Snakes in the grass

We are encouraged to follow our passion, but this betrays a misunderstanding of what passions are. The word derives from the Latin for suffer. A Sufi teaching says there are nine of them, each one disguised as a virtue.

For students of the enneagram

There is no better exposition of the explosive EIGHT-type, of his force and folly, than the documentary film David Crosby: Remember my name. EIGHTs rank high on my list of most memorable characters.

Anger buttoned down

The problem with being a perfectionist is that nothing is perfect. I cannot be a perfectionist without at the same time being humourless, self-righteous, impatient and lemon-faced.

Hiding in the weeds

The inner journey begins with a feeling of sharp remorse. Richard Rohr calls this the ‘Oh, shit!’ moment. It happens when we’re eyeball-to-eyeball with our primary fault.

Between the moon and New York City

A few sad-eyed souls derive energy from longing for what they don’t have. Should they get what they want, they suffer a loss of interest. Masochists live in this demimonde. It’s where self-harm happens and eating disorders are spawned.