Category: Articles

The bus ambles along the winding road, the smog of Athens fading in the rear view. We pass through timeless villages, stretches of olive groves and jagged rocky outcrops. The Sanctuary of Delphi lies ahead, nestled upon the slopes of Mount Parnassus. The Greeks believed it to be the centre of the world; the omphalos,…

I first learned to learn from my mother; a librarian with an insatiable appetite for books. Because she reads so much, she knows many things. She impresses at trivia, tells gripping stories, has memorised the platitudes of history’s greatest philosophers and is well versed in all current and “newsworthy” affairs. Most would agree, she is…

Introduction: The Tattoo I walked out of the parlour and looked down at my stained forearm. The ink was bold and fresh, and the outline of the symbol was made evident by the puncture marks left from the needle as it had rapidly pierced my skin. The tattoo was small, yet positioned in a place…

The Thinker Influencing Reality In Meditations, Marcus Aurelius appropriately observes: “All is as thinking makes it so”, alluding to the potential of thoughts to shape one’s reality. The Thinker must understand the power of this. Beginning with an intuitive level of understanding; one has experienced the influence of thought on emotion and vice versa. For…

The Thinker Stillness Stillness, as Ryan Holiday writes in Stillness is the Key is: “to be steady while the world spins around you. To act without frenzy. To hear only what needs to be heard. To possess quietude—exterior and interior—on command.” Holiday continues: “[it] is that quiet moment when inspiration hits you. It’s that ability…

The Thinker Self-Awareness 2000 years ago a stoic philosopher and Emperor of Ancient Rome began scribbling in a private journal. This journal documented the thoughts of Marcus Aurelius as they pertained to humanity, overcoming adversity, actioning change and commitment to the service of others and the greater good. This incessant analysis of his thoughts became…

Observing Duality I. Opposites The Thinker and The Doer are archetypically represented as opposites. The Thinker is the constant reflector and the measured articulator; rational and philosophically inclined. Usually, they are introverted and derive their energy from searching within themselves. The Doer is the intuitive and impulsive; the supreme realist who pours energy into their tasks…

5 August 2020 The Context Everything that irritates us about others can lead us to an understanding of ourselves. Carl Jung A few years ago, I was introduced to the self-development scene. This culture consisted of growth minded individuals determined to improve themselves and have significant impact on the world and those around them. Driven…