Whole Health Wisdom-Navigating Holistic Wellness

11/09/2025

The Dual Nature of Virtue

How Our Greatest Strengths Become Our Greatest Weaknesses Human nature is inherently paradoxical. The very traits that empower individuals to succeed, lead, and create meaning in life often carry w…

11/08/2025

Faith, Philosophy, and Science

Throughout human history, the quest to understand existence, purpose, and the nature of reality has taken many forms. While these explorations often overlap, they can generally be organized into th…

11/05/2025

In my research of Eastern culture, traditions and even more specifically, martial arts, I have come across some interesting images and photographs warranting further scrutiny and discussion. The mid-20th century image below under discussion captures a seemingly young male in clerical-style robes. At first glance, the formality of the garment, the draped outer layer, and the posture may evoke comparison to Japanese Shinto vestments....

In my research of Eastern culture, traditions and even more specifically, martial arts, I have come across some interesting images and photographs warranting further scrutiny and discussion. The mi…

11/03/2025

Life, in many ways, is a recipe, as an ever-evolving mixture of choices, habits, relationships, thoughts, and actions. Just as a baker combines flour, sugar, butter, and eggs to produce a cookie, each of us blends experiences, beliefs, and intentions to create our unique outcomes. The image of imperfect cookies illustrates this beautifully: each variation may have too much flour, too little sugar, or overmixing....

Life, in many ways, is a recipe, as an ever-evolving mixture of choices, habits, relationships, thoughts, and actions. Just as a baker combines flour, sugar, butter, and eggs to produce a cookie, e…

11/01/2025

Consciousness, Quantum Physics, and the Mind–Matter Debate Masaru Emoto’s assertion that thoughts and emotions can influence the crystalline structure of water provoked wide interest across both scientific and metaphysical communities. Although his findings lack empirical verification, they echo long-standing philosophical and scientific debates about the relationship between consciousness and physical reality, a question that modern quantum theory has occasionally reignited....

Consciousness, Quantum Physics, and the Mind–Matter Debate Masaru Emoto’s assertion that thoughts and emotions can influence the crystalline structure of water provoked wide interest across both sc…

10/29/2025

Tempering the Self - Cultivation through Pressure, Refinement and Purpose In the tradition of martial arts and Taoist self-cultivation, the process of becoming a person of refined character, resilience and integrity is often portrayed metaphorically as a transformation under pressure or through rigorous refinement. Just as coal under intense pressure becomes a diamond, as glass is tempered to strengthen it, or as a sword is heated, hammered and folded until it offers purity, sharpness and endurance, so too does the aspirant put themselves through trials, reflection, disciplined training, and “taking apart” of habitual patterns in order to emerge stronger, clearer, and more whole....

Tempering the Self – Cultivation through Pressure, Refinement and Purpose In the tradition of martial arts and Taoist self-cultivation, the process of becoming a person of refined character, …

10/27/2025

The Power of Full Commitment and Deliberate Presence Human potential is rarely limited by talent or intelligence; more often, it is diminished by half-hearted effort and a lack of deliberate engagement with the present moment. In every aspect of life, from work and relationships to self-cultivation and spiritual growth, the quality of our actions is determined by the depth of our commitment....

The Power of Full Commitment and Deliberate Presence Human potential is rarely limited by talent or intelligence; more often, it is diminished by half-hearted effort and a lack of deliberate engage…

10/26/2025

10/25/2025

The concept of "born with nothing, die with nothing" is a profound philosophical idea found in many Eastern traditions, including Buddhism and Taoism. It reflects the principles of impermanence, detachment, and the cyclical nature of existence. We enter this world with no possessions, and when we leave, we take nothing with us. This underscores the transient nature of material wealth and highlights the deeper value of experiences, relationships, and inner growth....

The concept of “born with nothing, die with nothing” is a profound philosophical idea found in many Eastern traditions, including Buddhism and Taoism. It reflects the principles of impe…

10/22/2025

An Integrative Psychological, Spiritual, and Neuroscientific Perspective This article examines the concept of ego dissolution from psychological, spiritual, and neuroscientific perspectives. It discusses Carl Jung’s theory of individuation and the ego-Self axis, Eastern spiritual traditions’ critique of ego as separateness, and recent empirical studies that illuminate what happens in the brain and consciousness when the ego dissolves. I argue that ego dissolution is not destruction of self but transformation of self-construal, leading to greater integration, well-being, and freedom from suffering....

An Integrative Psychological, Spiritual, and Neuroscientific Perspective This article examines the concept of ego dissolution from psychological, spiritual, and neuroscientific perspectives. It dis…

10/20/2025

My latest book: Mudo Principles: Teachings from the Warrior, Scholar, and Sage For over forty years, I have devoted my life to the study and practice of martial arts, qigong, Daoist yoga, psychology, philosophy, and holistic health. In Mudo Principles, my 37th book distills a lifetime of exploration into one transformative reference guide that unites the paths of the…...

My latest book: Mudo Principles: Teachings from the Warrior, Scholar, and Sage For over forty years, I have devoted my life to the study and practice of martial arts, qigong, Daoist yoga, psycholog…

10/18/2025

Origins and Lore The concept of Dim Mak often translated “pressing the pulse/vessel”) occupies a curious place in martial lore. Sometimes referred to as the “delayed death touch,” it is imagined as a set of techniques targeting subtle points on the body to cause paralysis, unconsciousness, or even death, sometimes instantly, sometimes hours or days later. In Cantonese opera, wuxia fiction, and 20th-century martial arts marketing, this idea became a central trope....

Origins and Lore The concept of Dim Mak often translated “pressing the pulse/vessel”) occupies a curious place in martial lore. Sometimes referred to as the “delayed death touch,” it is imagined as…