Animals May Be Ruthless But Only Humans Can Be Evil


Over the course of the human experience a “civilized” perception of nature has spawned parallel to a person, or indeed a God of nefarious temperament. Malevolent acts cannot be denied within the animal kingdom, however the notion of something adhering to the cosmos’ cycle being inherently wicked seems illegitimate. Instead of examining the operations of the wild as synergetic systems many have acquired a more sophisticated approach branding the ruthlessness of nature savagery, yet righteously condoning the mechanical rape of the earth in the name of progress.

As technology continues to advance Homo sapiens drift further away from our humble animal origins. The capable consciousness has perpetuated us to top of the food chain whilst scraping away connectivity with the natural world. In losing touch with our native environment individuals forget their composition as an advanced animal and a temporary manifestation of nature, detaching the soul from the earth and permitting atrocities against other sentient beings.

Survival

For something to persist something else must perish for without death there be no life. It’s quite obtuse how some observe a predator in action and denote depravity rather than revere the physical testimony of natural evolution. A continual oversight of the people seeing the hunter as the epitome of Darwin’s fittest is that the fittest doesn’t merely denote carnivorous prowess, but more importantly a species ability to assimilate into their environments and outlast rivals. In the sporting world survival of the fittest is most vivid in Mixed Martial Arts where the athlete adjusting best to their opponent and applying the most auspicious strategies wins. The major difference between the two forms of contest is institutionalized rules. With the technology at human disposal it’s postulated if there were not rules in combat sports sordid behaviour would be a continual sight (Consider the men scrambling around the Colosseum millennia ago).

In the wild the best raw strategies take the reward, yet in warfare it is often the most diabolical. As Clausewitz stated, war is aimed “to impose our will on the enemy… and render the enemy powerless”, morality subordinate to victory. Survival for all animals rests upon the ability to obtain sustenance. Something living, be it an animal, plant or bacteria, must die to ensure the lifecycle’s continuation.

Animals innately understand their delegated hierarchy and accept their position within it. Approaching life audaciously they battle adversity without rancour, centralizing attention towards enduring not dissenting their predicament. Some may witness the methods of particular animals and find them ruthless, however those used by humans are vastly more concerning, in particular the excessive culling of life not for peace but sustained power.

Power and Supremacy

If it’s the animals atop of the food chain decimating those below what does our position indicate? If humans are the smartest animals to exist could it not be supposed we also be the most evil? One would like to suggest people are innately good, but the environment an individual develops in will stoutly mould their temperament. The Machiavellian idea of evil conveys a disregard for decency through focus on self-interest and personal gain. These tendencies are witnessed in animals but in the wild is this not what the fittest need do, safeguard their interests at the expense of thier rivals? They can’t sit down and have a discussion so fighting takes precedence over sociality.

When an ape beats its chest in a dominance display are they not protecting their jurisdiction’s welfare? Power makes animals feel safe and unfortunately the human mind sponges power and moistens the ego with visions of supremacy. In nature there is a symbiotic relationship between the animals in an ecosystem, all acting as agents for the benefit of the environment. In modern society symbiosis sees those superior in the hierarchy exploiting individuals below, not for mutual benefit but personal prosperity.

Some animals exhibit cruel behaviour but the horrendous actions of people on the earth and each other signifies our poll position of evil creatures. Genocide has been a major part of human culture exacerbating immensely with the rise of Western imperialism. One may say we have learned from our mistakes, yet throughout the 20th century seven major genocides claimed the lives of over 18 million people*. Concurrently, natural landscapes have been drenched with chemicals and bombs in ambition to gain the upper hand in conflict. Delving deeper and deeper into earth’s trove of finite resources careless consumption has lead to irreversible impacts across the globe. One of the most prevalent indicators of humanity’s immorality is slavery, uniquely human and inherently wicked.

How Did We Get Here?

Although many like to imagine humans endowed in the image of God and separate from the wild in truth we are animals, only more advanced. Our evolutionary track has granted us capabilities to drive curiosity and produce sophisticated tools. For all the nefarious actions committed by humans there is also reflective benevolence within us; caring, sharing, trust and empathy are synonymous with what it truly means to be human.

Engrained through generations of prehistoric living these elements have been vital to Homo sapiens holding hegemony over the environment. Hunter-gatherers living in small bands displayed the apex of egalitarian living, group cooperation and cohesion installing robust community with survival of the tribe resting upon everyone’s welfare. Examining our species today the connection shared between mutual earth walkers and the planet has been slowly dissipating, a main concern stemming from the personalized society the world has become accustomed to.

Despite the Hobbesian view of nature it seems the further we stray away from our origins the more supremacy humans assume and the more malevolent the species becomes. To potentially reconcile portions of these discrepancies we can cast our attention backwards to our progenitors, observing how they were able to live in symbiosis with, not decimate the planet. The steam train of civilization cannot be stopped, yet with the help of the past we try orientate direction towards a more prosperous future.




To assume the nefariousness of nature but neglect the avariciousness of people is folly, our modern race is the bacteria culling the earth not those living off it. Survival of the fittest has allowed humanity to rule much of the environment, however possessing the highest consciousness of living beings there should be added effort to not decay the planet and dominate. Animals may display signs of depravity, yet they are acting upon instinct and the will to survive. The extent of our free will is what makes us unique, we are simultaneously the most altruistic and evil creatures to walk the earth.





* http://www.historyplace.com/worldhistory/genocide/index.html




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Our Degree of Care Extends Only as Far as We Can Relate

Our view of society is contoured by the attributes we inherit and develop throughout our lives. Characteristics like gender, ethnicity, sexuality, political preference, lifestyle, all impact the way reality is witnessed. These features usher us towards demographics suited to our disposition, the people we elect to befriend carrying certain qualities akin to and attracting us. These groups make us feel secure and help solidify personal perception of the self, however they can also lead to one-dimensional thinking where anything outside their realm is hazardous.

When considering the composition of the world individuals don’t often observe unison of the human race, rather utilising the demarcation of “us and them”. This mentality has accompanied us since our hunter-gatherer ancestors and the fear keeping them alive now facilitates bigotry and prejudice. While living in the contemporary world we are still connected to our tribal nature; becoming conscious of this one can attempt to observe their biases and slowly learn to detribalize to an objective, humanistic worldview.

Tribalization

Why is it difficult for many to place themselves in the shoes of those they cannot instinctively relate to? Because we are tribalized and have been since birth.

From young age we are conditioned to devotedly support our team before we are even cognizant of what it means to do so – a nation, city, sports club, religion, a parent during a divorce, we take the opinions of our guardians as guiding principles and explore the world with them.

With maturation comes the development of self and the titles thrown upon us gain weight as we cultivate an idea of what it means to given the labels. Attaining deeper awareness of our inherited titles we typically gravitate to those bolstering the same, predilection and familiarity breathing life into many friendships. A point of affinity provides people an avenue to relate to one another, yet without such an opening others become more like abstractions than individuals. 

