How the lighthouse guided my inner voyage into the conflict between self-discovery and meaningful relationships. — Erik Erikson’s life’s work occurred during the golden age of depth psychology. The Danish psychologist built upon Sigmund Freud’s theories of ego development as a student of Freud’s daughter, Anna. …

Your environment can remind you to apply the appropriate self-care tools when you need them the most — During my 15 years as a self-help junkie, I’ve frequently found myself in the tricky territory between learning a new concept and actually being able to apply that concept to my own life. With much trial and error, however, I’ve made huge strides in transforming behaviors and breaking free of…

A non-linear spiritual awakening through future, past, and present. — The fluorescent light of my mind’s eye flickers as foresight fades. A buzzing oscillation, an electric pang, a plunge into darkness. My future disappears. I am alone, suspended in time, reaching out for something concrete to hold, to escape temporal isolation. All I find is empty space. Is the future…

Inspired by Viktor Frankl’s reflection on deeds done, loves loved, and sufferings faced with courage. — Last weekend I set up an at-home retreat. I set the intention of perspective, clarity, and reflection on the past few months. The idea was to journal and meditate, but first I was overcome by a spontaneous and suddenly very important need to tidy my apartment. At first I resisted…

How grief can teach us to give the green light to processing emotions. — This time last year my aunt died. Two years ago my nan died. It feels strange to write, but these were the first deaths I grieved in a way that feels… healthy. My uncle died after an unexpected and brutal fight with cancer when I was 13. My girlfriend’s mum…

Is dream-chasing a practice of faith in life’s great mystery? — What does it mean to chase a dream? A chase hints at desperation: I think of X-Factor contestants who feel they have a God-given talent, only to open their mouths and insult Simon Cowell. …

To discover the hidden treasures of the soul, poetry is the language we must use. — The ineffable is impossible to capture in language, yet poetry offers an attempt to translate. Merriam-Webster defines poetry as: “ writing that formulates a concentrated imaginative awareness of experience in language chosen and arranged to create a specific emotional response through meaning, sound, and rhythm.”

Understanding the truth-seeking impulse and the difference between spiritual truth and narrative truth. — The human impulse to seek truth is like a plant’s impulse to grow towards the sun. It’s an innate part of our DNA. But what represents the sun? What are we instinctively drawn towards? It’s our true nature, the self residing not in the sky, but in the soul. However…