I’ve just come from the hearth in my living room, where I thoroughly enjoyed a brief and beautiful fire. It would have been as lovely if I’d stayed only ten minutes, or I could also still be sitting there as the flames dwindle and coals gleam. I don’t often sit by the fireside, because when... Continue Reading →
When I was only four years old, a psychologist by the name of Leon Festinger published a book he titled A Theory of Cognitive Dissonance. His work in cognitive dissonance was observational and explanatory of human behaviors. He had no idea I would later find his theory so useful, nor did he predict I would... Continue Reading →
I recently shared with my daughter the story of an indigenous response to feeling melancholy or disheartened. If you came to a shaman and said you were depressed, she would ask you one of three questions: When did you stop singing? When did you stop dancing? When did you stop telling stories? I suggested that... Continue Reading →
One Eccentric Contemplative 