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

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...

Since autumn 2025, I have maintained a philosophical journal to document my daily reflections. This practice brings insights from books, podcasts, travel, and striking quotations with actionable daily habits. Below are key excerpts from my journal, focusing on practical frameworks to reverse negative psychological spirals and cultivate sustained peace. Understanding the Negative Downward Spiral In Hindu philosophy, the "six non-virtues"—known as the Arishadvargas or Shadripus (Sanskrit: षड्रिपु )—are the six internal enemies of the mind. [1] These modes of attachment trigger a cascade of negative emotions ( kleshas or trivisha ) [2] : Ignorance ( avidya ) Obsessive attachment ( raga ) Aversion/Disgust ( dvesha ) Left unchecked, these root elements drag us down into distressing psychological states: envy and resentment ( irshya ), fear and terror ( bhaya ), sorrow and grief ( shoka ), anxiety and worry ( chintaya ), and mental fatigue ( glani ). ...