Photo by Hasan Almasi on Unsplash What is truth? Everywhere I turn, there are people who claim to have uncovered the truth of a given matter. They know what's right and anyone who disagrees is wrong, ignorant or misguided. I always wondered: what gives people such confidence that their views are absolutely correct? Throughout human history, our understanding of ourselves and the world has constantly changed and evolved as new knowledge and experience entered our collective consciousness. Sometimes, when a trailblazer reveals new information, society rejects it because it challenges the existi ..read more

Photo by Hasan Almasi on Unsplash What is truth? Everywhere I turn, there are people who claim to have uncovered the truth of a given matter. They know what's right and anyone who disagrees is wrong, ignorant or misguided. I always wondered: what gives people such confidence that their views are absolutely correct? Throughout human history, our understanding of ourselves and the world has constantly changed and evolved as new knowledge and experience entered our collective consciousness. Sometimes, when a trailblazer reveals new information, society rejects it because it challenges the existi ..read more

Photo by Jiroe (Matia Rengel) on Unsplash One of my favourite quotes is by William Butler Yeats, who said: Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire. In our culture, we have this idea that learning is primarily about imparting knowledge and acquiring new skills. While knowledge and skills are part of the learning process, we sometimes forget the crucial element of inspiration. Inspiration is the spark that sets us off to uncharted territory. It allows us to see the potential hidden by our preconceptions of the world. It enables us recognize the beauty before us and wi ..read more

Photo by Jonathan Meyer on Unsplash A lot is weighing down on our shoulders these days: global pandemics, economic inequality, technological advancement, disinformation, social division, etc. Looming over all this is the impact of climate change, which is not separate but deeply interwoven with all the other challenges that we are engulfed in. I wonder: how is each of us really feeling about the situation we're in? How we are really feeling right now may seldom be expressed in our everyday conversations. After the past three years, many of us just want life to go back to 'normal', however we ..read more

Photo by Berkeli Alashov on Unsplash “The happiness we seek cannot be found through grasping, trying to hold on to things. It cannot be found through getting serious and uptight about wanting things to go in the direction we think will bring happiness.” ~Pema Chodron When I was a kid, my parents used to take me and my younger brother fishing during the summer with some family friends. Sitting in the backseat of the car as we drove through the countryside, I had no worries about the future. It was a time of innocence. On this particular trip, which stands out in my memory, I would try fishing ..read more

Photo by Earl Wilcox on Unsplash Graduate from school, get a job, get married, buy a house, have children, climb the corporate ladder and then retire. Once upon a time, I thought these were the goals I had to achieve to succeed in life. I actually never made it past get a job in that narrative. I'm not too concerned about owning a house, I've deliberately pulled myself out of the rat race, I have no yearning to be married, I have no intention of having kids and I'm not dreaming about retiring — not that there's anything wrong with any of those things. Some of it can be beautiful. But to me, i ..read more

Photo by ThisisEngineering RAEng on Unsplash Everyone’s talking about AI recently (I’m hopping on the bandwagon). Many of us are asking how AI will change the world, for better or worse. I will admit that I've always been suspicious of new technology. But I'm also a curious person, so I decided to test out Chat GPT-4. It turns out I was delighted by how useful it has been so far, lol. What is technology? What is humanity's relationship with it? For a period, we treated it like our servant. Now, it seems that we are increasingly treating it like the parent we always wanted that will take care ..read more

Image by NASA Do we choose who we are to become? I used to believe that was so. Now I suspect that is just partly true. I had wanted many things for myself. Many such things I had received. But not all of them belonged to me. The mind says no but the heart says yes. Putting into question everything I had learned. What is the source of my desires? Tuning inward, I sense a longing for return. A reunion with what feels true. It is a return to my one true home. Every now and then I would arrive at this place. There, I find the sweetness of my own being. The essence of love lies in its centre. Thi ..read more

Anima (2018) by Thomas Lai Self-doubt is something we all experience from time to time. Self-doubt often comes up when we step outside our comfort zone and do something we've never done before. Our self-doubt is often tied to our fear of being rejected. It is also tied to our core human need of self-worth. When I was starting Lifted Being, I faced a lot of self-doubt. I would think to myself: Who am I to start a business and become a coach? How can I call myself a ‘spiritual’ life coach! Who would want to talk to me? What if I'm no good at this? But you know what? I did it anyways. I'm still ..read more

Photo by Vladyslav Dukhin The year’s end tends to bring up a lot for people. What’s passing through your mind? How does your body feel? What’s it like to be you in this moment? Many people are rushing about here and there trying to get things done. There is a mixture of excitement and stress in the air. Sometimes I feel like a bird watching all this from above, wondering with perplexity: what’s all this commotion? But I think I’m beginning to understand. There is a furor to the frenzy, an intoxication to the mania. The bustle gives us a sense of aliveness, even as it wears down our body-mind ..read more