Psilocybin Magic Mushroom Retreat at Earth Awareness, Netherlands (Triggers, Raw Broccoli Salads & Remembering Who I Am)
“We may not be responsible for the world that created our minds, but we can take responsibility for the mind with which we create our world.” — Dr Gabor Mate. In August 2021 I visited the Earth Awareness Nature Temple in the heart of the Netherlands to attend a Magic Mushroom retreat.
How to rent a cabin in the woods for free (or “5 Learnings from being off social media 2021”)
Each year I strive to spend time away from social media. My social drug is Instagram. This year was interesting to say the least: but it proved to be just what I needed to give my mind some slack.
Dr. Gabor Maté on Spiritual Bypassing (and my highly original version: Dietary Bypassing)
I recently revisited a YouTube video by one of my mentors and heroes in the world of spirituality and trauma: Dr. Gabor Mate.
The Life of a Creative: weird coping mechanisms and why you should view courage differently.
“Courage does not always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, 'I will try again tomorrow.” ― Mary Anne Radmacher. This quote beautifully illustrates the life of any creative.
Stoicism in Action: Looking Past the Fruity Exterior of the things we do to avoid pain.
Do you like coffee? Or do you like the ultra-processed micro-textured milk and honey and vanilla swirl syrup? Do you like oats? Or do you like bananas, berries, papaya and honey on top?
The 20%: Applying the 80/20 Rule to Life & Work
The 80/20 rule (or Pareto Principle) is a simple mathematical concept that was observed by Pareto:
The 80-20 rule, also known as the Pareto Principle, is an aphorism which asserts that 80% of outcomes (or outputs) result from 20% of all causes (or inputs) for any given event
There are many examples where you can apply this principle for a better quality life. Or should I say: a more flow-state driven life. A life where the right strategies align with the right intentions.
Tara Brach on Rilke's Insight Into the Nature of Comparison and Acceptance
Tara Brach is a master writer and proponent of Radical Acceptance. There is a quote in her book on how Rilke uses the metaphor of baking biscuits into an account into the nature of consciousness and how we tend to compare our lives to the perfectly curated packaged pieces of smiles on social media in the form of influencers (or even friends).
Ed Catmull on The Creative Process (and how it applies to life).
Ed Catmull, the co-founder of Pixar, describes the creative process in his book, Creativity Inc., as having two fundamental laws: story is king and trust the process.
25 Years on Earth
Today I turned 25 years old. Maybe this blog is an index into my quarter-life crisis that has lead me to this point?
How To Be Your Own Hero (Life advice from Steven Pressfield and Stephen King)
The last three years of my life have felt like a movie containing a beginning (the lust), the middle (the suffering) and the end (the return). Stephen King and Steven Pressfield have, through their books, given me a framework to understand the importance of the three stages.