Intentionality VII

“Suffering is not enough. Life is both dreadful and wonderful. How can I smile when I am filled with so much sorrow? It is natural–you need to smile to your sorrow because you are more than your sorrow.”Thich Nhat Hanh

 

Hello friends,

Today is our seventh installment in a ten part series exploring intentionality.

Today’s entry unfolds in a quieter and softer manner than previous entries.  As collective anxiety escalates at a breakneck speed, let’s smile at the transformation we’re living in with a gentle patience.

I watched a three part documentary by historian Bettany Hughes this week, Genius Of The Ancient World..

Highest recommendations. Hughes’ narrative construction around three paradigm shifting philosophers — Socrates, Buddha, Confucius — is more relevant now than when it first aired in 2015. All three thinkers were birthed, so to speak, from the waters of profound, multilayered social chaos,  This chaos forced them to go deeper into examining what it means to be a fully realized human, each burrowing into unique inner discoveries as their outer worlds descended into greater and greater turmoil.

All three philosophers changed how we see the world and our place in it. Not because of academics, but thru rigorous personal practice, by radically examining the art of life, if you will.

In Hughes’ inspiring and sensitive construction, there are overlaps in many of their big ideas.

Hughes’ history is also compelling because we’re not being given a dry his-story of philosophy,  but a unique and meaningful narrative construction from a ‘female’ voice and perspective.

Each episode is one hour, and I believe you’ll find they compliment our ‘Intentionality’ series in evocative and meaningful ways.

Here’s the link to the Thich Nhat Hahn essay mentioned in the podcast: Suffering Is Not Enough by Thich Nhat Hanh. 

 

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This week’s photo is from the garden, about two weeks ago; there are well over a dozen flowers now gracing this plant.

I’m Coming Up 2020 © Julia Haris

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