Though it’s a daunting topic, the author tackles questions about the mind – what is consciousness, how does it arise, why does it even exist – in a very clear, concise (a mere 144 pages) manner, providing quite a lot of food for thought. Questions about free will, whether plants have consciousness, and artificial intelligence (AI) are addressed in a…
I readily admit that it was the provocative title of the book that suckered me in. I was hoping the book would have more of a sociological bent, given that the author has a history of political activism, but it was totally focused on Buddhism and mindfulness. I’ve read a few books on mindfulness and meditation, and I do meditate…
One of the things I had to get used to when I retired was not having a regular routine. My workday used to be pretty structured. When I retired, it took me a while to formulate a new routine. The fact that Mark had to still wake up every morning at 5:20 a.m. dictated the start of my day. I…
Cats and Dominoes
Today we set our sights for Lake Bosomtwe! According to my Google maps, it’s about 5 hours by car, although I heard that this depends on what route you take and what shape the roads are in. Either way, it should be an adventurous trip. Driving is often a good way to get to see and know a country. After…
Today we woke up earlier than usual. Sunday is a very important day of worship for the residents of Lalibela, and the procession of people heading to the church for services is an awe-inspiring sight. Our hotel knows that tourists like to watch the processional, so they had breakfast prepared early for us. Hailu came to pick us up at…
This was a really good, practical book. I go through phases where I meditate regularly, and when I do, my life is much better. But I sometimes let my travel schedule distract me from the practice, and I forget to do it on the weekends, and before I realize it, I’ve let the practice of meditation fall by the wayside. …
I was hoping this book would be a nice combination of Zen philosophy and financial management, and that’s what it was, I suppose. He makes some good points about how your attitude toward money is derived from how your parents dealt with money issues, and helps you understand how money can generate thoughts of fear, stress, anxiety, and anger in…
A really fabulous book about the loneliness you can feel when you live in New York City. The book is a very insightful meditation on being alone, with the author discussing New York artists whose work reflects that loneliness. There are great sections on these artists, most of whom I was familiar with (Warhol, Hopper, Basquiat, Klaus Nomi) and some…
I had no pre-set plans for my last day in Chiang Mai. I knew that there was a huge Sunday market, and I planned on going there. I suspected it was an all-day affair, but the woman at the front desk of the hotel told me that it began at 5:00 p.m. I didn’t really want to travel 45 minutes…
The title of this book is much more compelling than the book itself. The author hails from Silicon Valley, and his philosophizing about the evils of social media, while they make sense, ring a bit hollow to me. Really nothing earth shattering about his list of reasons. Too much jargon, too much fake philosophy for me. I do think he’s…
For Day 2, the itinerary was lighter: A visit to another temple (Wat Suthat), and then a local park, and then finish the day strolling through Bangkok’s extensive Chinatown. First, I chowed down at the hotel’s excellent buffet. I took a tuk-tuk to Wat Suthat, just north of Chinatown. Wat Suthat is one of the city’s most beautiful and biggest…
Udi, my Amsterdam buddy for over 20 years, was exceptionally busy, trying to wrap up all of his work assignments and projects before leaving for vacation – a 30-day excursion to Vietnam, Bali, and Malaysia. But he put aside enough time for us to see a hilarious play at the Stadshuistheater (Husbands and Wives, based on the Woody Allen movie…
Nicely summarizes the reasoning behind Buddhist thought, in a clear and concise way, and explains how mindfulness meditation (which I’ve gotten into over the last year) can lead to (potentially) inner peace and harmony, and a clearer understanding of yourself and the world. I think this book explains it better than any other book I’ve read.
Yes, I already did a post about the scenery in Goa, but I guess I just can’t help myself. There’s so much to see. Walking up and down the streets and alleys of Goa really made an impression. There were so many quiet leafy paths, and so much interesting architecture. I’d see shacks and sheds that appear to have been…