Relationships ⁽²⁸⁾

Knowing others is difficult; knowing oneself is truly no easier. — Essentials of Governance of the Zhenguan Era The Buddha said: He who leaves his family and home, recognizes his mind and reaches the root, and understands the doctrine of no-action, is called a shramana.

On August 19, after getting up, I went and worked for a while in the vegetable garden at the foot of Fragrant Hills, and that bouts-of-sadness mood did not recur. Before me there was still a heap of things to handle: work, life, family, emotion,…

A monk asked the Buddha: What is the greatest strength? What is the clearest light? The Buddha said: Forbearance bears the greatest strength, for it harbors no evil and adds tranquility and vigor; he who forbears has no evil and is sure to be respected…

Yesterday, after I published the article "I Have Mild Depression; I Need to Adjust My Way of Living," I received greetings from many friends, and I was truly moved. But I am not in a state to be disturbed right now, so I will not…

Marc Schoen, clinical assistant professor at the David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, has devoted his life to research, clinical practice, and teaching in mind-body medicine, behavioral decision-making and performance under stress. He wrote a book specifically on modern restlessness: Your…

The World Health Organization proposes four cornerstones of health: a balanced diet, moderate exercise, smoking cessation and alcohol restriction, and mental health. The first three are easy to put into practice because their standards are objective, but the last—mental health—is not so easy to define.

A depressed patient once described her experience of seeing a doctor: she went to see a doctor and poured out her suffering; the doctor listened in silence and, after she finished, sighed deeply with compassion. That sigh brought tears to her eyes; she felt an…

First, I must define a healthy relationship. By it I mean a relationship beneficial both to ourselves and to the person we associate with, where "beneficial" means good for physical and mental health. For lovers, family, friends, teachers and students, classmates, and relatives to get…

The good life is one inspired by love and guided by knowledge. — Philosopher Bertrand Russell In 2002, at 23, I served as lead writer and coordinator on a project led by the National Development and Reform Commission concerning "sustainable development of resources, population, and…

The word yuanfen (fate/destined affinity) appears with very high frequency in Chinese. We often say that whether a man and a woman become husband and wife depends on yuanfen; whether two strangers become close friends depends on yuanfen; teachers and students have their yuanfen, and…