A Psychological View Of The Meaning Of Life

The search for meaning in life is a familiar challenge to many of us. Some materialist scientists and philosophers consider it a futile search.

More Americans are using flexible workplace practices – including telecommuting, co-working and off-peak start times – to add flexibility to their lives and eliminate or improve their commute.

Have you ever wondered how our native wildlife manage to stay alive when an inferno is ripping through their homes, and afterwards when there is little to eat and nowhere to hide?

Americans still choose to give birth bed-bound, on their backs, with their knees up, legs spread, feet in the air.

With the exception of Google, there has never been a company that has had this many people using its services.

Mayors Bill de Blasio of New York and Sadiq Khan of London on Tuesday urged every major city in the world to divest from the fossil fuel industries that are wrecking the planet.

Your Mind tells the body -- even down to the tiniest cell -- what to do. Thoughts held long and intensely enough are actualized in flesh! What thoughts, you wonder? Endless possibilities! but you would do well to ask Self what beliefs have been most creative in your own life...

How does your food shop affect the planet? Well, think of it like this

While most people know they should drink more water, it can be a bit boring. So what about sparkling water as an option to liven things up a bit?

Countering extremist anti-immigrant and racist attitudes and recruiting in Manitoba requires new approaches. 

The word “vegan” was invented in 1944 in Leicester, England by Donald Watson and his future wife Dorothy Morgan. That year, Watson and others founded The Vegan Society. Research into the society’s early publications shows that their key focus was arguing for an end to animal exploitation.

The human brain goes through dramatic developmental changes in the first years of life. During this period it is particularly sensitive to environmental influences. 

The Trump administration is working to weaken U.S. environmental regulations in many areas, from water and air pollution to energy development and land conservation.

Despite the degree to which sexuality permeates the culture, the collective guilt of history can still be felt. We have been socialized to be suspicious of pleasure, to live removed from our bodies, and to maintain a tight rein over our feelings. In a culture riddled with guilt...

Smartphones have changed the way we inhabit public space and more specifically, how we fill our time while waiting.

Imagine that you’ve had a heated argument with a co-worker, and you call up your husband or wife to talk about it. Your partner can react in one of two ways.

The narrative that “Asians are good at math” is pervasive in the United States. Young children are aware of it. College students’ academic performance can be affected by it.

Food allergies have a big impact on people’s quality of life. The stress and worry of having a potentially life-threatening reaction can result in the need for some families to seek help from a psychologist.

2019 might well be remembered as the year the world caught fire. Some 2.9 million hectares of eastern Australia have been incinerated in the past few months, an area roughly the same size as Belgium.

Partisan wrangling over health reform has perhaps been the most acrimonious issue in Americans politics, exemplified by the failed Clinton health reform efforts in the 1990s and the passage of the Affordable Care Act in 2010.

Are you so sure your mistakes are just mistakes? Or could they be building blocks to a success beyond any you imagined? Everything is part of something bigger, and mistakes are no exception. Every minus is half of a plus, waiting for a stroke of vertical awareness

What have the Romans ever done for us? Well, obviously the roads – the roads go without saying. How about guidance for how to live in the 21st century?

Why repair attempts are even more powerful than saying sorry. Everyone messes up. Any relationship involves two imperfect communicators capable of hurt feelings, frustration, or loneliness.

The catastrophic bushfires raging across much of Australia have not only taken a huge human and economic toll, but also delivered heavy blows to biodiversity and ecosystem function.

Limbani the chimpanzee has about 650,000 Instagram followers. In recent months the account has featured viral photos and videos of the captive young ape playing the guitar, bouncing on a trampoline and wearing a giant banana costume.

You know physical activity is good for you. But, that isn’t always enough to get or keep you moving.

Hermit crabs can teach us about wealth inequality, according to a new study.

We were born into belief systems which have been reinforced by our culture, and now accepted as reality. These beliefs are perceptions of how life works. At first glance many perceptions appear to be true -- we can even quote statistics to support them -- but upon closer examination...

As per our "resident astrologer", Pam Younghans' "Astrological Journal for the Week", we are heading into a powerful week, what she is calling Tornado Week. While this might sound frightening, let us remember that sunshine always follows a storm, and some storms come with rainbows. So while things may look bleak in the world, light is always present, even when hidden by clouds of discord and disharmony.

This weekly astrological journal is based on planetary influences, and offers perspectives and insights to assist you in making the best use of current energies. This column is not intended as prediction. Your own experience will be more specifically defined by transits to your personal chart.

There is a common belief that writers on a higher thought should avoid politics, but it is a belief common only among the mystically inclined or monastically minded, not among the philosophically trained. It is, however, part of the business of philosophy to examine political principles and ethical problems.

Western science, in its perception of quantitative time, might eventually edge toward a dynamic concept of time (such as the Maya have). Physicists such as Fay Dowker (2018) have started to look for a way out of the concept of fixed time. Dowker says that her teacher Stephen Hawking only touched on the question of whether time really passes.

