If somebody is in a lot of pain, and they're going through some serious illness, and they are living in the past, and they’re loving it, then I would never tell anyone to change. But if they're asking this question, then I assume there is some stress, and that the underlying reality of the present moment is causing a great deal of distress, and that they are not able to…
All human beings have these egos, this mind-made conception of who we are. And it only survives when it feels important. And when this ego feels threatened, because it is comparing itself to the wealth or success or looks of someone else, it suffers, and it makes us suffer immensely. To really get to the root of this suffering, we need to recognize that we are not this ego, and…
Most of thel problems in our lives are generated by our thinking mind. When we’re depressed, we are constantly thinking dark, negative thoughts. When we’re anxious, we’re constantly thinking insecure, anxious thoughts. When we’re caught in the drama of life, we are usually retelling that story of drama in our minds, again and again. To be free from this compulsive thinking is to be free from much of the suffering…
When asked if I have an ego myself, I'm reminded of the scene from Fight Club, where Edward Norton shoots himself in the head, trying to kill his alter ego, Brad Pitt. The fact of the matter is, we all have a thinking mind. And it's important for surviving in this world. That thinking mind is where problem-solving, working through complex situations, finding solutions, and creativity come from — and…
I had dreams of people visiting me in the forest and feeling like, "Oh no, I broke the rules," and they were trying to tempt me to come back to society. But it was one of the most beautiful, profound, enlightening experiences of my life that I would never trade for anything.When I was a kid, I remember hearing that Jesus of Nazareth went into the desert for 40 days…
When I was a Creative Director in advertising, I had to travel a lot for work and my companies would always put me up in 5-star hotels. It wasn’t the sheets or marble walls or gold trim that impressed me. It was always something that cost absolutely nothing: the attention and generosity of the staff.I am currently on a family vacation (hence the infrequent newsletters), showing my dear mother-in-law the…
The Golden Globes and awards season is here. I didn’t watch the Globes, but I do love the modern art of cinema. Few artforms are so captivating, moving, immersive, powerful, persuasive and empathizing. For two hours, you can experience what it is like to forgo identification with the self and identify with the characters in the story instead.While this escape can become addictive (because dissociation with our ego is extremely…
The world we live in is designed by each of us. We are each totally responsible for the world. You are humanity, you are society, you are the universe. Consciousness is the home you live in. You are its creator and caretaker. So, what does all this mumbo jumbo mean? Well, it means that if you see people as enemies, you have created the illusion of enemies. It means that…
If you can see it, feel it, hear it or think it, it is an illusion. So yes, kindness and cruelty are both illusions. Pain and pleasure exist in our mind and nowhere else. But that doesn’t mean they’re both meaningless. “Illusion” does not mean we dishonor the illusion. We don’t have to ignore it nor neglect it. We also don’t have to get attached to it. Illusion simply means we…
In my last newsletter I talked about 3 ways to win at life’s game of telephone, and how to stop letting other people plant thoughts in our head. Today I want to talk about how to trust ourself and follow our heart.Whether it’s our own thoughts or the words from other people, it’s just noise. That which goes beyond words is what’s true. People have been developing opinions for thousands…
If something here helped you feel less alone, would you help me keep it alive?
Even the smallest support matters.
Weekly Writings from the Desk of Todd Perelmuter
