

TEDx is an international community that organizes TED-style events anywhere and everywhere -- celebrating locally-driven ideas and elevating them to a global stage. TEDx events are produced independently of TED conferences, each event curates speakers on their own, but based on TED's format and rules.

TED's videos may be used for non-commercial purposes under a Creative Commons License, Attribution–Non Commercial–No Derivatives (or the CC BY – NC – ND 4.0 International) and in accordance with our TED Talks Usage Policy (https://www.ted.com/about/our-organization/our-policies-terms/ted-talks-usage-policy). 

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TEDx Talks

SINS : SIght to INSight | Sandeep Kochhar | TEDxPGDAVCollege

“Whenever you are about to find fault with someone, ask yourself the following question: What fault of mine most nearly resembles the one I am about to criticize?”

personaldevelopment

Personal Development

Quote of the day.

Yoga is a holistic discipline originating from ancient India.Pilates is a specific physical system devised by a German anatomist in the early 20th century.While there might be a lot of cross-over between yoga and Pilates, the two are inherently very different.

Yoga and Pilates offer connection to the body and stress relief, to developing flexibility, strength, control and endurance. There are countless interpretations of both disciplines (and one person’s balance class is another person’s cardio) but what links them both is breath work.Put simply, “the biggest difference between the two, is the emphasis on the spiritual side in yoga classes.”

Yoga is an integrated health management system using breath, movement and meditation to unite mind, body and spirit. It also incorporates elements of philosophy, science and an ethical way of living. Classes can range from gentle and nourishing to challenging and sweaty.”

“Yoga is a spiritual philosophy: the physical practice makes up only one of the eight parts (or limbs) of the yoga path. The other ‘limbs’ are ethical standards, self discipline, breath, sensory transcendence, focus, meditation and a bliss state where you transcend the self. The last four limbs are involved in meditation.”

Pilates was created by Joseph Pilates who was an anatomist and a mechanical genius.“It is a physical system that uses very specific targeted exercises to improve strength, flexibility and posture with particular focus on the core. It is a disciplined practice that needs to be done on a regular basis to provide benefit”.

THE ORIGINS OF PILATES

If you’re looking to develop core strength and balance, when practised regularly, yoga and Pilates are both ideal exercises for this. Given that many of the poses in yoga and exercises in Pilates involve supporting your body weight, they also work various muscles all over your body.Generally, Pilates is a disciplined practice that requires small movements focusing on various areas of the body. Whilst Pilates students primarily work on core strength (as noted above), they reap “added benefits of muscle toning, overall strength, body control, and flexibility”.

THE PHYSICAL BENEFITS

Yoga can help increase strength and flexibility through muscles and joints. “In active, fast-paced classes you are likely to build a lot of heat in the body which has a great regenerative effect” and, of course, you will burn calories."“In slower practices such as Yin Yoga, where you hold the postures for longer, you begin to work on stretching and moving the fascia which is the deeper connective tissue around the muscles and joints, which ultimately helps with flexibility.”

Research from MindBody shows 70% of those who do Yoga or Pilates say both practices teach breathing techniques that can help to combat feelings of stress and anxiety, while both traditionally encourage students to align the body with the mind and spirit, taking time to focus on self-care.Being a holistic system, yoga is as concerned with the mind and spirit as it is with the body. As well as being a physical practice, yoga also includes meditation, taking the time to connect with the body, breath and mind, having the opportunity to slow down our busy lifestyles and focus inwards to ourselves”.

THE MENTAL BENEFITS

However, Bertali feels that the physical postures in yoga, in addition to the breath work and meditation, can benefit the mind as much. “Yoga has an extremely balancing effect on the nervous system through the use of deeper breathing. It is a very detoxifying practice through the twists and turns of the postures, helping to bring hydration and fresh blood supply to the organs and joints. The focus and concentration required in some of the postures keeps you very anchored in the moment and out of the distractions of the day, which helps to create a bit of space in the mind.”

This is true of Pilates, too. “As Pilates is a slower-paced discipline that also focuses on the breath work, it can be extremely meditative and stress relieving,”“Pilates joins the body with the mind, it requires good concentration of your body and breath with a deep focus needed for advanced level Pilates all of which can help to boost your mental health.”It's also likely that with both yoga and Pilates – as one could argue with all workouts – that the simple opportunity to steal some ‘me time’ is another reason they’re celebrated for stress-relief.

