Latest news with #Meditations
Irish Times
3 days ago
- General
- Irish Times
Christ Alive: Reflections from the Shadows of Life into the Light of God – Meditations on faith through shared experience
Christ Alive: Reflections from the Shadows of Life into the Light of God Author : John Deane-O'Keeffe ISBN-13 : 9798385236602 Publisher : Resource Publications Guideline Price : £17 These 52 meditations explore the common places of human experience and the overlooked corners of our shared life through the lens of Christian faith . The result is a vividly rendered body of punchily written essays. At their best, these spiritual vignettes bring us close to the heart of our shared humanity and encourage readers to pay attention to the unexpected spaces where the divine can be traced. An Anglican pastor, criminology lecturer, chaplain and former magistrate, John Deane-O'Keeffe writes with a warm and familiar tone, lending the book an authentic sense of charm and gentleness. This is married to an instinct for self-deprecation and an unforced sense of humour, making the observations and exhortations all the more impressive. The dogmatic flavour of the book might best be described as applied theological liberalism. Exclusive claims for Christianity are eschewed, some doctrinal tenets are interpreted figuratively rather than literally, and there is a steady insistence on universalism throughout the work. READ MORE The beating heart of Deane-O'Keeffe's worldview is 'love', a theme that he returns to repeatedly, and the prism through which he views the wide variety of life that he has been exposed to personally, pastorally and professionally. The voice of the text is charming, humane and egalitarian. Individuals on the margins of society are treated with an unaffected dignity and respect, which is powerfully emotive in places. [ Books in Brief: David Brennan's scintillating second novel feels ancient, magical and urgently new Opens in new window ] It is to be hoped that future editions of Christ Alive will benefit from a more rigorous editorial process. There are significant typographical errors in the text, including the misspelling of significant surnames in some of the stories that are recorded. There is also a tendency to repetition, and some temporal markers from the original church contexts for which some of the essays may have been composed have remained (such as references to 'this morning' and 'this evening'). Higher production values for the paperback edition would also more adequately complement the high quality of its written content. Away from formatting and editorial concerns, Christ Alive earths Deane-O'Keeffe's sincerely held faith position in the real world of vulnerable people, and everyday saints. Readers will not fail to be moved by the pastoral voice of the text and its author's heart for the human race, regardless of their own beliefs or theological commitments.
Barnama
6 days ago
- General
- Barnama
- It's Not About You
Opinions on topical issues from thought leaders, columnists and editors. And yet, we absorb it. Internalise it. Personalise it. That snappy comment from a colleague? It's probably not personal. The cold shoulder from a friend? It could be their own unresolved frustration. The driver who cuts you off, the student who seems disengaged, the person who doesn't return your message – chances are, they're wrestling with something you can't see. There's a quiet kind of freedom that comes from realising this truth: Most of the time, it's not about you. A blue-ticked WhatsApp message doesn't always mean you're being ignored. A sharp e-mail response doesn't automatically signal disrespect. Sometimes it's just a bad day. Or a bad week. Or a life that's fraying at the edges. But here's the thing: people are complex. Messy. Emotionally layered. And most of the time, their reactions say more about what's going on inside them than anything you did or said. We replay the moment again and again in our heads: Did I do something wrong? Did I offend them? Are they upset with me? That mental loop – exhausting, isn't it? Mitch Albom wrote in Tuesdays with Morrie, 'Don't let someone else's behaviour destroy your inner peace.' Simple, yes; but not always easy. And I had to learn this lesson the long way around. Years ago, a senior colleague I respected suddenly became distant. Short in meetings. Cool in conversation. It ate at me. I kept replaying our last few interactions, trying to pinpoint what I had said wrong. I even considered apologising for something I wasn't sure I had done. But then one evening, long after office hours, I saw him still in his room – head in his hands, visibly exhausted. A few days later, I learned he was dealing with a difficult family situation that had been weighing heavily on him for months. It was never about me. I can't tell you how many times I've carried someone else's storm like it was my fault for causing the rain. We all do it, especially when we're wired to care. But over time, I've come to appreciate the emotional clarity that comes from this one practice: pause before taking it personally. Sometimes people are rude because they're tired. Sometimes they're distant because they're anxious. Sometimes they're cold because they don't know how to say, 'I'm