One of the most influential Japanese poets of all time, Matsuo Basho (1644–1694) elevated haiku from a mere literary pastime into an exquisite poetic craft. Leaving his hometown of Ueno behind, he moved to Kyoto, where he studied poetry and Zen as a young man and later became a Buddhist monk. This, perhaps, is why … Read more
What mindfulness books should you read? Learning more about mindfulness and applying that knowledge in your daily life is essential for your spiritual practice. That is why you always need to have a list of the best mindfulness books to read whenever you have free time. The books I’m going to mention in this … Read more
Hi there! I’m Gavril, the guy behind this blog (click here to learn why I started it in the first place). If you like what I do and want to support me, this page is for you. Keeping this blog going takes almost all of my free time, and your help makes a significant … Read more
What is the difference between solitude and loneliness? A beautiful answer to this question comes from “Touching the Eternal,” a recording of a seven-day retreat in India led by spiritual teacher Eckhart Tolle. At the end of each daily talk, Tolle addressed some of the participants’ most pressing issues that had been passed to him … Read more
None of us are immune from adversity. At some point, we’ll be desperate for a moment of human kindness and connection; we’ll need someone who’d be willing to lend a helping hand without expecting anything in return. But for that to happen, we need a world that believes in kindness as the single most … Read more