Both yoga and Pilates are often recommended by doctors and sports therapists as aiding rehabilitation post-injury and also to complement various high-impact sports.“As they can both be slower, controlled practices, they can be used for rehabilitation for specific injuries through use of targeted postures. Equally for people recovering from depression or trauma, the re-balance of hormones created via physical movement and breath can have a beautiful calming effect on the body and the mind”.

THE REHABILITATION BENEFITS

Specifically, Simpson feels that Pilates may be more beneficial for recovery, while yoga may help prevent sports injuries and ailments. “Pilates is a series of targeted movements and adaptable solutions when injury or chronic pain impairs movement and performance. Specifically, Bertali says, “it can have a very restorative effect on lower back pain and poor posture".“Yoga is fantastic to aid with the stretching of muscles for people who play a lot of sports/run/cycle. Yin yoga would help support these people with their training and recovery to slow down and stretch into targeted areas”.

With specific adaptations, yoga and Pilates are both considered safe – and highly beneficial – in pregnancy.One of the most popular prenatal classes, yoga helps to strengthen your core muscles, ease back pain and maintain muscle tone while being a gentle exercise that’s also kind to your joints and helps you to relax.

THE BENEFITS IN PREGNANCY

Pilates is considered one of the most effective exercises in pre- and postnatal women as it targets the muscles that generally weaken during pregnancy.Erica Foulds, master trainer at Ten Health & Fitness explains: “During pregnancy, the body is constantly changing. Pilates is an effective and safe way to build the strength and endurance that will help you cope better with those changes. It’s also great for keeping the pelvis strong to assist the process of a natural birth; labour can last for several hours and core muscles will fatigue easily if they have not been trained throughout pregnancy.

How each discipline benefits your physical and mental health 🧘‍♂️ 🧘‍♀️ 

The key differences between yoga and Pilates, and how each discipline benefits your physical and mental health

health

Health

exerciseandfitness

Exercise & Fitness

meditation

Meditation

The key differences between Yoga and Pilates

Manage how you live with these five tips to feel less stressed:

5 Tips To Manage Stress

<a href="https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/overwhelmed-by-anxiety">Guided meditation </a>is a great way to distract yourself from the stress of day-to-day life. There are many guided meditations available on the internet that can help you find 5 minutes of centered relaxation.

Guided Meditation 

<a href="https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/mindfulness-meditation-improve-your-quality-of-life">Deep breathing </a>is a great way to reduce the activation of your sympathetic nervous system, which controls the body’s response to a perceived threat. Deep breaths taken in to a count of five seconds, held for two seconds and released to a count of five seconds, can help activate your parasympathetic nervous system, which helps reduce the overall stress and anxiety you may be experiencing.

Practice Deep Breathing 

<a href="https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/establishing-healthy-behaviors-that-stick">Physical exercise and nutrition </a>are two important components in how you respond to stress. When your body is healthy, your mind can be healthy and vice versa. Physical exercise is proven to be a great stress reliever and also helps to improve your overall quality of life. Nutrition is important as stress can deplete certain vitamins, such as A, B complex, C and E. Maintaining proper nutrition not only helps your body feel better, but your mind as well, which allows you to better combat stress.

Maintain Good Health

Spending time on social media sites can become stressful, not only by what we might see on them, but also because the time you are spending on social media might be best spent enjoying visiting with friends, being outside enjoying the weather or reading a great book.

Manage Social Media Time

Humans are social beings. You need to have <a href="https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/social-support/art-20044445">connections with people </a>to feel supported. Finding a sense of community — whether at work, with a religious organization, or through shared activities, such as organized sports — is important to your well-being. Enjoying a shared activity allows you to find support and foster relationships that can be supportive in difficult times.