not okay.' And sometimes – they're just human. The Stoics knew this well. Marcus Aurelius wrote in his Meditations, 'You have power over your mind – not outside events. Realise this, and you will find strength.' And perhaps that's where real strength lies – not in retaliating, not in overthinking, but in choosing what we allow to take root inside us. The Templar shrug You see, when you take everything personally, you become a sponge for other people's emotional clutter. You carry burdens that were never yours to begin with. You give away your peace in exchange for their problems. But there's another way. I call it the Templar shrug – inspired by Richard Templar, the author of 2015 bestseller 'The Rules of Life'. Throughout his book, Templar comes across as someone who has mastered the art of emotional boundaries. Not because he doesn't care, but because he knows better than to waste energy on things that don't serve him. He writes with the kind of clarity that suggests a quiet confidence: don't take things personally, don't get dragged into unnecessary drama, and most of all, don't give people the power to ruin your day. Templar doesn't say it in so many words, but what he's really advocating for is freedom – the freedom to move through life without collecting other people's emotional baggage. The freedom to shrug off what isn't yours and walk on, lighter. That, to me, is a form of wisdom. So, the next time someone seems off, consider this: What if it has nothing to do with you? What if they're carrying something invisible – and the best thing you can do is not add your own assumptions to the weight? And if you're the one having a bad day, remember: others aren't mind readers either. If you need space, take it. If you need support, ask. But don't let your inner turmoil spill out as stray sharpness – someone else might carry that the whole day, thinking it was their fault. We're all navigating our own quiet battles. Some visible, many not. So be kind. And when someone's edge meets your calm, don't immediately absorb it; shrug and move on. Because most of the time, It's not about you. -- BERNAMA Ir Dr Nahrizul Adib Kadri (nahrizuladib@ is a professor of biomedical engineering at the Faculty of Engineering, and the Principal of Ibnu Sina Residential College, Universiti Malaya.
Focus Malaysia
26-06-2025
- General
- Focus Malaysia
Sometimes it's not about you
THERE'S a quiet kind of freedom that comes from realising this truth: Most of the time, it's not about you. That snappy comment from a colleague? It's probably not personal. The cold shoulder from a friend? It could be their own unresolved frustration. The driver who cuts you off, the student who seems disengaged, the person who doesn't return your message? Chances are, they're wrestling with something you can't see. And yet, we absorb it. Internalise it. Personalise it. We replay the moment again and again in our heads: Did I do something wrong? Did I offend them? Are they upset with me? That mental loop—it's exhausting, isn't it? But here's the thing: people are complex. Messy. Emotionally layered. And most of the time, their reactions say more about what's going on inside them than anything you did or said. A blue-ticked WhatsApp message doesn't always mean you're being ignored. A sharp e-mail response doesn't automatically signal disrespect. Sometimes it's just a bad day. Or a bad week. Or a life that's fraying at the edges. Mitch Albom wrote in Tuesdays with Morrie, 'Don't let someone else's behaviour destroy your inner peace.' Simple, yes; but not always easy. And I had to learn this lesson the long way around. Years ago, a senior colleague I respected suddenly became distant. Short in meetings. Cool in conversation. It ate at me. I kept replaying our last few interactions, trying to pinpoint what I had said wrong. I even considered apologising for something I wasn't sure I had done. But then one evening, long after office hours, I saw him still in his room, head in his hands, visibly exhausted. A few days later, I learned he was dealing with a difficult family situation that had been weighing heavily on him for months. It was never about me. I can't tell you how many times I've carried someone else's storm like it was my fault for causing the rain. We all do it, especially when we're wired to care. But over time, I've come to appreciate the emotional clarity that comes from this one practice: pause before taking it personally. Sometimes people are rude because they're tired. Sometimes they're distant because they're anxious. Sometimes they're cold because they don't know how to say, 'I'm not okay.' And sometimes—they're just human. The Stoics knew this well. Marcus Aurelius wrote in his Meditations, 'You have power over your mind—not outside events. Realise this, and you will find strength.' And perhaps that's where real strength lies—not in retaliating, not in overthinking, but in choosing what we allow to take root inside us. You see, when you take everything personally, you become a sponge for other people's emotional clutter. You carry burdens that were never yours to begin with. You give away your peace in exchange for their problems. But there's another way. I call it the Templar shrug—inspired by Richard Templar, the author of 