When others become concepts rather than actualities people begin to infer behavioural traits, “Typical x Supporter” a sentence uttered by devotees to denote their aversion of converse thought. This stereotyping is ubiquitous throughout the globe and evolves into its most abhorrent form when used to denounce an ethnic group. Without the tools to mentally position oneself into the lives of others the concept of everyone being human is neglected for the attitude of “They’re a different breed”.

Racial segregation has been recurrent in civilization yet most aren’t aware that race in itself doesn’t exist, it’s a human construction built for categorization. Where an individual is raised gives them particular world-view which tint is arduous to remove. Just as there is “Orthodox” religion, different cultures have developed what they believe to be the esteemed recipe for life. When confronted with an alternate perspective to their belief it is customarily treated with ridicule, confusion and fear.

The fear of the unknown means many don’t want to put themselves in the position of another. Seldom vision of varying traditions deprives an individual familiarity with the colours of the world, ensuring sight of only a singular hue.

Detribalization

During the colonial period the term Detribalization meant an imperialist power attempting to detach natives from their culture, dismantling a community with the modest intention of modernizing “the savages”. While the institutionalized barbarism by the West highlights the depravity of colonialism, the behaviour also shines light on our own contemporary tribes.

The brilliant mythologist Joseph Campbell used the notion of detribalization to help people observe their inherited biases and understand how they implant in the mind. As mentioned previously we are all products of our environment and throughout life we initiate ourselves into an array of tribes. Once we can see the existence of these clans one can attempt tracing their mental lineage to how their support first rose – Was it inherited at birth? Does it stem from an experience? Did a friend provide information? Grasping how our own attitudes spawn we can apply the same tactic to others and activate the idea that they aren’t different, just filled with different anecdotes.

When one learns to temporarily strip themselves of individuality they gain a more objective view of the human condition. Acknowledging the enormous spectrum of emotion faced during existence connects us to our fellow sapiens. Joviality to sorrow, excitement to boredom, relaxation to arousal, these sensations signify we are living and unite us with others through shared experience. Comparative philosopher Julian Baggini wrote, “ If you recognize yourself in another, treating the other as yourself becomes not an abstract duty but second nature”. Through emotion the doors of association open and one can start seeing how they relate to those outside their tribe.

Open dialogue is a great tool of detribalization if earnestly engaged with. To utilize the utensil one must come to a conversation without a preconceived notion of what’s going to come from the other, to not automatically denote any views contrary to your own wrong but see how the individual came to that conclusion.

It’s through conversing with those considered most dissimilar we extract the most about ourselves. They galvanize new thought, make us question our own beliefs and allow any holes to be filled with veracity.





From our earthy arrival we are unknowingly prescribed into our family tribe and the inclusion means acceptance of particular beliefs – we know what the words and colours signify, but have no real cognizance of what they mean. Our guardians and environment are the earliest influences of our worldview, growing older we confront new experiences and these initial ideas either inflate or expire.

The attributes complementing an individual define them in several ways and often align them with particular groups. If one elects to attach to a tribe it’s wise to avoid indulging personal views and consider the variation of human thought, consciousness may bind everyone yet it’s also what makes us unique. When you see people as conglomerates of their upbringing, environment and personality you remove fear and animosity and draw acquaintance with the diversity of the human condition.









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The Depreciation of The Paperback

Technological evolution has installed life with machinery indispensable to our modern existence. An original metamorphosis catalysed community hearsay into printed parchment; after a prolonged, solitary period radio waves began communicating across the sky; within a generation sound was matched with pictures and voila, The Television, your new family member! T.V loitered atop the information provider pedestal until the late 20th century as the Internet began global metastasis. By mid 00’s every one was online and new information avenues helped us become more engaged and completely neurotic.

Although thriving, it isn’t until Jobs drops the communicable iPod that the Internet’s influence really surges. As pockets were laden with iPhones social media cemented itself into society’s psyche, suddenly everyone possessed tailored content wherever they went. The Internet continues to elongate and as it stretches further from source objective, providing information and knowledge to the people, the closer it aligns with the ubiquitous quest for digital capital.

The Rush for Ratings

In our world most people only read personalized content from their customized screens. With less reading and more liking the timeless paperback has lost prevalence.

The deterioration of reading as a hobby began during the rise of television. The written word still held stout primacy, yet it soon become evident that the talking screen captivated a much larger, more sedated audience. In the early days public broadcasting channels earnestly delivered news to citizens and disseminated information beneficial to community cohesion, however as satellites extended selection news stations emerged and the ever-encompassing ratings battle overrode integrity. To increase viewer retention news anchors and journalists, at the encouragement of T.V stations, began invoking the fear instinct in audiences in attempt to increase viewership.

What once helped our ancestors survive was systematically used, and still is used, to beguile the audience into anxiety and keep them watching. For over a generation the news has been a foundational part of people’s understanding and their aptitude for providing content on current affairs cannot be denied, yet it can’t be denied either that material offered is always shaped at the interests of funders.

Presently on the tube it’s difficult to find an information source that’s main priority isn’t viewership, the word of CNN or FOX is practically invalidated by the numerous tactics used to nurture bias. With the ability to relay events to the public news outlets mould occurrences how they want them to be seen, spouting choreographed versions of truths while hiding behind a veil of legitimacy.

If people are only privy to one-sided reports a community will divide into what individuals expose themselves to. As Jim Morrison spoke, “Whoever controls the media, controls the mind.”

A Shift of Saliency

While the mainstream media anchors itself in television new platforms are consistently arising for people to both source and spread material. In the modern era the superlative source for information and entertainment is the the Internet. 24-hour access provides endless hours of content for immediate knowledge extension, however sifting through the extensive fields of fallacy it’s often difficult to acquire what’s desired.

A major shift from the origins of online to now is the development of social media and the impinging urge to create digital capital; what once used to be a tool to connect has morphed into a salient virtual reality. Social media has become a primary platform for the latest information and media outlets have altered orientation towards digital modes as degeneration of their tangible product continues.

Fabrication and falsehood are bountiful throughout the social media realm and click bait ensures more sensationalistic stories continue to sprout. Accompanying the incessant stripping of attention spans algorithms track users predilections and propagate sponsored content to them, communication becoming a furnace for fiery bias. Objectivity is essential to critical thinking and if one only sees what they agree with their ability to appreciate alternate perspectives atrophies, in turn when they are exposed to conflicting views a near allergic-like reaction is recurrent.

Social media allows individuals to voice their views on anything they feel necessary, the power to simultaneously interact with numerous people inducing pretension in even the most ill-informed. Rather than pursuing the advancement of one’s own intellect it’s more common for individuals to apply tunnel vision towards the next like, inspection into validity not required if content conveys their intention.