Connect With Others

Your life can feel overwhelming and stressful at times, but you can manage stress by incorporating these five tips into your lifestyle.

mentalhealth

Mental Health

entertainment

Entertainment

5 tips to manage stress

You Talk to Yourself is a book by Shad Helmstetter, a self-help guru who has written several pieces on the subject of self-talk, and who argues that in order to achieve our highest self we need to work on how we talk to ourselves and identify our biggest challenge to conquer.Shad Helmstetter‘s book, What To Say When You Talk To Yourself, is a comprehensive guide to mastering self-talk. The author argues that we need to upgrade our self-programming system by overhauling our self-talk and replacing it with more effective and productive thoughts.

What to Say When You Talk to Yourself – Book Summary

We make our own choices about what we believe and why, and then we act on those beliefs. At every level, this is what determines our success or failure—and our happiness or unhappiness. For this reason, we have to master self-talk if we want to live a happier life.

<ul><li>Thoughts turn into electrical impulses, which in turn become actions.</li><li>To create the life we want, we must take a step back and reprogram our mind.</li><li>Understanding how self-talk works is the first step to reprogramming your mind. </li></ul>In the next lines, we’ll explore these lessons in detail and teach you how to reprogram your mind to improve self-talk.

Here are three of the most important lessons from this book:

Your inner dialogue is private—no one else can hear it except you! So if you’re ever worried about what someone else might think of how you speak to yourself, remember that they don’t know! Just like most people don’t know what kind of inner dialogues other people are having with themselves all day long either!So, if you want a better life then start talking more positively to yourself today! Why? Well, let’s see. The book states that thoughts turn into electrical impulses, which in turn become actions. We all have thoughts, and those become actions pretty quickly.

Lesson 1: Everything we are comes from our thoughts.

From how you look at the world to how you act towards others, your thoughts determine your life. When you talk to yourself, you are programming your mind with the ideas that will shape the future. The more you think about something, the more likely it is that you will act on it in the future.When you talk to yourself about what needs to be done, what needs to be fixed or improved, what needs to be changed or avoided altogether—these are all things that will have a lasting impact on your life and the lives of those around you.

When you want to achieve your goals, it’s crucial to think positively and take the initiative in an actionable manner. Thoughts are the driving force behind our actions. They can be positive or negative, and they can help us move forward or hold us back. If you have a bad habit, you probably know exactly what thought pattern keeps you stuck in that habit. We all want to change our habits for the better, but if we don’t understand how our thoughts work and how they impact our actions, we’re not going to get very far!

Lesson 2: Everything we want is achievable through mind reprogramming.

That’s why it’s important to understand how your brain works: More or less, thoughts turn into electrical impulses and then into actions. To leverage the process, start reprogramming your mind to work for you, not against you.

According to the author, the process of reprogramming your mind goes like this:<ul><li>Programming creates beliefs.</li><li>Beliefs create attitudes.</li><li>Attitudes create feelings.</li><li>Feelings determine actions.</li><li>Actions create results</li><li>The single best method of applying the reprogramming framework to your mind is to literally talk yourself into it. Improve your inner talk and notice the differences in your life.</li></ul>

Reprogramming starts with replacing old and negative thoughts with refreshing perspectives that will serve you well in life. To replace such pessimistic thoughts, you must first identify them and then find a better option to fill your mind with.

Lesson 3: Understand self-talk before you attempt to change it.

It all begins with the five levels of self-talk that the author presents:<ul><li>Negative acceptance – This level is where many of us are trapped in. Some signs that may show you’re stuck here consist of negative talk like “I can’t do this”, “I will never get there”, and other negations.</li><li>Recognition and need to change – Here people often use expressions such as “I need to change”, “I should do so”, “I will do something about it”, etc.</li><li>Decision to change – This is a powerful level to find yourself into. Here you are committed to change and want to improve yourself for good.</li></ul>

<ul><li>The better you – This level is where you feel in control of your life and you recognize that you are the agent of change. Here you’re adopting the winner mentality.</li><li>Universal affirmation – In the last level you are universally committed to live your life meaningfully and purposefully. Here you take actionable change easier, and experience openness with the Universe.</li></ul>

Now, take a moment to reflect on your self-talk. Where are you on this scale? What is it that you could improve when it comes to talking to yourself? Words, even unspoken, have a tremendous effect on your actions. If you want to change your life, start by changing your words.

