Think back to your first date. Was it with a high school sweetheart? Set up through a mutual friend? Or maybe it was with that person who made you nervous at the bar.
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Francisco is a handsome man. His build is slender, skin unblemished and hair neatly combed to his left side. His unsuspecting blue jeans and “Venice Beach” t-shirt conceal the fact that he is the leader of his Shuar community, an indigenous people local to the Ecuadorian rainforest.
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How do we stay calm when things around us aren’t?
You can have anger without acting angry. You can feel anger yet not be angry.
Anger is an internal state; it can be physiologically felt and cognitively observed.
When anger arises, a sense of tension is present in our bodies. Our breathing quickens and shallows, our temperature may elevate, or we may perspire. There are also notable mental effects. We may become cognitively impatient and negatively biased, as displayed by the cynicism of our accompanying thoughts.
This is anger; anger is internal.
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From a social standpoint the monorails of Kuala Lumpur are like the subways of New York. They are strictly a transport mechanism, rarely do people talk to one another.
Not following the implicit societal standards, I made a comment to a stranger "that's a cool shirt". This simple comment led to a friendship I couldn't have imagined.
Read MoreIf you have eyes to read, the mind to comprehend, you are fortunate with good health. If you live in the socioeconomic circumstance and have the ability to chose your own path (as I have), you are privileged. And of course to embark on this fellowship I am beyond privileged.
But here, I want to delve deeper into a more implicit layer of privilege.
Read MoreWhile I stick to my sentiments that there is no such thing as a utopia, outside yourself, Bukit Lewang comes close. It's that harmonious, quaint jungle village, which you only hear about in a children's book. (Of course the village isn't perfect, it comes with its own set of unique problems - over commercialization, aggressive locals to name a few.)
The harmony is not in the objects we typically associate with harmony - rainbows, butterflies and people holding hands in a circle - but rather more subtle devices. It lies in the fluid and playful interactions between locals. It lies in the kids swimming in the river, playing without a care or a screen to distract them from their environment. It's in the incessant sharing amongst locals, which isn't a question but an unspoken principal. Indicative of these constructs is the fact that they all look incredibly young. They smile and laugh often, and I haven’t heard the words “worry”, “stress”, or “anxiety”.
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