When digital information transporters are used candidly they become avenues for education and understanding, yet with fiction overtly overriding fact it is as Emily Dickinson wrote, “The truth is so rare it is a delight to tell it.”

Embracing the Light of Genius

For children and youth of today paperbacks appear more as indications of forced instruction than a route to escapism, yet an interest in literature is enduringly auspicious to a creative and informed life.

Being at the forefront of time we have all the material engendered hitherto at our disposal. What’s routinely neglected is our ancestors didn’t make YouTube videos or blog posts, rather they inked their ideas into history leaving a treasure trove of thought. 

One of the ancient signs of intellect is proficiency in reading and writing. Countless great minds have used word as their medium to convey concepts and their notions have been essential to expansion of contemplation. In our advanced society the attitude towards reading has become less favourable, and although books are still bolstered by a thinking minority, the fact it’s more common to hear “What’s trending?” than “What are you reading?” indicates what occupies the public zeitgeist.

Descartes expressed his admiration for the written word and the enlightening advantages he saw in having a conversation with brilliant minds of the past. What makes books so enchanting is the perennial offer of a personal encounter with fantastic thinkers, they act as transporters syncing one’s consciousness with the authors to bequeath an alternate perspective of reality. The greats of history have provided humanity with diverse interpretations of life – how it was, how it is and how one should live in it. For those wanting to pull back the blinds of ignorance and embrace the light of genius the book store is bathed in potent sunbeams.

Novels may not deliver the latest information but they do enable better interpretation of novel occurrences, an ability to think critically and identify patterns enhancing competence. The greats remain alive in their work and allow the trivialities of modern life to be seen naked. If one spends less time compulsively scanning a screen and more developing reading as a skill the heat of intellect will grant warmth in a world gone cold.





As the rate of technology continues to grow there has been an adverse affect on the appreciation for truth and legitimacy – while timeless classics remain on shelves viewership primacy carols us towards fleeting affairs. No time in history has had the availability of resources we do, but it is up to individuals to use instruments for their benefit and avoid becoming slaves to their toys.

The legacy of the greats is left in their work and those willing to dive in will swim in intellectual tides with quality company. With the grandeur of reality waiting to be explored it seems folly not to accept the advice of worldly giants.








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Would it be of Benefit to Western Society If Paganism was Still Prominent?

Since our ancestors began questioning existence the notion of immortals overseeing the operations and development of communities has been universal. Throughout the globe we find ancient gods disposed with human temperaments, their stories underpinning explanations to life’s intricacies and the faith of people. Although prominent for millennia, in the West during the 4th Century the ruling emperor Constantine adopted Christianity as the Empire’s guiding doctrine, spurring the progressive and eventual deterioration of Paganism.

Instead of having multiple gods, the Abrahamic religions denote all the fortune and adversity befalling people to an individual creator, the omnipotent intelligent designer. There is an essence of hypocrisy in the idea of a benevolent God not intervening in catastrophe whilst wilfully inflicting pain on his subjects, toying with the psyche of followers and community at large. We cannot say reverting back to Paganism is the most auspicious for our species (One would postulate a coalescing of western and eastern philosophy), however would citizens of the West live better lives by being able to relate to those moderating human life or fearing a man in the sky?

The Divine Eye

Salient to the Western religious worldview is God’s omnipresence. The concept of the creator following devotees lives makes them feel special, finding meaning in believing the divine eye is watching over them. Conversely, the idea of constant surveillance also permits the leading figures in institutionalized religion to maintain control through fear, insisting only they can anoint and absolve wayward behaviour.

Sin has been a major abettor in governing the faithful setting a perimeter of mortality around the actions of individuals, the barriers shifting according to power held by a perpetrator (e.g. paedophile priests).

The deterministic nature of God is another prominent feature with the immortal responsible for every transpiring event. This can help believers accept their delegated fate without rancour and install resilience, alternatively it can induce atrophy into people’s lives as they rely on supernatural assistance for intended outcomes. This mentality often materializes a lack of responsibility for one’s own actions. With God’s will reining supreme they trust their destiny is set in stone, becoming a hopeful observer not an active participant in the human experience.

Jeopardising one’s perennial afterlife Western religions have a superlative cattle prod to nudge followers into their attitudes, utilizing the threat of eternal suffering to strip people of independent thought. However in the Christian faith there is a little loophole, repentance on one’s deathbed for all immoral activity allows a passage to Heaven. With this sanctified get-out-of-jail-free card it’s not wonder Mobsters enjoy lightening their pockets at St. Peter’s Square.

Willing the Gods

The starkest difference between Western religion and Paganism lay in the polytheistic framework denoting unique characteristics and human dispositions to deities. Within the structure different gods handle the various aspects of life – like Aphrodite the love doctor, Loki the mischievous magician, Osiris the governor of Hades, Shiva the world recyclist and even Jupiter the God of Gods, each playing their part in influencing the human experience.

Deposed with human temperament people are at the whims of the god’s moods as they swirl with heavenly indiscretions, yet it also enables people to relate to them. A god with a volatile personality is easier to understand than one which gives with one hand and backhands you in the face with the other. Deities with diverse attitudes towards human affairs present a more viable case for the capricious outcome of life’s events than an all-loving God who kills to prove a point. The creator here forgets cosmic philosophy – an immoral deed done for moral purposes is still immoral . 

Another key difference is rather than believing the gods are constantly observing, Pagans implemented action to gain their attention and will them into favour. Although many successful people acclaim their feats to God, for majority of followers they are happy to have faith in the almighty hand dealing them their cards. Instead of finding a way to most propitiously play them they abide by the eternal prospect of “Let God Decide”.

People deeply progressed down this mentality could use some Nietzsche paraphrasing, “Be your own god! Create your personal superman!”  One should approach life with the zest of a Viking destined to greet Odin in the Hall of Valhalla, not waiting for divine intervention to bundle destiny but actively packaging it oneself.  

Reverence

With the vast increase in population perhaps the angle the West has taken towards monotheism has been more of what humanity has needed. In order to have large numbers of people living together belief in certain stories must be shared. Potentially, with one God instead of many gods, there is less chance of the community fraying in factions.

Over the past two millennia monotheism has not stayed static with copious re-renderings of the same core principles categorizing people into subgroups from Mormons to Shiites to Orthodox to Secular. Add a touch of bipartisan politics and society’s fabric is sliced into the well-defined segments of “This or That?”.

Science has done exceptionally well in feeding human curiosities and growing our collective intellect, yet its limitations lay in its materialistic approach to life.
Although neglected by science, one’s Spirituality is an integral part to the wholesome development of a person. However, in the West religion has been institutionalized making it less about community spirit and more about public control.  