What to Say When You Talk to Yourself is an amazing read for anyone who wants to start improving themselves from within. Inner dialogue is not only important, but it also affects our lives in ways we might not even realize. The way we talk to ourselves can impact everything from how we see the world to how we make decisions and interact with others.The author explains that we should be talking to ourselves like a friend would talk to a friend—with kindness, understanding, and encouragement.

What to Say When You Talk to Yourself – Book Review

The book was written in 1986 but it’s still relevant today, as it’s full of timeless truths about how we communicate with ourselves and how that affects our lives in both good ways and bad ways!Who would I recommend the What to Say When You Talk to Yourself summary to?The 35-year-old person who is struggling with anxiety and overthinking, the 28-year-old person who wants to build their self-confidence, or the 45-year-old person going through a mid-life crisis and wants to deepen their connection with themselves.

“We control our own minds most everything in our lives, including our health, our careers, our relationships, and our futures.”-Shad Helmstetter

Author Quote

What to Say When You Talk to Yourself - Book Review

What to Say When You Talk to Yourself summary shows that in order to achieve our highest self we need to work on how we talk to ourselves.

What to Say When You Talk to Yourself Summary

Everything we do in life can be explained as a struggle to win more clout in a community we care about. Generally status can be gained in 3 ways:
<ul>
<li>Dominance: Impose your will through force. This applies to dictators as much as verbally abusive partners.</li>
<li>Virtue: Win points by being better. Think Michelle Obama or Mahatma Gandhi.</li>
<li>Competence: Be the winner. In business like Donald Trump. Or in beauty like the Instagram models.</li>
</ul>
Status can be tied to narcissism and other negative traits, but it's the driver behind all our actions, including the positive. We could have never invented anything without it.

Life Is A Status Game

When we consider conscience, the ultimate judge in our head, can also be considered a form of a status game. Conscience is just an imagined, a simulated game. We subconsciously imagine what others would think about our actions.That's why we are proud about ourselves when we do something good even when we are alone. Or we feel shame when we don't raise to the standards of our imaginary audience.

Conscience Is A Status Game

The more status games one plays the more happy (s)he will be. This means being part of more groups you care about: your professional circle, family, extended family, interest groups, friends etc. The larger the number of groups, the more opportunity for scoring status points.

Happiness Depends On How Many Status Games Are On

Interesting perspective about a key driver in our lives. 

From the Sunday Times bestselling author of The Science of Storytelling comes a bold and ambitious investigation of status that will redefine human culture for our times There's something humans desire even more than gold. It's a fundamental drive that's common to all humanity, cutting across race, gender, age and culture. Our need for it is such that exactly how much of it we possess dramatically effects not only our happiness and well-being but also our physical health. It'sstatus, argues Will Storr. You can't understand human behaviour without understanding The Status Game. This game, which we are all playing, is not only the secret of our success, but also of our most evil behaviour. Everything is subordinate to status, and humans aren't unique in our complicity with it. By reflecting on the various ways humans negotiate this game - through status hierarchies, values, myths and sacred markers, Storr gives readers a master class in this most malevolent of social mysteries.

Understand yourself and those around you.

psychology

Psychology

philosophy

Philosophy

books

Books

'Will Storr is one of our best journalists of ideas ... The Status Game might be his best yet' James Marriott, Books of the Year, The Times What drives our political and moral beliefs? What makes us like some things and dislike others? What shapes how we behave, and misbehave, in groups? What makes you, you? For centuries, philosophers and scholars have described human behaviour in terms of sex, power and money. In The Status Game, bestselling author Will Storr radically turns this thinking on its head by arguing that it is our irrepressible craving for status that ultimately defines who we are. From the era of the hunter-gatherer to today, when we exist as workers in the globalised economy and citizens of online worlds, the need for status has always been wired into us. A wealth of research shows that how much of it we possess dramatically affects not only our happiness and wellbeing but also our physical health - and without sufficient status, we become more ill, and live shorter lives. It's an unconscious obsession that drives the best and worst of us: our innovation, arts and civilisation as well as our murders, wars and genocides. But why is status such an all-consuming prize? What happens if it's taken away from us? And how can our unquenchable thirst for it explain cults, moral panics, conspiracy theories, the rise of social media and the 'culture wars' of today? On a breathtaking journey through time and culture, The Status Game offers a sweeping rethink of human psychology that will change how you see others - and how you see yourself.

