Parth Sawhney
the path to liberation: the quest for “what next?”
What is the fruit of these teachings? Only the most beautiful and proper harvest of the truly educated—tranquility, fearlessness, and freedom. We should not trust the masses who say only the free can be educated, but rather the lovers of wisdom who say that only the educated are free.
Ganesh Chaturthi: celebrating the Elephant-Headed God of new beginnings
“The significance of Ganesh is that he is supposed to remove all obstacles. This does not mean that he is going to come and take away all your obstacles. Ganesh has a big head. They removed his small head and put a big head on him. He is supposed to
the stoic path: a journey of consistent practice and training
“That’s why the philosophers warn us not to be satisfied with mere learning, but to add practice and then training. For as time passes we forget what we learned and end up doing the opposite, and hold opinions the opposite of what we should.”
— Epictetus, Discourses, 2.9.13-14
practicing the art of creative silence
In our fast-paced, constantly connected world, the idea of silence is often overlooked, if not outright ignored. Yet, the simple act of pausing in stillness can have profound effects on our mental and emotional well-being.
Norman Vincent Peale, a well-known proponent of positive thinking, emphasized the importance of taking a
focus on the process, not the end goal
“Those obsessed with glory attach their well-being to the regard of others, those who love pleasure tie it to feelings, but the one with true understanding seeks it only in their own actions.”
“Think on the character of the people one wishes to please, the possessions one means to gain,
become the craftsman of your mind
“The raw material for the work of a good and excellent person is their own guiding reason, the body is that of the doctor and the physical trainer, and the farm the farmer’s.”
—Epictetus, Discourses, 3.3.1
The pursuit of excellence is a cornerstone of human endeavor. Whether
the essence of true beauty
“Then what makes a beautiful human being? Isn’t it the presence of human excellence? Young friend, if you wish to be beautiful, then work diligently at human excellence. And what is that? Observe those whom you praise without prejudice. The just or the unjust? The just. The even-tempered or
strive for excellence in every action
“This can be swiftly taught in very few words: virtue is the only good; there is no certain good without virtue; and virtue resides in our nobler part, which is the rational one. And what can this virtue be? True and steadfast judgment. For from this will arise every mental
