Aristotle once made a distinction between five forms of knowing: Phronesis (practical knowledge), episteme(knowledge), sophia (wisdom), techne (skill), and logos (reason). Phronesis is expertise forged by experience, the authority of a subject earned through practice. Episteme, on the other hand, is declarative knowledge generated through research and study. The challenge of shaping a life lies […]
The Hardest Part of Practice: Practicing! Read More »
The mindfulness movement has gained significant momentum in recent decades. There is now widespread interest in mindfulness techniques and practices in the promotion of mental health. Many educators and health-care professionals see mindfulness—a suite of techniques that harness attention and awareness—as a way to manage stress and anxiety. The utilization of this technique as a
Three Analogies for Mindfulness Read More »
Is Critical Mindedness Good for Mental Health? Being a curmudgeon is more than a matter of disposition: it is a practiced art. Every social gathering bound by pleasantries and blandishments can do with a spicy dose of disruption. Is this the menacing habit of self-appointed contrarians, who cannot feel their own weight and
Is Critical-Mindedness Good for Mental Health? Read More »
I refused to watch the movie when it splashed onto silver screens in 2018. My disdain was met with dismissal by friends and family, who thought I took too seriously a movie that was nothing more than frivolous fun. “Crazy Rich Asians” (CRA) might be fun, but its blockbuster status transcended mere entertainment. Asian American
Crazy, but not Rich: Some Thoughts on Crazy Rich Asians Read More »
No Work, No Food Hyakujo, the Chinese Zen master, used to labor with his pupils even at the age of eighty, trimming the gardens, cleaning the grounds, and pruning the trees. The pupils felt sorry to see the old teacher working so hard, but they knew he would not listen to their advice to stop,
On Work and Retirement Read More »
I turn 44 on Friday. I have enough years behind me to see the wheeling seasons, and those turns have forged an emerging perspective on aging. It’s no small matter to be able to look behind and locate events now two decades past. It’s been 20 years since I returned from Japan, 26 years since
When I am irked by the excesses of mainstream culture and the pernicious beliefs that corrupt shared life, my wife likes to say in jest: why don’t you get back on your mountain so you can look down on everyone else? So up to the summit I shall go. The view from this lofty peak
A Pandemic of Affluenza Read More »
There may come a time when, Broken by false promises, Worn thin by stoked passions, You step through the threshold and feel yourself larger than what those walls can hold Leaving behind the raucous voices, the brazen amens and fervent hallelujahs. Perhaps in the darkened corners, Someone you respected shattered your innocence. The hands held
Disclaimer: This entry contains graphic descriptions of a physical Injury. Reader discretion is advised On 27 April, 2021, I lost part of my right index finger inside my dog’s clenching jaws. It was a tempest and a comedy of errors both. Like all accidents, the mishap unfolded under circumstances most ordinary. Miles, an eight-year old
An Injury and a Trip to the Hospital Read More »
I went out today for groceries. Already I’ve noticed more cars on the road. Construction projects clog the streets. There is a small pile up just a few blocks from my apartment. It seems that the health authorities have implemented effective measures, and British Columbia has flattened the curve. There continues to be isolated outbreaks in care homes,
Spring Subsides, Summer Nears Read More »
David Chang Counselling is gratefully located on the territories of the the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations. David supports and celebrates diversity in race, gender, sexual orientation, language, culture, and neurological composition.
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