In Pagan societies mysticism was imbedded in the understanding of life’s operations, like a lightning bolt from a contemptuous Zeus or a calm sea indicating Poseidon’s sacrificial contentment, engendering devout reverence to nature as an extension of the gods. The adherence to nature as a deity is a far cry from our current civilizational creed of use and abuse, continuing to double down on the lubeless degradation of a bleeding planet.

If the West believes God to be in everything why would we be leading the planets decay? Maybe because judgement day has been coming soon for millennia. Instead of owning the time and space they occupy now, Abrahamic followers are preparing for the collapse of humanity and a meeting with God to determine their fate. If people are worried about their divine decision they aren’t focussing on the issues currently arising and, with an ability to repent whenever, personal gain has overridden community ethos.





Within the Abrahamic Religions there are great moral teachings worthy of rumination, yet there are many aspects to the institutionalized power structure which aim to control and manipulate. We tend to observe ancient religions with a connotation of primitivism, and while their understanding of the universe was limited, the underlying themes retain pertinence within society. The idea of willing the gods in ones favour portrays a message of creating ones existence instead of waiting for providence. Of making life special instead of believing it is innately divine, to act good not because one might go to hell but because it’s the right thing to do.

Since we began to question life the concept of deities has lingered. Potentially, if in the West the gods still had human temperaments, more people could enhance relationship to religion and improve the spiritual aspect of society, reconnecting people with the mysticism underpinning the human experience.








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Occupy Your Time and Space but Leave No Trace

It’s an indomitable task to imagine the quantity of events leading to the residing moment – billions of years of chaotic evolution resulting in the accretion of a living planet and the bipedal “Wise Man”. Everyone who has or will exist is only provided a single human experience to participate in and configure a perception of life. To exist means to live at the forefront of time, to be able to utilize the knowledge of previous eras to become The Contemporary Human.

The aphorism “Everyone dies but not everyone truly lives” is trite yet right, however what can be noted in those leading remarkable lives is their ability to be placed in diverse environments while keeping their composure and authenticity. If an individual is intent on improving elements in their life it is advised to consider the maxim, Occupy your time and space but leave no trace. In owning your position in the powerful play one has the best chance in contributing an eloquent verse.

Never Superficial

Have you ever witnessed someone doing their job with such enthusiasm and skill that it’s hard to take your eyes off them? What about a cheerful greeting from a bus driver or bouncer that you just weren’t expecting? These magnetic individuals display a central element of occupying one’s time and space – whether they are cognizant or not, they are surrounding themselves in a radius of joviality generating an attractive environment.

By becoming aware of the influence people can have over an atmosphere one can begin to see how they can positively alter a setting, changing an encounter’s trajectory and increasing satisfaction to all those involved. A prime example would be the simple acknowledgement of another’s existence; how different one feels at work if others ignore their presence and become only visible when needed. In engaging amicably with others we nurture our social side, boosting confidence and allowing connection to, not above or below, other humans.

Those who competently occupy their time and space don’t intend to dominate a situation, rather be a luminescent part of it. Consider a conversation where two people have differing views. One could take this as a chance to “win” an argument and confirm their perceived superiority, departing from the interaction with smugness or irritation. Conversely, if one is willing to listen to what the other has to say they create opportunity for genuine dialogue, increasing the chances of both parties leaving the encounter with additional knowledge and a cordial connection.

In Aldous Huxley’s Island, the Palanese refer to nearly any activity as “The Yoga Of …”, whether it be eating, climbing, adventuring, sex, singing, everything is done in a way so the participant is acutely aware of the surroundings and sensations. By training sensitivity to action and environment it becomes autonomous to the Palanese, their lives never superficial but profound and interconnected in everything they do.

Occupying your time and space has a residual affect when done properly – absence. If one is capable of owning their personal realm their absence will have a noticeable impact. Being missed by others for the person you are is a very admirable achievement, others may take your place but your essence loiters with veracity.

Shade

The pursuit of knowledge is something intellectually endogenous to our species. Tens of thousands of years of trail and error has concocted the “civilized” secular society where nothing is too distant, except a collective appreciation for the natural world (or a consensus reality).

There’s an old Greek proverb stating “A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they will never sit”. Echoing eternally with authenticity, this is arguably more important at present than when it was composed.

The concept of leaving no trace means the indication of one’s person needn’t be left in this world for a lingering essence of their being – does it really matter who planted the trees or that some will benefit off another’s thoughtfulness? There is no need to stick your name on something when the action itself is most salient. If you able to positively effect change in the world let the residual effects build self-efficacy – a plaque may be worthy, but is it necessary? Excessive pride placed in action is a reputed segue to pretension.

Doing the “right thing” shouldn’t be overtly celebrated but seen as a resting mental state. One does the right thing because it is the right thing to do, not for reward or applaud but the benefit of one’s conscious and those operating in the space. Congealing one’s mind with this type of attitude grants better consideration of the impact our flesh puppets have on the planet, allowing individuals to be more observant of their trace left behind.

How often does one see someone finish a cigarette and instinctively cast without remorse? Is there any thought of where it may end up or the required effort to reach it? Doubtful, at best. In an age of excessive comfort the observation of our actions are often pixelated until the appropriate words or experiences provide transparency.

Leaving no trace means to respect the rights of others to enjoy what’ve enjoyed. Whether it be landscape, concert or exhibition, strive to not interfere. But if you must, at least don’t make it worse.

The concept of leaving no trace intends to induce reflection of us being nature’s temporary manifestation, to not avoid the thought of death but acknowledge its essential ubiquitousness. If life gets better because of you let your actions live on, the name is supplementary.


Action fades in time
A tree shades young minds
All is balanced

Ready For Anything

No matter who you are, we all have the ability to occupy our time and space by sharply observing the different circumstances we engage with. 

The initial step of occupying is becoming aware of your influence on reality – developing mindfulness of thought and behaviour by examining how you interact with others and the natural world. A great tool for enhancing perception is to retrace situations where you would advice your previous self of better action, genuinely talk to them and re-create the situation as you would like. This exercise increases attention to one’s actions and gives confidence that they can improve on their former selves. Taking full ownership of your behaviour enhances understanding of the importance of having thought behind your actions – you can only control yourself and it’s wise to do so pensively.

Throughout the day various environments are encountered requiring people to adjust their behaviour – with friends, family, at work, in public or private, we change to the complexion a situation requires.  Concurrently, we also have myriad versions of ourselves during the day – when we are hungry, sad, excited, tired, lazy, our internal sentiments are reflected in our external presentation. Due to continuous internal dialogue, those occupying their time and space understand the variations in their feelings and do not put on a character, but become a social chameleon fitting the essential self into the scene. People are liable to lose themselves if they repeatedly present an image for the benefit of others. The social chameleon owns their time and space by keeping onus on integrity.

