Kristin Lin, OnBeing.org
This brief essay written by Kristin Lin for “On Being” asks us to consider what makes it so hard to talk about death and offers us a place to begin to have these deeply important and difficult conversations.
TEDEd / SmarterEveryDay
Knowledge ≠ Understanding
This short video perfectly illustrates some key truths about how our minds work. Namely, that to understand something (and to undo that understanding) is far more complex than simply knowing.
August 4th, 2019
The American Psychological Association (APA) releases its official statement in response to recent mass shootings, addresses common myths, calls for evidence-based approaches, and offers resources for those in need.
Tom McGrath, Phillymag.com
Philadelphia Magazine’s Tom McGrath, through use of personal story-telling and expert consultation, explores and addresses the growing numbers of extreme teenage anxiety in our culture. This is a compelling piece about the pitfalls of social media, societal financial pressures, and the high cost of perfectionism in our youth.
“The Guest House” by Jellaludin Rumi
Translation by Coleman Barks
In poetry and other forms of art, we find some of the most profound and robust commentary and understanding of what it means to be human. This is a very famous poem, often cited in mindfulness meditation. If you’ve never encountered it, it’s absolutely worth reading.
What makes a good life? In this TEDx talk, Dr. Robert Waldinger (psychiatrist and psychoanalyst) speaks about important lessons learned from the longest study on happiness across the lifespan. The Harvard Study is a 75-year (and running!) longitudinal study offering powerful insights into the key variables for human health and happiness.