Will Storr

The Status Game

<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">Perceive your work-related stress as positive and useful way.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Reduce stress and promote greater well-being (mindfulness meditation).</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Be aware of your breathing and calming down.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">“Befriend” your own awareness.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Begin to see yourself as larger than your problems and emotions. You can also alter your relationship to time.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Being truly present is a timeless moment. Notice how much you distract yourself and allow yourself to be distracted. Instead, ask, “What is most important now?”</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Then you can redirect your attention to that. It may be the people in your life.</li></ul>

Full Catastrophe Living

Using the Wisdom of Your Body and Mind to Face Stress, Pain, and Illness

A guide to awareness meditation methods offers a program for coping with illnesses as well as everyday stress.

The landmark work on mindfulness, meditation, and healing, now revised and updated after twenty-five years   Stress. It can sap our energy, undermine  our health if we let it, even shorten our lives. It makes us more vulnerable to anxiety and depression, disconnection and disease. Based on Jon Kabat-Zinn’s renowned mindfulness-based stress reduction program, this classic, groundbreaking work—which gave rise to a whole new field in medicine and psychology—shows you how to use medically proven mind-body approaches derived from meditation and yoga to counteract stress, establish greater balance of body and mind, and stimulate well-being and healing. By engaging in these mindfulness practices and integrating them into your life from moment to moment and from day to day, you can learn to manage chronic pain, promote optimal healing, reduce anxiety and feelings of panic, and improve the overall quality of your life, relationships, and social networks. This second edition features results from recent studies on the science of mindfulness, a new Introduction, up-to-date statistics, and an extensive updated reading list. Full Catastrophe Living is a book for the young and the old, the well and the ill, and anyone trying to live a healthier and saner life in our fast-paced world.   Praise for Full Catastrophe Living   “To say that this wise, deep book is helpful to those who face the challenges of human crisis would be a vast understatement. It is essential, unique, and, above all, fundamentally healing.”—Donald M. Berwick, M.D., president emeritus and senior fellow, Institute for Healthcare Improvement   “One of the great classics of mind/body medicine.”—Rachel Naomi Remen, M.D., author of Kitchen Table Wisdom   “A book for everyone . . . Jon Kabat-Zinn has done more than any other person on the planet to spread the power of mindfulness to the lives of ordinary people and major societal institutions.”—Richard J. Davidson, founder and chair, Center for Investigating Healthy Minds, University of Wisconsin–Madison   “This is the ultimate owner’s manual for our lives. What a gift!”—Amy Gross, former editor in chief, O: The Oprah Magazine   “I first read Full Catastrophe Living in my early twenties and it changed my life.”—Chade-Meng Tan, Jolly Good Fellow of Google and author of Search Inside Yourself   “Jon Kabat-Zinn’s classic work on the practice of mindfulness to alleviate stress and human suffering stands the test of time, a most useful resource and practical guide. I recommend this new edition enthusiastically to doctors, patients, and anyone interested in learning to use the power of focused awareness to meet life’s challenges, whether great or small.”—Andrew Weil, M.D., author of Spontaneous Happiness and 8 Weeks to Optimum Health   “How wonderful to have a new and updated version of this classic book that invited so many of us down a path that transformed our minds and awakened us to the beauty of each moment, day-by-day, through our lives. This second edition, building on the first, is sure to become a treasured sourcebook and traveling companion for new generations who seek the wisdom to live full and fulfilling lives.”—Diana Chapman Walsh, Ph.D., president emerita of Wellesley College

Jon Kabat-Zinn

Full Catastrophe Living (Revised Edition)

[W]hen an observer doesn’t immediately turn what his senses convey to him into language, into the vocabulary and syntactical framework we all employ when trying to define our experiences, there’s a much greater opportunity for minor details, which might at first seem unimportant, to remain alive in the foreground of an impression, where, later, they might deepen the meaning of an experience.