Being raised in a society where the future is constantly of concern people being riddled with anxiety, so focused on impending events they ineptly appreciate the moment residing. Instead of living with anticipation of the future one can actively come towards it by working with the pieces they are currently provided, assembling a disposition ready for anything.

An essential component of occupying one’s time and space is to realize you are alive and living this moment. Even if it is just a smile to see a stranger’s frown turn upside down, the question is not “Can you effect reality?” but how?






As we spawn into the world we inhabit the time and space we live in, but inhabiting and occupying are differing styles of living. To occupy your time and space is to be aware of your influence on reality, to be mindful of your behaviour and to have no action without intent. This doesn’t dictate that individuals can’t have off days but to be more observant as to why they occur, to use previous conduct as templates for improving not belittling the self.  To occupy your time and space means to be curious about what is happening both inside and outside your jurisdiction, to gather knowledge from a variety of sources and construct your own interpretation of the human experience.

Occupy your time and space but leave no trace; at the core of this maxim is an all-encompassing effort to make yourself the person your essence urges you to be, to listen to the great voice inside and become an active creator in reality.









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Leave the World Better than When You Found It


During our final moments one can only wish to be surrounded by loved ones with a mind full of jovial memories. Approaching the final destination it seems inevitable to ponder our life, internal dialogue weighing positive action against disingenuous conduct. Individuals observing an immoral existence will often manifest delusions to erode responsibility, building a barrier between actual reality and the expiring entity’s quest for contentment. An individual may die deceiving themselves about their noble temperament, but their true worth will reside in their residual affect on others.

The meaning of life varies for all and we define our disposition by committing to an ideology or endeavour. Every individual creates their own purpose, yet if we want to live up to our name as nature temporary manifestation its auspicious to aim to leave the earth better than when we found it.

Impacting Reality

On the daily stroll towards Hades one must stop and comprehend how their life will be perceived after it ceases; will admiration stem from wealth or morality? Athleticism or integrity? Occupation or virtue? As vitality dissolves into the narrative of history how one will be remembered becomes the prodigious thought.

Falsehoods adorn people in the appearance of satisfaction, but true serenity loiters around individuals who are compelled to uphold and improve their environment. Living a life that improves the world doesn’t require an astonishing career or outstanding abilities, it is a person who accepts the hand dealt by cosmos and endeavours to live candidly, guided by sound connotation of morality and authenticity.

A fruitful way people observe their impact on reality comes from their offspring. Having a child is arguably one of the most detrimental decisions a person can make towards the planet, therefore it’s propitious, if not expected if entering into this arrangement the mind of the infant be sculpted with a critical and gracious chisel. Parents blessed with babies harness the capability to mould their morals, ethics and values according to what they consider conducive to a honourable existence. Giving their spawn every advantage to push past the horizon of their own life is a universal goal of parenting; commitment to the task isn’t taken lightly. 

A noble human sentiment, the capacity to dedicate one’s life to others is not only witnessed in parents but also teachers, coaches, nurses, volunteers, activists; it resides in everyone, although not all will seek light upon it. While actions may indicate selflessness there is a selfish tinge to helping others – it makes you feel good.

The Avaricious Household

Public figures concealing despicable natures before death have been scratched from history, a barrage of slander smearing every last ounce of dignity the name once possessed. Accolades and awards will be nothing more than identifiers of the past, our affect on those we leave behind will be our real legacy. Hear that Savile?

It cannot be stated that generating an inflated bank account to bequeath to one’s family isn’t honourable, but how the money was acquired and what time and experience were lost in its procurement is salient to meriting admiration. When meaning is derived from the acquisition of capital a person is susceptible to depravity, others becoming abstractions rather than people. Recurrently, the children of affluent individuals have insatiable approaches to living; in trying to engender a better life for their offspring they instead strip connection to reality and fellow humans, unless they occupy equal or higher social status.

The self-centred approach to life will provide some good moments, although they are like the decadence of eating obscene amounts of chocolate. Endorphins are activated as one shovels in more, yet when luxury turns to gluttony sickness always follows. The disease of avarice ensures deluded perception blinding avenues to true contentment – when someone is constantly craving enough will never suffice.

“Riches do not exhilarate us so much in their possession as they torment us with their loss.” Epicurus’ remark holds its veracity thousands of years on. The more one acquires the more one has to lose, skewing an unfavourable slant on outsiders. In pursuing greed people are destined to continually quest for more. Never satisfied with what they hold, they’re always envious of what’s in the palms of others.

Bystander to Active Force 

Oscar Wilde wrote, “Some cause happiness wherever they go, some whenever they go”; we must decide for ourselves which we would like to be. By the time the reaper rolls around, memories flood us with the water needed to grow an acute eye and inspect who we actually were.

During life many seldom reflect on what their future self would say about their course selection, overshadowed by the immediate impact their choices make on their reality. It is more frequently the little decisions made greatly shaping our disposition – it is how we arrive at our judgement not the judgment itself. If one loses sight of their place in earth’s orbit the mind begins to think the sun’s circling them.

With this indulgent attitude people neglect anything that doesn’t concern them, “Why focus on the them over there when it doesn’t affect me here?” a common thought accompanying the mentality. Unbeknownst to these people in helping others we actually helps ourselves. By enriching the lives of others one stops being a bystander and alters into an active force.

The happiness found in altruism is boundless; whether helping a grand parent with a smart phone, taking an eager dog for a walk, helping in a food kitchen or planning a surprise party, taking time and investing it into the lives of others nourishes the soul. Whilst material depreciates from the moment it is exists, altruism lingers in the cosmos’ ethos. 

Comparative philosopher Julian Baggini wrote, “ If you recognize yourself in another, treating the other as yourself becomes not an abstract duty but second nature.” This statement is also true with nature herself.

Everything living is Gaia’s temporary manifestation and allowing her process to flourish is essential to all existence. One can show nature gratitude and redeem humanity by picking up the decay caused by senseless individuals who believe it’s appropriate to litter her magnificence. With this type of behaviour we transform into active agents of change, our eyes attune to witness the interdependence of all and are humbled to be part of such an elaborate and intimate experience.





Everyone has the opportunity to become more than themselves by acting in the interest of the planet’s current and future inhabits. In this symbiotic reality if one believes they don’t owe the world anything vanity prevents them from attaining anything of substance.

As the reaper’s hand draws near those knowing their positive influence on others will welcome their conclusion with a cheerful temperament, the opposing individual shuttering in fear at losing everything they’ve exchanged life for.

“And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make.” Put simply by The Beatles, it is what we give to life which we get back from it. By lightening the burden carried by others we deepen the soul and mature into truly sentient beings. 