A lifetime of making and studying art has taught me that there is a world of difference between looking and seeing. Assuming that we are not visually impaired, we like to think that we see what we look at. In reality we see mostly what we think is there. Our own mind plays tricks on us.

Come February, 80% of people will have given up giving up. So what can we learn from the 20% who make it?

Assertions about the benefits of CBD often go far beyond what science has shown, according to one expert.

The idea of reducing the working week from an average of five days to four is gaining traction around the world. 

Working people often try to figure out that elusive ingredient that will help them reach their full potential in an organization.

We as humans, just like the wildflowers, must bend and flow to the demands placed upon us by our environment. The body's ability to maintain an inner balance in the face of changing conditions of our environment...

Victories have also been proclaimed in the recent wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya, only for violence to continue unabated.

My book is called Be the Light that You Are. It’s an imperative. You are the light, now be that light in the world. Don’t ignore that part of yourself. Don’t be falsely humble and pretend that you’re not good enough. Don’t buy into the collective “I don’t matter.”

I believe there is no authentic spirituality where there is no healing of one’s community and of the world – just as social, environmental and political activism without a spiritual dimension can easily lead to anger, bitterness and burnout.

We all have parts of ourselves that we prefer to remain hidden. We are all ashamed of certain things we have done or were done to us, or even feelings or thoughts we have had. We imagine that if people knew these things about us, they would not like us. We would be rejected, abandoned, judged or criticized.

A survey this year revealed that Australians, on average, spend 10.2 hours a day with interactive digital technologies. And this figure goes up every year.

Climate researchers can now detect the fingerprint of global warming in daily weather observations at the global scale.

There is no mental peace when you do not control your mind but instead follow anger. There is peace, however, when you apply the meditations and teachings of the graduated path to enlightenment in your daily life and control your mind by practicing patience, loving kindness, and compassion.

It’s common for people to focus on their health at the start of the year. But few consider the well being of the microbes that live inside the human gut – the microbiome – which are vital to an individual’s good health.

More than 80% of people who make New Year’s resolutions have already given up on their goals by February.

The rise of wearable fitness trackers has increased the number of people monitoring their heart rate, both throughout the day and during exercise.

Product labels offer valuable information to consumers, but manufacturers can misuse them to increase profits. 

For decades land use regulation across the U.S. has emphasized single-family houses on large lots.

Some ads can be more than misleading – they can put your health at risk.

Our feelings are a foolproof guidance system, letting us know if we are experiencing heaven or hell, love or fear, well being or disease. Using your feelings as your guide is the most direct indicator of whether or not you are being peace and happiness.

One type of therapy that is starting to become more popular is “ecotherapy”; which advocates claim can improve mental and physical wellbeing. 

By attaching your sense of self-worth to these kinds of external successes, the road ahead can be fraught with danger.

The festive season is over and we are left with the prospect of months of darkness and nothing to celebrate.

Come January, 40% of Americans will make New Years resolutions, and nearly half of them will aim to lose weight or get in shape.

The sale events don’t seem to pause but instead persevere throughout the year and in various forms.

Prior to about the age of nine and a half, I don't recall being a rage-filled kid. In fact, I remember being quite sensitive and frightened for the most part, with a general anxiety about living in the world. However, something occurred when I was nine and a half that set up a pattern for future behavior...

It's a new year! I must admit, I'm a bit like a kid at Christmas about New Year's. It's like I've just been given 365 brand new days, brand new pages of a blank book to do with as I choose.

“I will definitely give up smoking – that’s my New Year’s resolution,” she stated emphatically as she thumped her fist on the table to underline her determination. “All very well”, I thought, as I sat opposite her in my medical consulting room in October.

If other species are aware of seasons of the year and hours of the day, they don’t make a big deal about it. We humans, on the other hand, have arranged our lives around the calendar and the clock, all culminating at midnight, December 31, when one year ends and a new year begins...

Have you ever woken up in the morning (or afternoon) in a cloud of worry after having a few drinks the night before?

There’s an enourmous variety of sunscreens to choose from. Major supermarkets each sell more than 60 options. And one large pharmacy chain sells more than 100.

Did you make a New Year’s resolution this year? If so, you are participating in a social as well as a personal ritual. 

Our minds tend to chatter away, describing all manner of disastrous possibilities and outcomes, particularly when faced with difficult tasks or decisions. Barraged by complaints, criticisms, and doomsaying, it is no wonder that we can become paralyzed and unwilling or unable to take any action at all.

The school year is over and holidays are upon us. But that doesn’t mean your children’s learning experiences can’t continue.

Exercise is not only good for your physical health, it’s good for your mental health, too. Indeed, many people even take up exercise as a way of boosting their mental well-being. 

Many desexed family pets are the ideal parents of the next generation of family companions, having demonstrated their ability to fit in with family life. 

