Category: philosophical counseling
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The Witness Teaching In 5 Steps
S1: All observation (regardless of kind) requires an observer. For example, a thought–one sort of observation–requires an observer in order for that thought to be registered, indeed in order for it to appear in the first place. S2: Necessarily, the observer is different or separate from the observed. For example, a bodily sensation is different from the observer. Or a visual perception…
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The Spiritual Equivalent Of War
Gibson’s Heroics Kirk Gibson was supposed to be in the trainer’s room when millions of us saw him limp to the plate with two outs in the bottom of the ninth of Game 1 of the 1988 World Series, and the Dodgers down by a run. It’s a long, fierce at-bat against star closer Dennis…
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The Spiritual Equivalent Of War
Contesting Flabby Pacifism Imagine William James–now older and, it’ll turn out, just four years before death–delivering a public lecture at Stanford in which he’s telling fellow pacifists that their position isn’t philosophically defensible. In 1906, the feeling of war–with a long build-up to hostilities that will become WWI and the Boer War (1899-1901) not long…
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Where Are We Going?
When I see a homeless man walk by, I wonder where he’s going. “Hi,” he said. “Hi there,” I said. And this guy walked right past our house. Where did he come from? And where is he going? Where are any of us going? And where did any of us come from? I don’t understand…
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Ramakrishna Cuts Through The Divine Mother
The Sword Of Discrimination Reaching the end of his rope, Ramakrishna said to Totapuri, his Vedantic teacher: “It is hopeless. I cannot raise my mind to the unconditioned state and come face to face with Atman.” “What?” Totapuri replied. “You can’t do it? But you have to!” Searching about excitedly, he picked up shard of…
Andrew Taggart, Ph.D. 