2015 bestseller The Rules of Life. Throughout his book, Templar comes across as someone who has mastered the art of emotional boundaries. Not because he doesn't care, but because he knows better than to waste energy on things that don't serve him. He writes with the kind of clarity that suggests a quiet confidence: don't take things personally, don't get dragged into unnecessary drama, and most of all, don't give people the power to ruin your day. Templar doesn't say it in so many words, but what he's really advocating for is freedom—the freedom to move through life without collecting other people's emotional baggage. The freedom to shrug off what isn't yours and walk on, lighter. That, to me, is a form of wisdom. So the next time someone seems off, consider this: What if it has nothing to do with you? What if they're carrying something invisible—and the best thing you can do is not add your own assumptions to the weight? And if you're the one having a bad day, remember: others aren't mind readers either. If you need space, take it. If you need support, ask. But don't let your inner turmoil spill out as stray sharpness—someone else might carry that the whole day, thinking it was their fault. We're all navigating our own quiet battles. Some visible, many not. So be kind. And when someone's edge meets your calm, don't immediately absorb it; shrug and move on. Because most of the time it's not about you. ‒ June Ir Dr Nahrizul Adib Kadri is a professor of biomedical engineering at the Faculty of Engineering, and the Principal of Ibnu Sina Residential College, Universiti Malaya. The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Focus Malaysia. Main image: Pexels/Seng Lam Ho
The Hindu
20-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
Meditations, an art exhibition in Thiruvananthapuram, showcases colourful fragments of dissimilar visions
Chapter one of Meditations, an art exhibition by Dr Boban Ramesan, currently on at Vylopilly Samskrithi Bhavan in Thiruvananthapuram, presents a glimpse into what truly affects the artist — consciously and subconsciously. From depictions of frames inspired by legendary filmmakers Satyajit Ray and Ritwik Ghatak to images of death and decay reflecting the ongoing conflict in Gaza, the exhibition explores the personal and the public in a series of untitled works. This chapter features 68 works and chapter two features 42 works. Originally from Petta, Boban has been working as a family physician in Brisbane, Australia, for a decade. He uses Italian Fabriano paper as his preferred canvas. His paint mediums include oil paint, charcoal, pastels, pens, gouache (a water-based paint), chalk and graphite. 'I have been using oil paint for the last 10 years. Before that, my preferred mediums were charcoal and graphite. I also started using pastels a few years ago. I never used colours when I began painting as I was used to monochromatic art,' says Boban. 'I left the works untitled so that people can interpret it. I do have some ideas in my mind. If I feel differently tomorrow, I'll change it,' says Boban, showcasing artworks compiled over the past 12 months. The self-taught artist describes his work as 'mostly spontaneous', putting down his thoughts through his paintings, almost like journalling on canvas. These include his perceptions of places, experiences, and events. For instance, in one of his works, he portrays a rural area in West Bengal; despite not having travelled to the place, he has created a piece inspired by the movies of Satyajit Ray and Ritwik Ghatak. Boban displays a shore and people on it, invoking an image of the fisherfolk. Alienation appears to be a recurring theme. With charcoal as a medium, Boban has portrayed a grim, lonely setting in England. The work features a tram next to a solitary person. Subjects embracing other people further highlight a sense of loneliness or an absence of intimacy that many people often crave. 'A lot of lonely figures can be found in my work now; it appears as if I am confined to that space,' he says. 'Last year, I lost my sister, and a lot of those emotions reflect in my work. It helps me cope with sadness, as it is also said that art is therapeutic.' These artworks are dominated by shades of yellow and despite the nature of the colour representing happiness, they display loss and yearning for his sister. Personal relationships or their absence become the leitmotif for the exhibition, which does not have a central theme of any nature. Boban also attempts to revisit his dreams through his art. The abstract works feature animals, objects and even the artist himself; they represent involuntary and incoherent fragments of the artist's psyche, he believes. These dream sequences are colourful and contain recurring elements that set out the idea that the works are interwoven. A section of four works in charcoal portrays violent imagery of conflicts happening across the world, especially in Gaza, says the artist. Lamenting mothers and sights of decay presented in shades of black are direct references to the grim reality. On a closer look, the dancing figures present a group of people profiting from such violence. The exhibition and its second chapter at KCS Panicker Gallery, Museum, is on till June 22, 10 am to 5 pm.