The latest celebrity-endorsed health trend is the bizarre-sounding practice of “hypnobirthing”. 

What’s not to like about gardening? It’s a great way to get outdoors, away from everyday routines, and to exercise your creativity.

A recent UK study showed no significant difference in survival between men who had a single prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test

The first two decades of the 21st century saw the return of mass movements to streets around the world.

You can pray for something specific and get it. Or you can pray for a quality of life, and get that. Praying for specifics is risky, for you are dictating a form. Praying for essence guarantees reward, for you are seeking an energy. Emerson noted that a wise man in a storm prays not for the end of the storm, but for the end of fear.

Humans seem to be constantly searching for happiness. Even the Bill of Rights focuses on the pursuit of happiness. By the same token, we go around 'pursuing happiness' -- looking for it, searching in all kinds of experiences, thinking that one day we will find the...

It’s not hard to find echoes of the late 1990s in the zeitgeist. Now as then, impeachment is on many peoples’ minds, and films such as The Matrix and The Sixth Sense continue to influence culture.

Climate researchers have not given up hope and authors were asked to highlight some more positive stories from 2019.

It’s that time of year when people make their New Year’s resolutions – indeed, 93% of people set them, according to the American Psychological Association.

We eat very unconsciously, automatically, robot-like. If the taste is not lived, you are just stuffing. Go slow, and be aware of the taste. Do not just go on swallowing things. Taste them unhurriedly and become the taste. When you feel sweetness, become that sweetness....

Many of us who walk on this earth have obsessed about money and materialism in such a way that too much negativity and unpleasantness have been the result. We have forgotten that the earth is our temple, our home and our gift, and when we abuse it in this way, we miss the magical and transformational powers of it. Often we want to donate and give back to the earth but...

I have asked people to list all of their important possessions, from top to bottom, and they all invariably come up with similar lists. Houses, cars, furniture, stocks... and other material goods usually rank highly. Then I tell them that they have overlooked the number one valuable commodity in their life...

This week we are living through the ending of a year, and the beginning of another. It's the death of 2019 and the birth of 2020. We humans often have a hesitancy to speak of death... It's the one thing we aren't comfortable speaking about.

This weekly astrological journal is based on planetary influences, and offers perspectives and insights to assist you in making the best use of current energies. This column is not intended as prediction. Your own experience will be more specifically defined by transits to your personal chart.

If you were to write a screenplay that was turned into the movie of your life, would it be a comedy, a mystery thriller, an adrenal pumping adventure, an insightful documentary, a snooze fest, a horror film...? If we think of our lives that way and then ponder...

From an early age we were taught to focus on differences, label everything, rank people and objects in order of desirability, and reject everyone and everything that does not get us what we want. What we really want runs far deeper than the judgments we hold.

Debaucherous evening last night? You’re probably dealing with veisalgia right now.

Current scientific evidence supports claims made for intermittent fasting, according to a new review.

Recently Ontario released its Digital First for Health strategy — aiming to further digitize health care and end the problem of overcrowded hospitals and “hallway medicine.”

A genetic “clock” lets scientists estimate how long extinct creatures lived. Wooly mammoths could expect around 60 years.

It is one of the most widely known and often retold stories in human history.

If you want to live a certain kind of life, you are going to have to be proactive so you can consciously create life as you would like it. You must first mentally visualize and then physically create what you want. You can do this by having a clear vision and developing strong intentions...

Let’s face it, there is never going to be a good time to address anything to do with dying, death or grief. When you’re fit and healthy, the last thing on your mind is the end of your life.

If you recognize that someone you love might be drowning beneath the surface, the question becomes: How can you help? Of course, every situation is different, so evaluate the best approach for yourself. However, the essence of helping others is simple...

Though winter may bring you down, the food you eat can play a significant role in how you feel emotionally, dietitians say.

Not getting enough water is enough to make you feel sluggish and give you a headache, but a new study suggests for older women, too little hydration may also relate to cognitive performance.

It’s as though the egoic mind, for its survival, needs to remain eternally quarantined inside the head, afraid to step outside its domain, afraid to let go and let God. On its inner throne it reigns supreme, but the price we pay for laying claim to this throne, and never leaving it, is that we forfeit our direct participation in God.

Men who adhere to rigid, sexist stereotypes of how to be a man are more likely to use and tolerate violence against women.

During one of my classes, I read aloud a passage about how all the animals and beings of the natural world want humans to learn to reconnect and communicate with them so that we can work together to save the planet. I believe that other life forms are aware of what's happening on the earth...

The basic tenets of environmentally friendly living are now being posed for environmentally friendly dying. Green burial is all about sustainability and developing funeral practices that support and heal nature rather than disrupt and harm it.

The research found Tinder users reported lower levels of satisfaction with their faces and higher levels of shame about their bodies.

Belief in the virgin birth comes from the Gospels of Matthew and Luke. Their birth stories are different, but both present Mary as a virgin when she became pregnant with Jesus.