Image Source: Feliks K

When You Trust The Cosmos, The Tao Helps You Out

During 6th century BCE in the Ancient capital of Luoyang, an imperial archives keeper despised the sordid behaviour corroding his society’s morals and grew wary. Instead of retaining profitable position he elected to leave the city, heading West to the boarder of the Chinese Empire. Upon reaching a mountain pass the man’s erudite reputation proceeded him and he was recognized by a gatekeeper, insisting that the traveller scribe the essence of his teachings. He did what was asked and left the gatekeeper with what became known as the Tao Te Ching.

With Lao Tsu’s wisdom as a cornerstone, Taoism is a naturalistic philosophy focusing on establishing connection with the Tao – a ubiquitous, perennial force facilitating the course of existence. Through awareness of mind and behaviour Taoism seeks to harmoniously unite individuals with the universe, to not fight against but learn how to flow with it. By following the Tao one puts faith in the operations of the cosmos, and when you trust the cosmos the Tao helps you out.

Passive Combat

The initial teaching of the Tao Te Ching speaks of the eternal nature of the Tao – it was born before heaven and earth and it has no concept of life, death or time, it is and has always been. Lao Tzu writes the Tao is the mother of 10,00 things, or, in other words, everything. As inscribed the Tao begot one, and then one begot two and two three, the path of generation continuing until now. While the Tao may sire existence it is not what it produces, it exists on a supreme paradigm all on its own.

Water is a salient concept in Taoism as a recurrent illustration of the Tao’s path – like a winding stream, energy drifts down the river until it returns to source. Throughout this sequence the water faces obstacles like boulders, trees, the bank, and must manoeuvre to reach its destination. Force cannot do this, what can is flowing with the current and passively combatting whatever is comforted. 

Passive combat may sound like an odd notion but it’s vital to the ancient tradition. Wu Wei is an essential concept of Taoism and translates to “Effortless Action”, dismantling adversity not via impulsive strength but placidity, patience and plasticity. A great example is the erosion of a cliff by the ocean – while the power of a single wave cannot decimate the precipice, the consistent repetition of energy can crumple what appears indomitable.

The Cosmos is impartial and sees the ten thousand things how they truly are. The Tao encourages correlation with the cosmos by discrediting individuals who attempt to conquer and improve the universe. The cosmos cannot be controlled, yet we can arrange action to flow with it. When one follows the path of the Tao they attain awareness of the enduring interrelatedness of everything. When one doesn’t hubris hones attention to the self.

Flowing Against

The Tao gives truth to life as it follows the process of nature, and when going against it we actively revolt against veracity. The Tao Te Ching explains that acquisition of harmony comes from virtuous action, enlightenment unseen in self-interest but conspicuous in the pursuit of moral decency.

The script highlights the delusion of those opposing the way of the Tao. When knowledge is neglected honesty becomes corrupt and ignorance reins supreme, and when ignorance reins supreme disorder is never too distant. Acts of violence are disdained by the Tao and Lao Tzu teaches those who are violent will have violent deaths. Conversely, the Tao bring tranquillity to those flowing with it and living a benevolent life increases the chances of having a congruent ending.

In seeking for more than what’s required people skew their understanding of the world and their relation to it, they begin to expect rather than appreciate. “He who knows enough is enough will always have enough.” Lao Tzu exhibits the perils of overindulgence – if one cannot be satisfied with a little, when given a lot their bound to the same perception. Without gratitude of what one has they’ll always be scrounging for more, a neurosis blocking the trail to the plateau of contentment.

When thought is incessantly concentrated on personal issues and community gossip we forget the enormous system we are living in. By not being engaged with nature one is sensationalized by modern society and connection to our humble origins deteriorate. In observing nature’s system one can salute the perennial structure we are imbedded within; without exposure, how can they gain familiarity?

“Because the wise always confront difficulties, they never experience them.” Without discomfort there can be no improvement. When we do not face up to adversity we don’t develop from it, anchoring us to it.

Flowing With

To flow with the Tao one must “accept misfortune as the human condition”, realizing that calamity only befalls the flesh. To “accept disgrace willingly” means acknowledging insignificance in the enormity of the cosmos, to not obsess over gains and losses but brew cognizance of the necessity of misfortune to learn and develop.

The Tao encourages peaceful living by avoiding extremes, excess and complacency. Achievement should be reached without immorality, including the glorifying of one’s actions. “Force is followed by loss of strength, this is not the Tao’s way”, no one of any worth needs to praise their own accomplishments, others will see and do this for them. To flow with the Tao is to honour the quest and not the result, for a quest done correctly always leads to right destination.

Lao Tzu understands humility as a source of strength. Truly good people are naïve to their goodness because for them doing the right thing is always the right thing to do. They don’t need admiration from others when they know they’ve acted according to their virtue. The urge to contest with others is depleted in these individuals as they know they are only in control of their actions, competition coming from the challenge to enhance the former self.

To find and feel our place in the Cosmos the Tao Te Ching encourages the observation and inculcation of the Tao’s flow. Mediation is a core element to the life of a practicing Taoist and the exercise takes on many forms. “Attain utmost emptiness, maintain utter stillness”, in temporarily dropping contemplation and turning inward one senses they are more than their mind and body and can appreciate just being.

Spending solitary time in nature is also central to the tradition. Nature allows us to observe in our world examples of the Cosmos’ interrelatedness and the flow of the Tao. Isolated in nature awareness of our position as Gaia’s temporary manifestation is regained. 

Lao Tzu culminates his work by drawing attention to an auspicious avenue towards contentment, altruism. Comparative philosopher Julian Baggini wrote, “If you recognize yourself in another, treating the other as yourself becomes not an abstract duty but second nature.” In following the Tao one grasps the interwoven connectivity of the cosmos and how helping others is really helping oneself.  







Following the Tao places one in synchronicity with the cosmos, the interconnected ever-expanding system of the universe. Taoism teaches people to be deeply observant of behaviour in both thought and action, to align themselves with what is conducive to flow of nature. The Tao Te Ching demonstrates the best way to gain control is not to force against a current but learning to flow with it, adapting oneself with effortless action to overcome whatever’s confronted.

“Watch your thoughts, they become your words; watch your words, they become your actions; watch your actions, they become your habits; watch your habits, they become your character; watch your character, it becomes your destiny”. While the legitimacy of Lao Tzu as an individual is dubious, the work engendered in his name is as useful now as any time in human history.











Image Source: Cath Simard

Home is Anywhere One is Completely Comfortable Being Themselves

Throughout life we develop affinities with locations that induce a sense of security and contentment, safe havens where one has liberty to act as they please within certain guidelines. These sanctuaries materialize in a variety of places with our first exposure being the family home. No matter where one travels or what they experience an essence of home perennially lingers in the mind, a slice of consciousness attached to moments of serene childhood.