Time of India
10-06-2025
- General
- Time of India
Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius enjoys social media revival
Representative AI image "Look within. Within is the fountain of good, and it will ever bubble up, if thou wilt ever dig." Wise statements like this can be found in the "Meditations" of Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius (121-180 C.E.). He had never intended these reflections for publication, having written them purely for himself, but they have become some of the most widely read writings after the Bible and the Quran. A bestseller, so to speak, which has been translated into numerous languages worldwide. Known today as a philosopher-king, Marcus Aurelius ruled at a time marked by crises and catastrophes. He ascended to the throne in 161 C.E., just a few years before the Marcomannic Wars (166-180 C.E.) — the Marcomanni were Germanic tribes — which would shake the Roman Empire to its foundations. In addition, he faced economic problems, social tensions and the spread of the Antonine Plague, a form of smallpox, throughout his territory. 'You have power over your mind, not outside events' Equanimity — that was one of the basic principles of Marcus Aurelius, who was a great fan of the Stoics, an ancient school of philosophy founded by the Greek Zeno of Citium in 300 B.C.E. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Trade Bitcoin & Ethereum – No Wallet Needed! IC Markets Start Now Undo Marcus Aurelius wanted to be a good ruler, but what is good governance? That question, which remains relevant to this day, was of great concern to him, as reflected in his "Meditations." But his contemporaries would never have read his writings, according to archaeologist Marcus Reuter, director of the Rheinisches Landesmuseum in Trier. "The Romans also never saw him as a philosopher-king. His writings were never made public during his lifetime. He wrote for himself, in the quiet of his room in the evening." Aurelius only acquired the image of the philosopher-king after the publication of his "Meditations" in the 15th or 16th century. Reuter and historian Viola Skiba, director of the Stadtmuseum Simeonstift in Trier, have co-curated a joint exhibition, in each of their institutions, on Marcus Aurelius, set to run from June 15 to November 23, 2025. Skiba said the themes of the exhibition are more current than they had anticipated. The question of what good leadership looks like has taken on a new urgency, especially in these crisis-ridden and polarised times. At the same time, the question is as old as human history itself, and was clearly a focus in the ancient world. Donald Trump 'not a role model' What, according to Marcus Aurelius, distinguishes good governance? "Basically, it is guided by the cardinal virtues of antiquity," said Skiba. Those desirable virtues include wisdom, justice, prudence and moderation. A key concept is the "orientation toward the common good," acting in a way that truly benefits the community as a whole. "This is, so to speak, also what separates a good ruler from a bad one according to [the Greek philosopher] Aristotle." Reuter added that Marcus Aurelius would most likely have considered Donald Trump "not a good leader, and certainly not a role model." But of course, Marcus Aurelius was a product of his time, who grew up within the social structures of antiquity. "There was slavery, and not even Marcus Aurelius wanted to abolish it," said Reuter. The emperor also did not question "that there were people with and without Roman civil rights, or that women did not have the same rights as men." From today's perspective, it may also seem odd to consider as virtuous an emperor who waged brutal wars. "According to ancient standards, the emperor was expected to ensure the security of the empire and protect its inhabitants — even by very brutal means if necessary," said Reuter. "He was extensively involved in court cases. He endeavoured to pass just judgments, and always put the interests of the state first," added Reuter. The construction of the Porta Nigra in Trier — today the city's famous landmark — can also be traced back to Marcus Aurelius. It was part of the city wall that Aurelius had built to protect its citizens. 'Very little is needed to make a happy life' Aphorisms like the above can seem like mockery coming from a wealthy emperor, but they were meant sincerely. Indeed, Marcus Aurelius cultivated a rather modest lifestyle and even had imperial household items — his private assets — auctioned off when the state was in financial crisis. "As far as I know, no Roman emperor before or after him did that," said Reuter. Marcus Aurelius also apparently spent a lot of time pondering the meaning of life, which is presumably the reason so many young people nowadays are interested in him and his writings. In Reuter's estimation, "his 'Meditations' are a little treasure trove containing something to address nearly every situation in life." Reuter pointed out that Marcus Aurelius' writings don't lend themselves to being read from front to back, but are well-suited to dipping into to find inspiration. They are, after all, the private musings of someone who spent time thinking about what was truly important in life. So it's small wonder that quotes by the Roman emperor can be found all over social media. The exhibition in Trier builds on this contemporary interest in Marcus Aurelius and the topics that occupied him. It's designed to inspire visitors from all over the world to reflect on themselves, society and what a long-ago Roman emperor still has to say to us today. Or, as Skiba put it, "Every society is based on individuals, and if each and every individual asks themselves these philosophical and political questions, then it also works as a whole."
