Bloganuary 31: How do you feel when you look at the stars

Photo by Miriam Espacio on Pexels.com

When I look at the stars, I am humbled. It makes me realise how small and insignificant I am. In the whole scheme of things, we are just a speck of dusts.

Looking at the stars above reminds me that we as human beings are not really at the centre of organic life. It reminds me that the earth is not the centre of the universe.

While it is humbling to see the magnificent stars above, the humbling experience is also very comforting. Because of my realisation of how insignificant I am, pain, failures, and even the idea of death all become tolerable, welcome even.

Bloganuary 30: Describe yourself as a tree.

Thanks to this fecund ground in which I re-rooted myself, I have been able to grow fully and exuberantly as an adult tree. Being where and what I am right now is a tremendous achievement, because of the many challenges I have faced while growing.

At first, I was just surviving. I have faced so many challenges to be where I am right now and to be the tree I have become. Now, I am not just surviving. I am flourishing. I like the kind of tree I am becoming.

Over the years, I have gained my stronghold in the land in which I am rooted right now. I have learned so much from my experience. You could see that on how many branches I managed to grow and how lush my leaves have become.

Bloganuary 29: How are you changing the world? By changing the way how I live in it.

Approaching the question ‘how are you changing the world?’ through the lens of Stoic philosophy, my answer would be by focusing in what I can change in myself. I cannot change the world. but I can certainly change the way I live for the better.

To put it mildly, changing the world is an impossible task. But maybe, if I change the way I inhabit this world, say more sustainably and responsibly, others will follow suit. Maybe, the world will gradually change for the better.

The philosophy of Stoicism teaches us to focus our attention, time and energy on the things in our lives over which we have control. If we cannot control something, say an event in our life, then there is no sense of worrying about them, isn’t it?

Bloganuary 28: What is on your playlist right now?

The songs on my playlist at the moment are the following:

• Canon D by Johann Pachelbel
• Havana by Camilla Cabello
• Waka Waka by Shakira

And by play list, I do not mean just listening to them, but actually playing them. Or at least, learning how to play them on my piano.

Are they my favourite songs? Of course not, but I have to start somewhere.

Bloganuary 27: Where do you go when you need solitude: On my chair, reading or meditating

This is my chair. This is the place I go when I need solitude. You will find me here when I am reading and meditating. This is where I am really being alone.

No matter how busy my day is, I always try to meditate everyday. Having no time is no excuse. I always have at least 10 minutes a day to meditate.

At first glance, meditating seems so easy. What can be so easier than sitting down, closing your eyes and doing nothing. But doing nothing is more difficult that it appears.

Bloganuary 26: What is your favourite part about yourself? My ability to reflect on my self

Socrates

Socrates is an ancient philosopher most of us at least have heard of. The school of thought I am now so drawn into, namely, Stoicism, has been inspired by the teachings of Socrates. According to him:

The unexamined life is not worth living.

I am not a perfect person. Like others, I am very flawed. But if there is one trait of mine that I am rather proud of, that is my ability to examine my self and my life in general.

Bloganuary 25: Write about something that makes you feel strong ~ The Philosophy of Stoicism

Just very recently, an ancient philosophy of Stoicism has found me and has inspired me since then. This particular school of thought is for me a source of inspiration and strength.

Like our physical bodies, we also aught to nourish our minds and souls. And there are many ways to achieve this goal. Some people nourishes their souls through faith. Some like myself take a non-secular approach, say philosophy.

Our lives here on earth is not without set backs and failures. When our best seems to be not good enough, it is hard not to feel depressed, defeated and deflated. I have a lot of shares of these set backs and failures and they are heart breaking and soul crushing.

Bloganuary 24: Write about a dream you remember

Bedroom in Vianden Castle in Luxembourg

From time to time, when I have an interesting dream, the first feeling I have when I wake up is disappointment. Disappointment because the dream is over and because the dream is just a dream.

Dreaming for me is like reading a book or watching a film.Sometimes, just before something exciting will happen, my alarm clock will wake me up. Oh snap! It is just a dream!

My dreams are incoherent. They are not rational. But while I am having the dream, I cannot and do not make the distinction between coherent and incoherent, rational and irrational.

Bloganuary 23: Interview a fictional character | Miss Mary Bennet

Ms. Mary Bennet

Miss Mary Bennet is the third of the five daughters of Mr. and Mrs. Bennet. Today, we have the privilege and pleasure to have her in our interview.

Me: Hello Miss Mary Bennet, or can I call you Mary?

Miss Mary Bennet: why would you call me that?

Me: Ok then, let’s stick to Miss Bennet. How would you describe the way in which Jane Austen constructed your character?

Bloganuary 22: What is your favourite quote and why? | A Stoic therapy for one’s anxiety

One of my favourite books on Stoicism is John Sellars Lessons in Stoicism: What Ancient Philosophers Teach Us About How to Live. This book spoke to me which encouraged me to start my journey on Stoicism and to subscribe to this particular school of thought.

He begun this book with the chapter on Philosopher as a Doctor which was derived from the Discourses of Epictetus. According to Epictetus, one of the renowned proponents of the Stoic Philosophy in ancient times, philosophers are like doctors who cures the ailments of our souls.

I agree with Epictetus. Philosophy in general, and the Stoic philosophy in particular, is cathartic. I find immersing into philosophers profound thought to be therapeutic. Studying philosophy has the ability to nourish our minds. In my my own case, Stoicism helps me cope with anxieties.