“It’s almost as if science said, “Give me one free miracle, and from there the entire thing will proceed with a seamless, causal explanation.”’ The one free miracle was the sudden appearance of all the matter and energy in the universe, with all the laws that govern it.”

― Rupert Sheldrake

According to what we call science today, the Universe appeared out of nowhere. Everything fell perfectly into its place — the matter, the energies, and all the laws that govern them.

While only a few of us take time to question this hypothesis, it’s worth contemplating. …

When it comes to training in the gym, I’m a minimalist. Who has the time to spare an hour every day?

I know you too have a lot on your plate. We all have things to do. We have families to take care of, businesses to run, jobs to go to, and an endless list of skills to learn.

But there’s also a deep-rooted desire in all of us to look good. But even though you want it, you think you cannot have it.

“Where’s the time to think about building muscle?” you think.

But I’m here to tell you, that you can have it all. …

No matter how many get-rich-quick blogs you read on making money on Medium, there’s only one thing that can guarantee success.

Oh wait, nothing guarantees success here. But the only thing that can increase your chances of success is this:

Write as often as you can and as good as you can

Content creators around the globe love to debate about what’s more important — quality or quantity? I say both.

And as a writer, my job is to balance them.

Here’s something to consider: quality increases with quantity up to a certain limit, when it starts to decrease.

So the number is different for anyone. I can currently write two articles in the morning without any problem. But tell me to cram a third one and I’ll cry like a baby. …

Meditation like anything else is a skill. Often people who start meditating, think that they’re not good at it.

This thought comes on account of their inability to perhaps stop their thoughts, focus on the breath, or sit for longer periods of time.

Disheartened by their progress, and therefore seeing no results, they quit soon.

That’s what we’re going to change today.

You see, the key to making any habit stick in your life is to make it pleasurable — to see results.

Think about exercise. The first few days are hard because every move is difficult. You cannot help but notice your lack of strength or stamina. But as you push through it, not only do you improve but you also see the subsequent change in your body. …

Let me make a bold statement — all of the world’s problems from poverty to terrorism have only one cure — a rise in global consciousness.

All the problems we read in today’s headlines are a result of a contractive consciousness of humans.

The fake promises by politicians, the rise of terrorist groups, unfair business practices, scams, and many more things come from lower states of consciousness and understanding.

Let’s use an analogy to understand this. Take water for example. When you freeze it, it turns into a block of ice. …

Wear the same thing every day. Donate or sell what you don’t need. Love people use things. Reduce your carbon footprint. Make space for what matters in your life. Focus. Lesser drama. More freedom. Travel light. Financial freedom. Better relationships. Mindfulness….

Phew!

The benefits of minimalism are difficult to list down. Indeed over the last decade, the number of minimalist bloggers, YouTubers, and other content creators have shoved the idea into our brains.

Even the worst of shoppers who buy things every time they feel low is now thinking about minimalism.

Gone are the days when it only referred to pieces of art no one understood but everyone appreciated because they felt grasping its excellence is “out of their league.” …

“Nonviolence; Truth; Non-Stealing; Celibacy; Non-Possession; Body-Labor; Control of the Palate; Fearlessness; Equal Respect for all Religions; Swadeshi (use of home manufactures); Freedom from Untouchability. These eleven should be observed as vows in a spirit of humility.” — Source

These are the vows taken by Mahatma Gandhi and all his strict followers.

Gandhi was a saint. In fact, Paramahansa Yogananda called him the tiny 100-pound political saint. And his behaviors reflect so.

He took the vow of non-possession early in his married life. By gladly letting aside a $20,000/year legal practice, he sets an example of true renunciation. …

“What oxygen is to the lungs, such is hope to the meaning of life.“

— Emil Brunner

Hope — the recognition within the human heart that something better is attainable — can mean the difference between life and death.

Consider Viktor Frankl's account of soldiers in the concentration camp. He said that hope for a better future alone determined if they’ll live or not.

In the camp, after Hanukkah, a holy festival, death rates increased even though there was no change in other circumstances in the camp. Why?

Because prisoners were told that they will be released till the festival to meet their families. When there were not released, however, they lost hope, lost the will to survive, their immense systems weakened, and finally succumbed to some fatal disease. …