#180: Against Self-Analysis
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#180: Against Self-Analysis
We must make time, as often as once a day, to lie very still on our own somewhere, probably in bed or maybe in the bath, to close our eyes and direct our attention toward one of many tangled or murky topics that deserve reflection: a partner, a work challenge, an invitation, a forthcoming trip, a relationship with a child or a parent. We might need
... See moreAlain de Botton • A Therapeutic Journey: Lessons from The School of Life
Of course, therapy and its vernacular are not solely to blame for our era of isolation. Rather, therapy and other tools of introspection have become ways to justify our lack of access to external stimulation. Instead of using therapy to untangle our desires and fears so that we may effectively act on them, therapy becomes the goal in itself—to crea... See more
P.E. Moskowitz • A Culture of Introspective Captivity
One way to sort this out might be to say we should take ourselves lightly but our practice seriously. Usually, we do it the other way around. We are very serious indeed about ourselves, how we’re doing, what we’re suffering, what progress we’ve made, what insight we’ve gotten or failed to attain. We confuse a practice of awareness with an ongoing,
... See moreBarry Magid • Ending the Pursuit of Happiness: A Zen Guide
If we are, by nature, introspective and self-satisfied, the fear is still there that we will lose our footing if we throw ourselves into relationships and projects. We will make forays into the world but rush back to the still point within for nourishment. We can’t see how we could be nourished by our work.