If something you’ve read here gives you pause, the replies below may help.
You’re Wrong:
Perfect! Please use the button to submit your criticism and I will do my best to address it here, in future articles, or directly.
You’re WrongObviousness:
Hesitation:
What you’ve said is obvious. It’s not new or insightful, just recycled. X said the same thing on Y podcast, and W mentioned it in her book Z.
Reply:
First, what’s obvious to you may be helpful to another.
Second, everything that is obvious to you now, at some point was not.
Third, “obvious” and “relevant” are distinct. The message here is “pay attention to this,” not “look at this original idea.”
Finally, of course it’s obvious! Everyone has been saying the same things for millennia. There’s nothing new under the sun. But for whatever reason, combining old ideas with a different order, emphasis, and audience sheds new light for some of those still in the dark.
Meditation is not for me. I’m too __________:
I commonly hear people complain that they are too restless to meditate. That their mind is too frantic and they too anxious to sit, eyes closed, and pay attention. This is bollocks.
Meditation is an antidote to restlessness. Meditation develops mindfulness and concentration. Peace is not a pre-requisite to practice; peace is the result of practice.
Insanity:
Hesitation:
This level of detailed life examination is ludicrous. It can’t be healthy to break everything down so minutely. People need to be holistic and take a gentler approach to change.
Reply:
First, I’ll never argue that anything suggested here needs to be practiced 100% of the time — that’s impossible anyway. I’m advocating that you add more plants to your diet, not that you go vegan.
Second, can you get the gist of a book by reading the first sentence of each paragraph? Absolutely. But if a chapter interests you, it’s much better to read each word to get the full meaning. Your life is full of unexplored chapters.