Lessons, Inclinations, Faculties, and Energies - LIFE's Journal

A heartfelt dedication to teachers never too late In the age of social media influencers, we invest much of our waking hours following these trendsetters. We readily allow them to shape our belief systems. From the fear of missing out to the desperation of fitting in, we let their influence sweep over us unguarded. History has repeatedly revealed, just as the digital age shows today, that despite the belief that we are separate individuals with independent destinies, our humanness, our need for connection, and our need for unification are ingrained in our psyche as a necessity above all else. I believe in our quests in living a meaningful and fulfilled lives and helping us find answers to the unanswered are our parents, mentors, teachers, coaches—our gurus. I started this dedication on one of the brightest and most heavenly full moons, on July 29 this year. A dedication on Guru Purnima —a day that celebrates teachers, mentors, and coaches. I offer this personal perspective on the...

It is transcendental In this human existence on earth, we perceive our surroundings, our experiences through our senses. It is no denying that sensory perceptions are what makes our experiences so unique. According to Wiktionary, art is the conscious, skillful arrangement of elements—like color, sound, or language—to affect the senses and emotions, or to communicate ideas. It encompasses creative expression, aesthetic value, and the resulting works, such as paintings, sculptures, or performances. Etymologically, the word "art" comes from the Latin ars (or artem ), which meant skill, craft, or a work of art. This Latin word traces back to the Proto-Indo-European root ar- , meaning "to fit together." This root connects to other words involving assembly or production, like arm and artificial . [1] [2] Since I was very little, I was entrenched in artistically expressing myself. I wasn’t necessarily schooled in art per se; however, expressing myself through va...

Social media addiction that is plaguing teens et all Until a month ago, my teenage daughter, Sachika, lived with strict screen-time restrictions to regulate her social media and entertainment usage. However, ahead of her trip to Spain with friends, I lifted her social media curfew. Whether due to willful ignorance or a parenting lapse on my part, I forgot to reinstate those boundaries when she returned a few weeks ago. Last weekend, I checked her phone usage and was jarred to find an average of eight-plus hours a day of social media engagement, a staggering spike from her former maximum of 1.5 hours across all apps. Though she turns eighteen next year, is her developing brain truly equipped to disengage from these nefarious, hyper-addictive algorithms? She traps herself in endless loops of short clips and nonstop doomscrolling. [1] In the social media environment, constant screen scrolling from one short video to another gives the same dopamine effect as scrolling images on Vegas...