Some poets have this power. They can help us stop and discover moments of spaciousness free of mundane troubles, free of our mind with its automatic reactions and obsessive self-concerns. One such poet is Mary Oliver (September 10, 1935–January 17, 2019), winner of the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award, who is known for … Read more
“To know nothing about yourself is to live. To know yourself badly is to think,” Fernando Pessoa wrote while contemplating moments of calm amid uncertainty and disquiet. “To know yourself in a flash, as I did in this moment, is to have a fleeting notion of the intimate monad, the soul’s magic word. But that … Read more
Do you remember the last time someone said or did something you didn’t like? Did you notice how quickly you felt the desire to lash out at the person? At that moment, it’s easy to do something regrettable. Buddhist nun Pema Chodron reveals a simple way to avoid this outcome. In her book “Taking the … Read more
One of my favorite professors once said that it’s impossible to overinterpret a poem — a type of literary analysis called close reading. As I heard him say those words, I was taken aback with a matter-of-factly, arrogant naiveté of a complete beginner in poetry. To my defense, my reaction was far from uncommon … Read more