Is the egg Linear or Circular? Dear friend, Many seem to assess their life satisfaction by measurable metrics: How much money do I have? What accolades have I received? How many friends do I have? There is something alluring about that which can be measured. However, things that cannot be measured easily get pushed aside and deemed less important. Such is this society we live in. Consider the egg. Round though it may be, it inspires Linear questions: How much no

That which lights up also causes shadows Dear friend, In the meetings of light and shadow, brought forth by the eclipse season, I find things being revealed, pertaining to the nature of freedom. What is this illusive concept, touted through the ages by many, tantalising with its promises, yet often looming out of reach. It's easy to say that one wants freedom, but to live it, as a daily practice, is another matter. How often am I offered to compromise... How many time

Freedom through Structure Dear friend, Messages received Meanings conveyed Listening to the words As well as the words behind the words Sweet words conveying appreciation Around which peek a deeper longing to reconnect A deer stops for a moment to survey me Before bounding into the forest Aren't we all seeking the freedom of not having to pretend? Reverberating in our bodies Humming in our voices Purring in our souls See me, as I am, right now In front of you

The consequences of not compromising can be devastating Dear friend, Not so long ago, I wrote about how a compromise sometimes means either saying 'yes' or 'no', with no middle ground. Then there are other times when compromise is all about meeting somewhere in the middle, making amendments and being flexible. That doesn't mean that both parties involved necessarily have to do the same thing to make things work. More often than not, it's about being receptive enough to ta

Growing Trees, Chopping Trees, Dead Wood, and Fresh Air Dear friend, When we do things, why do we do them? When things happen, what is their purpose? In the past, I might have come up with a clever theory that boiled down to the idea that there is a great underlying meaning behind all of it. But after a wide assortment of experiences, I think things might be more complex than that. A lot more complex. I mean, I still believe that there is some sort of Divine Providenc

When compromise feels like a dance, we're probably doing something right Dear friend, If you've followed me for a while, you probably know that I have a predilection for three. You know, the number that comes after one and two. But in order to get to three, we must first pass one and two. And without a solid understanding of both, we simply cannot understand three properly. And the station before three, i.e. two, is fundamental; it cannot be bypassed. One of the ways to s

At the edge of a forest, at the edge of a field Dear friend, Lately, I've been seeing how easily I adapt to other people. Until I've had it. Then I rebel. Looking more closely, I noticed something: Both positions are happening reactively. In other words, my actions happen without any real volition and are based on what someone else does. It also seems that I am so good at adapting that most of the time people don't even notice it. Including myself. And then it becomes p

Doesn't the offender's posture alone suggest the illicit nature of his actions? Dear friend, Sometimes even good deeds seem to be prohibited. Like feeding ducks. How could that be a crime? Then again, perhaps it isn't the feeding of the ducks itself that is the problem, but rather the consequences thereof. Nowadays, beggars are a common sight outside grocery stores and when I meet them, mixed feelings arise in me. I'm reminded of Jesus's words that whatever I do for t

Over time, the spider gathers its nourishment through a web of its own making Dear friend, If all roads ultimately lead to the same place, does it really matter how we live? No, I have not become a nihilist. Quite the opposite. Over the past weeks, I've been attending mass at church, partaking of Holy Communion, and reading the Bible. It has been comforting and nourishing – and surprising. For I am noticing an interesting theme that keeps reappearing. A theme that sou

Meeting me where I am Dear friend, A few years ago, I spent a year living in a magical forest. Hands down, the best place I've ever lived. This last year, I've been renting a room in a house on the outskirts of a small town. Not my favourite place to live by almost any standard – except for the apple tree outside the window, which has been a beautiful ally. A little over a month ago I went back to visit the forest and as fortune would have it an opening appeared. A clea

The more we behave as if we are only individuals the further away we move from our potential as humans Dear friend, From an early age we're taught to identify with our individuality We're called by a certain name that separates us from everyone else We're given things that are ours and ours alone And we're taught that money is first and foremost for me Even the collective is weaponised, learning to identify with one group by pointing at what we are not: I see po

What's the use of strong will without free will? And what's the use of free will if it isn't strong? Dear friend, Some philosophers like to argue about whether we humans have free will at all or if everything we do is determined by what comes before it. I think most people experience that they have free will, but if we consider things more deeply, what does that really mean? Free will to do what exactly? And in which situations? Certainly we do not have unlimited choices,

Meeting as equals – not because we're identical, but because we are not Dear friend, When we meet I am your equal Not merely a teacher Not merely a servant Able to be both, willing to shift positions, while also opening the door to non-hierarchy A shared exploration of possibilities Think of me as your peer Someone who is also on a journey through life In some areas, you are stronger or wiser and I learn from you In others, I am stronger or wiser and you learn

A flag is unfurling in the wind Dear friend of wisdom, Earlier today, I was walking in the sunshine and feeling the weight of the world I could dissociate into something more pleasant or succumb to the pain, but is it possible to stay with both? What happens if I keep a good posture without distancing myself from misery? Walking with a straight spine, while intensely feeling the pointlessness, I sense a connection The music grows crisper I hear the words more clea

If you don't want it, just say no – So that when you do, you can say so Dear friend, It's so simple, really If the shoe doesn't fit say so If you don't want it say no Yet, how many times do we lie instead? For fear of hurting the other person, maybe but doesn't the lying hurt more? I don't like everyone and I don't expect everyone to like me either Hearing that might sting for a moment or two but it's not a big deal However, if someone pretends, fakes or lies

Waiting for something to happen, for something that has already happened, or for that, which is happening. Dear friend of wisdom, Many, many years ago I wrote a song about remembering: Drawn by the memory of you I sit and watch the sunrise Fight to realise that is true In my heart Hearing that I talk like before The rain came down to greet me Slowly I am drying out In the sun Coming back It is here It is now It is time I let the memories Coming back It is here It is n

...effectasteffectasteffectaste... Dear friend of wisdom, I have been told that I drank coffee as a baby And I fondly remember the scent of freshly ground beans in the grocery stores in Budapest of my childhood Even so, the taste of coffee feels like an acquired one Cream, on the other hand, I have not been told that I took a particular interest in as a child Then again, what's not to like about cream? But why would we mix these two beverages? It's quite arbitrary if we

Swimming on the surface – swimming in the deep Dear friend of wisdom, How deep can you go before you hit the bottom? How much can you carry before it breaks you? How many people can you love before your heart is full? How far can your mind travel before you lose it? How many vantage points do you need to have before you see the full picture? Still here, Christopher PS Click here to listen...

The choices we make Dear friend of wisdom, Life keeps presenting me with choices Some feel easy Others make no sense Sometimes I want both Sometimes I want neither And sometimes my choices seem to make no difference at all A quick fix or a long-term solution The right way or the easy way Following my heart or my head Quality or quantity Safety or adventure Practising or preaching Logic or intuition A rock or a hard place Saving or spending The pe

Opening Dear friend, For many years I was convinced that things either should be perfect or didn't matter at all Aiming for the best but short of that why bother Living like a king or a beggar Travelling first class or hitchhiking Once I even hitched a ride in a Rolls Royce with a man whose business card said 'Eccentric' Shunning the common and the ordinary calling it mediocre Like a meter that was either at max or min never in the middle Until one day I s