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Showing posts from May, 2021

Understanding The Philosophy of Yoga

Yoga is a set of practices and principles which originated in ancient India (possibly in the pre Vedic Indus valley civilization, in present-day Pakistan, around 3000 BCE) consisting of physical exercises, meditation, and yoga philosophy.   The Sanskrit word "yoga" is derived from the root "yuj," which means to control, to yoke or join together. In the context of Yoga, this means joining the body and mind so they work together in harmony.   The philosophy traces its roots back to ancient Indian texts. It was developed as a way for people to find peace and transcend their ego while achieving their highest potential. It is not only a physical practice but also involves mental discipline, controlled breathing, meditation and moral principles.   The ultimate goal of yoga philosophy is to achieve inner peace through meditation on the self's true nature: one's eternal, true self, spirit, soul or Atman; hence it is known as Jnana Yoga (the Yoga of Knowledge).   The

Remembering Rumi: The Man Behind the Poems

 Rumi is a 13th-century Persian poet, philosopher, and Sufi mystic of Afghan descent. Rumi's poems are famous for their use of natural imagery such as the evening breeze or his love to create a sense of closeness to the divine. Rumi's poetry is widely read all over the world and translated into many languages. The name Rumi is a short form of his full name, Jalal al-Din Muhammad Rumi. He was born in 1207 in what is now Afghanistan and died in 1273. He was born to a wealthy family in Afghanistan and his father was a court official for the Seljuk sultan.  The philosophy of Rumi is based on the concepts of love and unity. Rumi believed that humans were divine beings having both an earthly body and a heavenly soul. He also taught that humans have a responsibility to work towards their spiritual perfection while living in the world. In his writing, Rumi also extensively uses imagery and symbolism to show what can be seen from different perspectives. For example, he speaks of lovers

Stoicism: An Ancient Formula for Happiness

“A good character is the only guarantee of everlasting, carefree happiness.” – Seneca, Happiness is the state of being happy and content with one's life. It can be seen as a positive mental or emotional state that generally includes feelings of joy, pleasure, contentment, satisfaction and serenity.  There are many techniques and strategies that can help you to increase your happiness. One of them is Stoicism.  Stoicism is a philosophical and ethical framework that teaches people to accept and to maintain control over their emotions, rather than be ruled by them. It has been gaining popularity in recent years. Stoicism was the first system in which one could study and practice philosophy and is often considered the inspiration behind modern-day Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). Stoicism is an evolving philosophy that has had various influences over the years, including Christianity, Buddhism, and Islam.  In modern society, Stoicism is most often associated with self-help and perso

Sufism, Stoicism And The Pursuit of Happiness

Sufism and Stoicism are similar in that they both have a focus on self-control and the pursuit of happiness. A person who practices one or the other may be calm, content, and unmoved by emotional swings. For example, when someone faces adversity such as illness or poverty, both philosophies can help them maintain a good mental attitude. Stoicism is one of the three ancient Greek schools of philosophy, as founded by Zeno in Athens in 301 BC. Stoicism is based on the principle that humans should be self-sufficient and should not allow themselves to be controlled by their environment. It also emphasizes the importance of striving for virtuous goals, the pursuit of knowledge, and living with acceptance.  Sufism originated in Persia (modern-day Iran) in the 8th century AD. It is guided by principles such as love, peace, patience, contentment, and sincerity. Sufism was a reaction to the more austere and dogmatic religion of the time. A key feature of this new movement was the love and devoti

Epistemic Humility: The Key to Better Decisions

When it comes to making decisions, epistemic humility—the recognition that our knowledge is limited by cultural and social assumptions, individual biases, and the world's inherent complexity—is a key virtue. When faced with a problem we can't fully understand or predict, we might be tempted to make confident judgments based on intuition and past experience. But when we recognize the limits of our knowledge and seek diverse perspectives with alternative beliefs and ways of knowing, we are more likely to make better decisions. This does not mean that decision-makers should be paralyzed by uncertainty or risk-averse. Epistemic humility simply means acknowledging that there are limits to what can be known for sure about a problem, then seeking out other points of view that challenge one's own assumptions about what should happen next. Epistemic humility also helps us avoid confirmation bias, which leads us into information that agrees with our own biases or hypotheses, reinforc

The Stoic Philosophy That Can Help You Be More Calm, Focused, and Happy

The stoic philosophy originated from a set of ancient Greek philosophers who sought to find a way to live a happy life. The philosophy drew on stoicism, the theory of gaining mastery over one's own emotions, and the willingness to accept whatever comes, as opposed to trying to control things themselves.  The Stoics believed that humans were naturally good, and that nature would lead us to be virtuous at all times. Therefore they focused on practical moral principles (i.e., ethics) and very little on theoretical ideas or abstract systems. They were very concerned to avoid anything that might cause a person to commit wrongdoing, which would make him bad by nature. Stoicism is a philosophy that is all about living in the best of the worst situation, not worrying about what might happen, and not getting upset about anything.  A common thread for Stoics is their refusal to waste time or energy on things they can't control or that simply do not matter. It means that a person must be

How to Understand Philosophy?

What is philosophy?  If you ask 10 people this question, you’ll likely get 10 different answers. In a nutshell, philosophy is the study of knowledge and reality, as well as the underlying nature of the world and its inhabitants.  But what does that mean, really?  According to the etymology of the word, "philosophy" means "love of wisdom." Philosophy is the discipline of analyzing, understanding, and applying concepts, especially those relating to existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. It's also a discipline of thinking about thinking itself. It concerns how we can best live our lives. It's also a subject for debate.  Philosophy is often thought of as an esoteric discipline, the domain of intellectuals and egghead types.  Despite this, it is clear that philosophy permeates all aspects of life, from the technical details of computer programming to the age-old battle between science and religion. (In fact, some would argue that what the world