The lesson to be learned here is not just […] to pay closer attention to what [is] going on around [us], if [we hope] to have a deeper understanding of the event, but to remain in a state of suspended mental analysis while observing all that is happening – resisting the urge to define or summarize. To step away from the familiar compulsion to understand.

If the first lesson in learning how to see more deeply into a landscape [is] to be continuously attentive, and to stifle the urge to stand outside the event, to instead stay within the event, leaving its significance to be resolved later; the second lesson [is] to notice how often [we ask our] body to defer to the dictates of [our] mind, how [our] body’s extraordinary ability to discern textures and perfumes, to discriminate among tones and colors in the world outside itself, [is] dismissed by the rational mind.

The ear hears the song of a vesper sparrow, and then hears the song again, and knows that the second time it is a different vesper sparrow singing. The mind, pleased with itself for identifying those notes as the song if a vesper sparrow, is too preoccupied with its summary to notice what the ear is still offering. The mind is making no use of the body’s ability to be discerning about sounds. And so the mind’s knowledge of the place remains superficial.

Many people have written about how, generally speaking, indigenous people seem to pick up more information traversing a landscape than an outsider, someone from a culture that no longer highly values physical intimacy with a place, that regards this sort of sensitivity as a ‘primitive’ attribute, something a visitor from an ‘advanced’ culture would be comfortable believing he had actually outgrown.

Existential loneliness and a sense that one’s life is inconsequential, both of which are hallmarks of modern civilizations, seem to me to derive in part from our abandoning a belief in the therapeutic dimensions of a relationship with place. A continually refreshed sense of the unplumbable complexity of patterns in the natural world, patterns that are ever present and discernible, and which incorporate the observer, undermine the feeling that one is alone in the world, or meaningless in it.

The effort to know a place deeply is, ultimately, an expression of the human desire to belong, to fit somewhere […] And every natural place, to my mind, is open to being known. And somewhere in this process a person begins to sense that they themselves are becoming known, so that when they are absent from that place they know that place misses them. And this reciprocity, to know and be known, reinforces a sense that one is necessary in the world.

Perhaps the first rule of everything we endeavor to do is to pay attention. Perhaps the second is to be patient. And perhaps a third is to be attentive to what the body knows.

“Place and a mind may interpenetrate till the nature of both is altered.” - Nan Shepherd

scienceandnature

Science & Nature

Barry Lopez on the Cure for Our Existential Loneliness and the Three Tenets of a Full Life

The philosophy of Zen greatly differs from Western concepts. ✔️Zen Buddhists do not believe in one deity, they believe in the notion of reality, which is all-encompassing and affects everything in the world. They are aware that they are an extension of reality in the universe.

Zen vs Reality 

✔️ Meditation is the key religious practice for Zen Buddhists and allows individuals to reflect upon the nature of the universe while attempting to become enlightened.✔️ Meditate alone, without distractions, so that you can focus upon reflection, self-study and learning about the nature of the world.✔️ The word "Zen" emphasizes the importance of meditation and self-study.

Meditation practice

How to Convert to Zen Buddhism

✔️ Neo-Confucianism gained popularity in China during the Song Dynasty in the 11th century. ✔️The roots of Neo-Confucianism date back to the Tang Dynasty when the spread of Buddhism necessitated a reaction from Confucian thinkers.✔️As Buddhism and the reemergence of Taoism began to take hold within China, scholars reevaluated and reinterpreted Confucian philosophy into a new system of belief that addressed not only social and intellectual concerns but also spiritual ones. Neo-Confucian teachings took hold in China and soon spread to Korea and Japan.

Neo-Confucianism - History

✔️ The central belief of Neo-Confucianism like classic Confucianism is the idea of teaching oneself to become a better person. Neo-Confucians believe that the correct way of living is expressed in two forms: principle (li) and matter (qi). ✔️ Another important addition to Neo-Confucianism introduced the idea that the principle of all things exists within every individual. Because of this, individuals can understand the external world through introspection an meditation.

Neo-Confucianism - Beliefs

religionandspirituality

Religion & Spirituality

problemsolving

Problem Solving

Neo-Confucianism Beliefs - Synonym

Find 100+ Mindfulness Tips & Facts - Curated from inspiring sources like Books, Podcasts & Articles - Genuine Insights from like-minded Users like You!