Insights and Offerings

by Roland Evans

These are difficult times. It is essential we don’t get sucked into the constant media mire of antagonism, fear and hopelessness. We have to keep our footing and remember this too shall pass. In the meantime, we find ways to nurture our stability and sanity.

Each night, I read a few pages of timeless wisdom before I sleep. At the moment, I dip into Lieh-Tzu, a Taoist sage who possibly lived around 400 BCE, and Epictetus, an ex-slave Greek philosopher from the 1st century AD. They both embody a kind of mystical common-sense that soothes my soul and reminds me of what it is to be a human being.

Here is Epictetus:

“Happiness and freedom begin with a clear understanding of one principle: some things are within our control, and some things are not. It is only after you have faced up to this fundamental rule, and learn to distinguish between what you can and can’t control that inner tranquility and outer effectiveness become possible.”

“Caretake this moment. Immerse yourself in its particulars. Respond to this person, this challenge, this deed. Quit the evasions. Stop giving yourself needless trouble… Give your best and always be kind.”

Here is Lieh-Tzu:

“Seeing the emptiness of things can help us cultivate stillness and peace of mind. If you do not know how to keep still in this crazy world, you will be drawn into all kinds of unnecessary trouble. You will lose your view of the Way (Tao)… you will also have lost yourself.”

Take time to read some wisdom from the best of humanity. Think about how it speaks to you–but most important, fix the meaning in your heart and manifest it in your attitude.

Roland

Above: Surface and Depths book cover

Surface and Depths: A story of adolescence with reflections on the inner journey.

by Roland Evans (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

A vivid adolescent memoir set in Wales and Ireland during the 1960’s, Surface and Depths is both an adventure story and a profound exploration of the meaning of human experience. Through an exceptional adolescent coming-of-age story, the author reflects on the dynamics of the developing psyche and what it means to be a human being.

Opening with a near-death experience, the narrative details the writer’s teenage journey between ages 14 and 18. Family dynamics, crises of faith, sexual struggles and strange experiences are stepping off points for the therapist author to illuminate underlying psychological and spiritual themes. This unique amalgam of intriguing narrative with insightful reflection sets the book apart from ordinary memoirs and psycho-spiritual literature.