A home is more than a dwelling, it’s a canvas integral to trail, error and emergence of the self. The environment offers opportunity to sample a variety of paints to see which colours suit, those occupying the same space integral in influencing our living art. The majority of us will eventually loose the place we called home, yet the sensations encountered there never fully depart us – feelings of safety, freedom and complete comfort are not merely found in the walls of a house, but also within the composition we call ourselves.

An External Womb

While everyone has diverse anecdotes, there are certain properties found in family homes that give them poignancy; a space to eat and interact, a space to recline and contemplate and a space for individual expression. Nostalgia becomes palpable when a lot of time is spent in a location and it’s occupied by spectres of previous events, a glance around the room inducing reminiscence as picture frames tether the past to the present.

The initial formation of our being is established in the family home and, through the lessons of those older, commence brewing acquaintance with the world. Here one also begins developing knowledge of morals, ethics and values. Sculpted by parental advice, one learns to discern what is deemed acceptable and what is not. With maturation our earliest ideologies take on a personal touch and are transformed into perceptive.

A home provides a safe environment for an individual to be true to themselves without judgement or ridicule, a setting that allows internal sentiment to be expressed and appreciated. Since spawning into the world a yearning for nurture has pulsated, instinctively we crave embrace and our home morphs into an external womb for comfort, love and affection.

A sanctuary shaped by imagination and inspiration, our bedroom is the first area dedicated just to us and is where one can do and become whomever they want. This place is our safe space, our own private reality where we are the protagonist temporarily remove themselves from the expectations of the world. A valuable attribute of the bedroom is the solace it offers when tension runs high in the house. A refuge from turmoil, this chamber has cradled countless belittled souls.

Although the home provides comfort and support these aspects are not restricted to domestic walls, the feeling can be experienced at a variety of locations and with an assortment of people. The ease felt whilst hanging with friends, immersion into the mind when trekking through nature, the sense of community experienced at a festival – the family home may have allowed early access to these impressions, yet its true residence is intangible.

Internal Abode

There are many settings an individual can feel completely at home, yet for one to feel comfortable wherever they are they must establish a home within themselves. Humans consist of multitudes and different social environments require us to adorn different masks, however to reach genuine self-understanding one needs to engender an authentic relationship with consciousness.

In the contemporary world private reflection is constantly interfered by personalized tools attempting to captivate attention, drawing the mind away from itself and towards the lives of others. Independent rumination and internal discourse have become scarce because people elect easy stimuli over introspection, and when comparison is paramount internal peace depletes. Sartre knew the importance of having a robust relationship with one’s conscious, “If you are lonely when you’re alone, you are in bad company”.

Confidence is built from the inside and its durability relies on action. It’s not enough to possess prudence and forethought if you don’t apply it in reality, for nothing comes to fruition tomorrow if the seed isn’t planted today. In building a healthy confidence one must refine friendship with the mind. Inside there is always an active piece of you willing to converse, by cultivating a relationship with it one feels at home in their thoughts.

The mind is an exceptionally important ally, but it is not our entirety. For an individual to operate optimally there needs to be cognizance of and cohesion between the mind, the body and the soul. There is a reason why every religion incorporates a ritual of silence in their practice; quieting the mind allows it to be heard, quieting the mind also allows one to grasp that they are more than it. The mind can be observed as our wakeful consciousness and the soul as our essence felt in the moment between breaths, the emptiness of exhaustion, the serenity in prayer.

In examining the three separate components one can engender strategies for harmonious coalesce, providing sturdy framework for building the internal home. While uniting the three is assisted by meditation, walking in nature, reading, the essential key to strong foundation is awareness.

By observing thoughts one learn to direct them with assertiveness. By inducing a degree of discomfort one truly feels their body and develops a deep appreciation of it. By practicing to quiet the mind one can attune their hearing to the cosmic voice inside. The proficiency of combining these aspects dictates the sense of home ones carries with them wherever they go.  





The enduring aphorism Home is where the heart is expresses the love we share with our first sanctuary, the heart always holds a piece wherever we go. The maxim also indicates the emotions attached to a sense of home are not reserved for a house, but can manifest organically inside an individual.

Becoming comfortable with ourselves allows one to create an internal abode to be carried wherever we roam, a sense of security escorting us into any endeavour. No matter where one is or what they are doing, if unity has been cultivated between the mind, body and soul, any environment will feel like home. 











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Once The Beacon of Curiosity is Lit it Can Never Be Extinguished

There are innumerable ways an individual can select to live their life. People, depending on their finances, nutrition, education, as well as cultural norms, can orientate endeavours to what they believe will provide a happy existence. For the majority life doesn’t automatically spark a yearning to investigate deeper than the surface, in the west particularly, citizens strive to attain a stable job to live a life of relative comfort. Unless outside factors are impeding, these individuals have little concern of what’s happening around them separating their existence to that of their neighbours.

Although one cannot completely denounce this way of living we must be aware that this is how society has been constructed, shallow thinking proletarians bolstering the system that anchors them down. One may be stuck in this monotonous cage for years until a flicker of profound rumination scorches the mind’s shackles; it may be a novel, song, public figure, artwork, travel, nature, but with the ignition of curiosity comes a guiding flame into insatiable, unexplored knowledge.

Re-ignition

When kindling of inquisitiveness is lit it feels like a perennial secret has been whispered; a euphoric wave, equivalent to that of a religious revelation, is not uncommon. Novel luminosity shines light on our perception providing clarity and catalysing questions from a newfound intrigue of life’s intricacies. 

Humans all share the same origin story but our personal pathways are varied, we all have the capacity to engage deeply with life but due to differences in education discrepancies are inevitable. Socio-economical status and religious labels create a chasm between people, the information provided and cultural beliefs leave many insistent on concepts they’ve under examined. Those of academic proficiency may foster great intelligence, yet if their curiosity is underdeveloped they are ignorant to several fascinating components of life, viewing the human experience with a self-indulgent tinge where their existence is most salient.

As children this inquisitive spark burns bright and life is an enchanting place between reality and imagination, growing older the mist of wonder evaporates with enhancement of self-awareness. For some their knack for contemplation continues throughout their youthful years and the flame still flickers into adulthood, for others the fuse isn’t relit until the right ingredients can reproduce fire. The reignition of curiosity radiates the world once again, however there is no singular panacea for everyone to reclaim their awe. It requires a personal encounter with insight.

Many have found their spark in the philosophies of the East with acquaintance to the interrelatedness of the ten thousand things, that of the West have opened the doors of metaphysics to question what life is and how we mortals fit into the cosmic scheme. Travel is another opening to ignition by exposing oneself to the differences and similarities around the world; it also puts people into a position outside their norm to meet someone who may change their worldview. The arts are lucid displays of human emotion conveying so much more than the exhibited surface. With ample techniques of communication individuals can find themselves escorted into a new dimension of expression.

However one manages (if they are open to the change in perception) to rekindle curiosity becomes their personal avenue to advancement, yet once the flame begins burning it cannot be quelled without a depressing sacrifice of intellect.

