3 days agoThe Meaning of ‘Skillful’ and ‘Unskillful’ in Buddhist EthicsIn Buddhism, actions that are deemed good or bad are framed as being ‘skillful’ or ‘unskillful’. In this conception of ethics, morality is distinguished from other religious traditions, such as Christianity — where we find the concept of sin — or common notions of morality where we speak of actions…Buddhism16 min readBuddhism16 min read
Mar 6The Unmet Needs That Make Us HumanI was walking with a friend recently and we got talking about insomnia, about how strange it is that you can’t fall asleep when you’re meant to, which is one of the most basic functions of an animal. And yet so many of us (myself included) struggle to fall asleep…Philosophy17 min readPhilosophy17 min read
Feb 20Psychedelic Materialism: When the Ego Latches Onto Altered StatesI have previously explored the phenomenon of the psychedelic ego: a self-image that is inflated through the use of psychedelics; the irony being, of course, that experiences that can deflate — or disintegrate — the ego can end up having the opposite effect when the experience is over. I looked…Spirituality8 min readSpirituality8 min read
Feb 13Towards a Definition of Naturalised SpiritualityOver the last 50 years in the UK, the proportion of the population identifying as non-religious — often referred to as ‘Nones’ — has been on the rise. The British Social Attitudes Survey from 2019 found that over half (52%) of the UK population regard themselves as belonging to no…Spirituality8 min readSpirituality8 min read
Feb 7Barriers to Sympathetic Joy (Mudita)Mudita (sympathetic/empathetic joy) is one of the four brahma-viharas (also known as the “sublime attitudes” or Four Immeasurables), which are the Buddha’s “heart practices” — those that develop particular emotional states, or virtuous emotions, that help to cultivate happiness in ourselves and others. “Brahma-vihara” literally means “dwelling place of brahmas”…Buddhism26 min readBuddhism26 min read
Jan 30The Benefits and Drawbacks of Going Flight-FreeThe decision to go flight-free for the sake of the climate is becoming an increasingly popular decision, encouraged by the flygskam (flight shame) movement — started in Sweden in 2018 and popularised by climate activist Greta Thunberg — and campaign groups like Stay Grounded and Flight Free UK (I wrote…Travel12 min readTravel12 min read
Jan 23Looking Inward and Its Excesses: Addressing the Risks of MindfulnessWilloughby Britton, a licensed clinical psychologist, is doing important research into the dangers, or dark side, of meditation. In a paper published in Current Opinion in Psychology, she points to evidence indicating that too much mindfulness — too much of a good thing — can have deleterious effects. She concludes…Mental Health6 min readMental Health6 min read
Jan 16Pitfalls Associated With Metta Bhavana (Loving-Kindness Meditation)There is an increasing amount of attention being paid to the risks of meditation, a practice that — through its mainstreaming — has wholly been associated with calmness and mental health benefits. …Meditation10 min readMeditation10 min read
Jan 9An Interview With Tim Gaze, a Pioneer of Asemic WritingTim Gaze is an Australian artist who currently resides in the Adelaide Hills. Since the late 90s, he has been an active poet, writer, publisher, and performer. He is also notable as an artist specialising in asemic writing (expressive mark-making that has the appearance of a language). In 1997, Gaze…Art13 min readArt13 min read
Jan 2The Psychedelic Afterglow: What It Feels Like and Its Therapeutic PotentialUnlike many other substances, psychedelics can create a lingering feeling of well-being, long after the altered state of consciousness has subsided. This is known as an ‘afterglow’. Drugs like cocaine, amphetamine, methamphetamine, and (for many) MDMA are associated with ‘comedowns’. When the high fades after the use of these drugs…Drugs7 min readDrugs7 min read
