Author Archives: John

Like Nothing

There’s no thing quite like Nothing; and so much of it around. It fills the nooks and crannies and absorbs the smallest sounds, obsessed with taking over and with being something more. It wants to be the ocean’s deep, the … Continue reading

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The Dominant Species

It isn’t like I hate the human race (as if it were a contest to be won) or seek out disagreement in each face that dares to criticize or jest in fun at my idealistic, mad ideas: responsibility in the … Continue reading

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8. Keep a Private Room Behind the Shop

It used to be that men had studies, libraries, dens, offices. Now there are “man caves”. As if the whole of the outside world isn’t already about patriarchal, testosterone-driven, sports metaphor-laden male dominance, for better or worse. Honestly, anyone who … Continue reading

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6. Use Little Tricks

Every mystery or philosophical tradition from the beginning of time has invented mechanisms to help adherents pay attention to the right things, or stop paying attention to the wrong things. I’ve always been fascinated by Zen koans, Sufi teaching stories, … Continue reading

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10. Wake From the Sleep of Habit

I suppose one could take this advice two different ways: to wake from the sleep of habit, but also to wake from the habit of sleep. That is for the former, to be aware of everything you do by rote, … Continue reading

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11. Live temperately

Most people I know, when they think of temperance, imagine crowds of people, mostly women, protesting the sale and consumption of hard liquor – usually proceeding and following the passage and repeal of the 18th Constitutional Amendment, which prohibited production, … Continue reading

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5. Survive love and loss (part 1)

Elisabeth Kübler-Ross said, “The most beautiful people are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of the depths. These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity and an understanding of life … Continue reading

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