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I am grateful for every day. As long as I remember to remind myself to be grateful! What are your practices for remembering, marking, creating, and celebrating gratitude, thankfulness, and hope? [more inside]
posted by skookumsaurus rex at 10:24 PM - 17 answers

I’ve been invited to a fireside gathering where we each read a passage that relates to the upcoming holiday and that has special meaning for the reader. I am not a christmassy person but I love this group of people and am glad to be invited. Can you suggest a seasonal poem or passage that is beautiful not bleak, other than the famous Truman Capote bit? Nor the famous David sedaris bit - more old fashioned?
posted by mmiddle at 3:18 PM - 7 answers

I'm looking for a book suggestion about the German-Jewish intellectuals of the 1930s that fled Nazi Germany. Ideally, it would be a book that was mostly memoir but also included some historical information about their philosophies and art. Would include people like Hannah Arendt, Walter Benjamin, etc. Thanks.
posted by captainscared at 10:25 AM - 9 answers

How does it work for you? After three years, four years, ten years? [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 9:36 PM - 18 answers

What books grapple seriously with the subject of suicide? I’m probably looking for non-fiction but fiction might work if suicide is thoroughly explored and isn’t just a plot point.
posted by Balthamos at 8:06 AM - 18 answers

Please tell me about non-Christian stories, legacies, traditions, and philosophies for helping the poor, hungry, and homeless? [more inside]
posted by rebent at 9:20 AM - 12 answers

The Wikipedia page about Chinese hells includes the Hell of Iron Books (鐵冊地獄) in a list. What is it? I've tried also searching for "鐵冊地獄" as well as the "Hell of Iron Books" but can't seem to find any details about what's supposed to happen in that hell, though I may have missed it via auto-translation.
posted by ignignokt at 10:21 AM - 4 answers

So I've come across a couple sites that say there were multiple alchemical symbols for silver. (Like this one, for example.) Is this historically accurate? I'd like to learn more about the cultural context of the differing symbols and the alchemists who used them, ideally in a blog post to podcast sized way. Meaning I don't want to engage in the probably huge research project of researching the entire history of alchemy and read multiple books, I want to read someone else's research summary.
posted by overglow at 6:52 PM - 4 answers

A close friend self terminated. My user name might clue you into the fact that this "isn't my first rodeo." I live on the fringes. I don't need you to tell me it isn't my fault and there's nothing I can do. I'm asking you beautiful, intelligent members of MF to give me useful things to engage with to help process my loss. I'm not new here. But this one is hard. And yes I know Elizabeth Kubler Ross. [more inside]
posted by SystematicAbuse at 7:56 PM - 25 answers

I have lots of superstition reference books but for some reason I am having trouble finding lucky/unlucky number information beyond the basics. I'll go with 13 if I need to (something creative I'm working on), but I would love it if one of you could help with something less obvious. [more inside]
posted by queensissy at 5:15 PM - 11 answers

I find myself interested in religious practice as I get older. However I have a long history of agnosticism that I am finding difficult to reconcile with potential faiths. Additionally, I am not trying to sign up for something that pits me against other people based on their creed/sexuality/gender/etc. Can you help me square this circle? [more inside]
posted by miltthetank at 3:57 PM - 39 answers

I'm interested theorizations of the weird phenomenon where human love or care often comes with an element of hatred or aggression built into it. Classic or modern, and any rigorous disciplinary approach (biology, philosophy, theology, literature, history) is fine, although ideally not pop psychology at the Blink level. What should I add to my list? [more inside]
posted by Bardolph at 4:20 AM - 7 answers

I have no attention span. I would like to learn a little about notable moments/movements in philosophy. What should I read? [more inside]
posted by less-of-course at 6:57 AM - 22 answers

I'm wondering if there is a name for the concept that looking after something small can help cultivate your desired qualities on a larger scale. [more inside]
posted by charcoals at 6:27 AM - 19 answers

Some friends and I are starting up an event series (public discussions on intimacy in all its forms). We are planning to do a bi-weekly-ish series over the summer. Looking at venue availability, our own calendars, etc, it would be appealling to have the event on the evening of June 18 or 19, which is during Eid al-Adha. Trying to figure out whether to reschedule, if there's a way to make it work, etc. [more inside]
posted by ManInSuit at 3:52 PM - 4 answers

I have a mid-20ish year old family member who recently has been drawn into conversations with what I think of as (possibly ungenerously) “FaceBook Christians” - people who reference Bible-quotation memes as support for their political beliefs. This young person is smart, and reads poetry, but is unfamiliar with the Bible in general. I want to give them a Bible to support their desire to learn more on their own: it needs to hit that sweet spot between… [more inside]
posted by Silvery Fish at 12:31 PM - 21 answers

I'm trying to improve my morning routine.(Which right now consists of coffee and doomscrolling...) I'd like to incorporate a 10-20 minute meditation, guided or otherwise, but I keep striking out. Largely, I think, because I struggle with anything that focuses on breath and with certain kinds of visualization. I'd really appreciate ideas. [more inside]
posted by jeszac at 9:01 AM - 20 answers

If I really want to think about stuff, my modus is, I go to a bar that is 5 minutes away, there usually is a seat at the counter, I sit there, stare at the bottles, drink a beer or three and ponder whatever is troubling me at the moment. There is music, it's lively, and I just let my mind do its thing. I can not do this at home, if I just sit down on the kitchen table, or on the couch I just can't get in the mindset and I feel kind of stupid, you know, just sitting there and staring in the void. I can do it when I am lying down before sleep, but if it's 20:00 this also feels strange. Listening to music does not make it better. I think it is the stimulus rich environment that is conductive to the process. I can think of other venues to do this but they are not dependably available, or near, when the need arises (usually after kid and wife are in bed or otherwise occupied). I guess most people do some mindless task or art or something, but I find I get easily absorbed in such activities . I don't know if walking around would work. So where and how do you *think*?
posted by SweetLiesOfBokonon at 1:38 PM - 40 answers

I'm writing a book for conworlders about religions, and I need more resources, especially about religions from Africa, the Americas, or Australia. Preferably more on the anthropological side; I'm not after inspirational literature, and not too interested in mere lists of gods or retellings of myths. [more inside]
posted by zompist at 2:43 PM - 6 answers

People often say things along the lines of “If you don’t take risks, you’ll regret it later in life, I wish I had listened less to my fears, etc” … and I’ve become sort of obsessed with trying to live a life that I won’t regret later. It’s hard, though, to tell the difference between fear and reasonable caution. That seems to be a difference that’s more apparent in hindsight. [more inside]
posted by wheatlets at 8:19 AM - 10 answers