When people claim that “mindfulness works”, they can mean different things. There are claims that it promotes psychological flexibility, awareness, resilience, better decision-making, job performance, reduced absence rates and the ability to learn new tasks. No wonder businesses are interested.
ReadNo matter how much I am committed to my views, I am even more committed to the idea that they should be able to stand up to rational scrutiny. This commitment means nothing if I actively avoid serious challenge and only seek out confirming viewpoints.
ReadWe do not need to choose between altruism and egotism because living the good life benefits ourselves and others.
ReadVanity may be unavoidable but it does not mean we must allow it to be our master. By recognising our vanity, we can try to keep it as much at bay as possible and so keep pride in check. If we cannot see the vanity in what we’re doing or deny there is any, we are more likely to fall under its spell. The ultimate vanity is to believe you have none.
ReadIf a lighthouse could think, it might marvel at how all the light in the world focused its beam on it. For us humans, it often feels the same. Since we can only see what is in our field of vision, hear what is in earshot and touch what is within reach, it is natural to feel that we are more at the centre of things than we objectively are. Whether you are in the spotlight or you are the spotlight, everything centres on you.
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