Category Archives: absolute goodness

Am I enough? Am I doing enough?

Posted on June 19, 2022 by Sarah

I’ve been struggling a bit lately with a sense of mediocrity and a feeling of confusion about what I should be trying to do with my life. I can’t seem to shake the belief that I owe someone something for … Continue reading →

Posted in absolute goodness, morality, personal reflection, philosophy, self-improvement, suffering | Leave a comment

Stoicism, acceptance and happiness

Posted on March 22, 2016 by Sarah

I have a negative bent, a tendency to see the bad in life more clearly than the good. I get very affected by bad news – and there’s a lot of it: worsening inequality, dismantling of the welfare state, another financial crisis potentially … Continue reading →

Posted in absolute goodness, meditation, morality, personal reflection, philosophy, Stoicism, suffering, Sunday Assembly | Tagged , , | 6 Comments

Suffering and the need for a good story

Posted on March 24, 2013 by Sarah

A few years ago, one of the big things that stopped me believing in an underlying purpose and intention in our existence (i.e. that the universe was created by some kind of a god) had to do with suffering. I’ve … Continue reading →

Posted in absolute goodness, God, morality, myth and metaphor, personal reflection, philosophy, science, suffering | 4 Comments

Joy and Sorrow

Posted on May 6, 2011 by Sarah

From “The Prophet” by Khalil Gibran Your joy is your sorrow unmasked. And the selfsame well from which your laughter rises was oftentimes filled with your tears. And how else can it be? The deeper that sorrow carves into your … Continue reading →

Posted in absolute goodness, philosophy, suffering | 4 Comments

Honouring the darkness

Posted on May 3, 2011 by Sarah

The following is a personal reflection I wrote and read out at my Unitarian church in March (abridged slightly). Much of it is stuff I have blogged about before, but I hope it might be of interest to some. Comments … Continue reading →

Posted in absolute goodness, God, personal reflection, philosophy, science, spiritual, suffering, Unitarian | 7 Comments

Moral conflict and religion

Posted on March 21, 2011 by Sarah

In talking of right or wrong, we seem to instinctively regard ethical conduct as something fixed throughout time, black-and-white, clear-cut and absolute. Law makes it seem that way. Reflecting on moral dilemmas reminds me that it’s not that simple. Predators … Continue reading →

Posted in absolute goodness, God, morality, philosophy | 4 Comments

Authority, submission, and self-responsibility

Posted on February 1, 2011 by Sarah

A commenter recently said something that got me thinking: “I am sure that our next step as humanity is to mature up to self responsibility after the disastrous failing of all hierarchical “elite” concepts”. It’s a very optimistic stance, but … Continue reading →

Posted in absolute goodness, morality | 3 Comments

Seeing life in colour

Posted on November 29, 2010 by Sarah

“Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.” There is a delicate balance to be found between ambition for positive change and … Continue reading →

Posted in absolute goodness, philosophy, spiritual, suffering | 8 Comments

The need for clarity

Posted on November 13, 2010 by Sarah

Theoretical science has always made its leaps forward through unifications: previously disparate and complicated ideas are replaced by something much simpler and clearer that unites them. The new idea makes new predictions which can be tested. Time and again this … Continue reading →

Posted in absolute goodness, God, morality, philosophy, science | 6 Comments

Neuroplasticity, quantum physics and free will

Posted on October 11, 2010 by Sarah

I just read “The Mind and the Brain” by Jeffrey M. Schwartz and Sharon Begley. Someone on an internet forum recommended it to me more than 3 years ago, and well… better late than never. 🙂 Here are a few … Continue reading →

Posted in absolute goodness, moral issues, morality, philosophy, science | 13 Comments