The Battles Of The Pensive Mind

Although the reignition of inquisitiveness is of benefit to individuals it isn’t as easy as turning a light on and off, there is a certain amount of strain to shoulder if one is to become a deep thinker. When everything becomes a philosophical playground it spurs a child-like intrigue of life, however, after a while, a person may not operate to their fullest degree because thinking isn’t practical.

Jung supposed the idea within himself of the duality of souls – one, timeless and everlasting as found in moments of contemplation and with nature; the other, the social fragment required for functionality in day to day life. If the timeless aspect of oneself is dominant in social settings one is lead down the track of the misanthrope. When everything must have a greater consequence nothing can be without meaning and one finds themselves consistently at odds with their environment and those in it.

With this mindset worldviews ferment in hubris and instead of examining their surroundings to proficiently adjust to conditions, one rebukes from a high castle of judgement. People acting in this fashion habitually find themselves isolated and detested by others, even if they are a genius they’ll be known by those closest to them for their gauche demeanour.

Sometimes the newly illuminated curiosity can galvanize overthinking. This state of mind may usher in despair and even misery as they have not figured out how to calm their conscious. It isn’t uncommon for these individuals to wish they could revert back into the cave and allow their mind to be filled with nonsense not notions, yet in attempting they are unable to fully remove their contemplative nature and must numb themselves with external stimuli. 

In order to reconcile these two portions of the soul a great maxim from a 16th century mastermind speaks volumes, “Have more than thou showest, speak less than thou knowest”.  Shakespeare’s words penetrate into what it truly means to be a ruminator, to have an abundance in the internal while not needing to flaunt it in the external. Observing this thought, the pensive mind can take solace in it’s own wealth and use the brewed confidence to apply it aptly in tangible reality. When one’s able to understand and appreciate the souls duality they can switch between the inner and outer world with quiet precision. It is the job of those carrying the intellectual flame to light portions of the path for those willing to transcend its depths.






In the 21st century there is a richness of technology customizing life, but all the tools engendered hitherto don’t hold a candle to the mother of mechanisms endogenous to all living creatures – consciousness. If the mind stays merely at it’s societal level one misses the nuanced colours of life, seeing main outcomes while missing the combinations of hues required for their composition. Having the torch of curiosity revived reacquaints people with the light, yet it also shows them how the construction of society leaves the majority in darkness.

As Plato’s allegory shows it’s not always easy to be in the sunshine while others linger in shadows, but if one is able to accept their auspicious burden as a right of passage their strain will build a bulbous muscle, an intellect pulsating with lust for life.








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Nature Doesn’t Look Back in Melancholy


Human curiosity and technological advancement have provided scientists a plethora of information to deduct much about the development of the natural world. Across generations an intriguing propensity of the past sees it consistently repeating. Although never identical, events separated by decades, centuries or millennia have managed to transpire with analogous plotlines but a divergence in cast. Something as ubiquitous as the changing of seasons highlights the cyclical temperament of nature, a vivid display of its ability to replenish itself anew by abiding by the perennial succession of death and rebirth.

Nature has a perpetual allure to philosophers. In both the East and West thinkers have gravitated towards and intently watched her process, observing with reverence a glimpse into the cosmos’ operations. Life is flux and it cannot continue without the transient element of time locking moments into history and engendering those of novelty. By neglecting the necessity of change life threatens to become prosaic, without alteration of experience the world morphs into one dimension. 

The Continual Succession of Moments

It can be hard for people to remove a mind entrenched in the past and mould it into the present. For some it’s a place of solace gloated in happy memories, for others a tormenting sequence of dreary scenes, yet if too much time is spent ruminating on the past it negatively influences the present and taints the future.

Some events alter our vision of reality and attempting to accept and let go can be arduous. Without reconciling traumatic experiences people can foster a burden the entirety of their life, decaying intangible parts of the self. Darwin’s theory of evolution illuminates the importance of adaptation for a species survival; those with the most aptitude in adjustment enduring longer in ecosystems.

Living barricaded from nature people tend to neglect that we’re highly advanced animals, and like our wild counterparts we must change according to circumstance or have adversity incessantly encroach. Without alteration the settings around an individual will morph with their tactics will be out-dated, presenting a conspicuous gap in their quotidian armour. Life is consistently fluctuating and the harder one tries to push change away the intensity of obstruction will surge, hindering progression.

The present is all we have at our disposal and is ensured by the continual succession of moments each fading as fast as they arrived; holding onto the past means the time one has to enhance their future is instead used for melancholic recollection. Utilizing the present wisely means to take knowledge from the past and apply it in preparation for the future. If one holds rancour for life’s variations they will battle not only themselves, but also an indomitable aspect of existence. 

All Things Must Pass

Change is corollary of existence as without a new moment superseding the current nothing is able to continue – everything is in a state of transformation. The Greek term Anima Mundi refers to an ambiguous intrinsic connection felt between all living things. When one adapts their own flow to the process of nature they begin to observe interweaving cosmic sentience.

Change requires time to flourish and exhibit its full expression – just as a tree’s leaves don’t grow back a day after abscission, there is the necessity of time to quantify the outcome of change. Sometimes we expect immediate results and don’t allow the process to bloom, other times we observe the bloom and cultivate results whilst expecting more. Instead of expectation we need realization; there is indeed a time to act, though it should be done with prudence not impulsiveness.

The more often an individual leaves their comfort zone and challenges themselves they learn how to fail better. If people don’t learn how to fail in their youth it becomes difficult to objectively observe hardship when older. Without adjusting to current situations hypotheticals burrow deep into the consciousness, phantom images of what could have been tease individuals with false realities.  

In the words of a wise ol’ Beatle, “All Things Must Pass” – it’s best to learn Mother Nature’s lessons by an appreciation for good times with knowledge of their transitory existence, accepting those dark with reverence to their ephemeral essence.

She also offers a calming observation of death as a necessity, something our technologically enhanced society has fought with Gilgameshic air to defeat. Without the looming presence of death, how can one truly be alive? Although the cosmos is impartial, in following the process of nature the contingency of it conspiring in one’s favour heightens.





Nature always has knowledge to bestow to those attentive of her teaching, and in order to learn one must first become cognizant of her lessons. The endless paths taken by water, the death and rebirth during the change of seasons, snowfall evaporating beaten tracks; when one examines these phenomena with natural curiosity they draw equanimity and wisdom to personal quests.

The transitory aspect of nature can stimulate individuals to fulfil their potential, however to improve there must be a willingness to confront adversity and adapt to circumstances. In understanding death’s role in life people can come to terms with its inevitability and make peace with the eventual halt on their unique composition, finding solace in loving their fate as nature’s temporary manifestation. 








Image Source: Gaia, Alex Gray, 1989