There's something that happens inside of me every time I release myself from the external and internal pressures of doing or being more than what I can or am right now. I feel a catharsis, a release. It's a gift to me, really, to be able to say - "This is life. This is who I am. I don't have to fix anything. I can just notice and accept." That's not to say I don't do any sort of self-reflection, in which I realize there are certain habits or behaviors I'd like to change. I do. It's just that the practice of simply allowing my life and my self to be what they are is really gratifying and liberating.
It's also made me care more about ordinary situations and people, instead of chasing some type of lofty and ambitious plan.
Thanks again, Don, for such a thought-provoking piece!
NYT July 12, 2026 About 2,000 years ago, the Roman philosopher Seneca warned of a crisis of attention. The problem wasn’t caused by smartphones or TikTok; it was because papyrus had become more widely available. As a result, scrolls became plentiful and wealthy readers had access to more texts than ever before.
Seneca observed that the minds of those who read too many scrolls too quickly became restless and unsteady. This kind of mind was less able, he noted, to “stay in one place and spend time with itself.”
Seneca had some practical advice, which he outlined in his “Letters From a Stoic”: Devote your attention to one idea a day.
Seneca compared the benefits of deep reflection to the alchemy by which bees transform nectar into honey. In the hive, bees repeatedly pass the nectar they gather among themselves, mixing it with enzymes that alter its chemical composition. Think of the nectar as information and the honey as wisdom. Whereas nectar sours within a matter of days, honey doesn’t spoil — not even after being buried for thousands of years in an Egyptian tomb. Seneca’s honey metaphor corresponds to what psychologists call deep processing: By returning to the same idea repeatedly, we signal to our brain that the idea is worth moving into the architecture of long-term memory. Each time we retrieve an idea from memory, we also wrap it in new associations (a process known as reconsolidation), which ensures that those ideas remain relevant to our life as time goes on.
In Leo Tolstoy’s novella “The Death of Ivan Ilyich.” Ivan is on the brink of death, and Ivan cannot escape the feeling that life has passed him by. And yet he had achieved all the “right” things — the good job, the nice house, the fancy friends. So I churned over Ivan Ilyich in my mind throughout my day. My own experiences and thoughts alchemized Tolstoy’s warning into a personal conviction that would start to form part of my character. Don’t let life pass you by.
I am hardly the first person to appreciate Seneca’s insight that a crowded library is no match for a curated portfolio of deeply assimilated wisdom. Marcus Aurelius tested one Stoic principle a day against the chaos of war. Elizabeth I drew on a well of carefully digested wisdom from Seneca and Cicero to handle the pressures of ruling. Abraham Lincoln owned few books but mastered them all.
What an interesting take, Don. We can listen, read, do whatever so that we don’t face the reality of ourselves. Great point. I’m about to go for a run in the forest. Think I’ll meditate on Seneca. 😉
The two used bookstores near me are kind of sad. At first glance, one might be intrigued; they are both packed to the ceiling, with books tumbling into the aisles. But I’ve visited them enough to know that these books are the ones they haven’t been able to sell online. And it seems as though they have not culled their stock ever. I’ve stopped going because I seldom find what I need or want to read. 🙁
You're welcome. Don, some of your readers definitely understand the irony in the title of your post, but I'm the opposite type, who's a bit slow in understanding this irony (it's one of my weaknesses, unfortunately). You don't need to regret having written this ironic title for your post.
Don, I disagree with you a little on your post's subject. I think reading books has advantages such as finding answers for our problems, and getting ideas for living a good life. Beside that, during chats with new people, if you say you've read this book, or that book (no matter the title of those books), it makes your conversation more interesting.
P. S.: For your generation, Don, talking about books is one of many suitable themes in a conversation. After my conversations with some people near my age I've realized that among younger generations like mine, talking about movies or series is a suitable theme. But about books, it depends.
"To just be quiet with myself, to see what that is like." There it is.
I am a seeker through and through, which is why I am pulled to more learning, more reading, more resonance in the company of others' words. AND, what you touch on here, via Krishnamurti, distracting ourselves from ourselves via others, is something I feel more acutely these days. For me, it's not letting myself tip too far into distraction from my own life. Trusting there is enough here, as is, for me to revel in.
Thank you, Allison. You strike me as sensitive, intelligent, principled, and open-hearted; a good combination for staying on track and being honest with yourself. I imagine your reading is for opening up even more, not for hiding from yourself.
I’m honored and pleased to be a witness to this beautiful humaniing! 🙏💚
it's hard sometimes to grok the truth of we are not our thoughts...meditation has helped a lot. I do it in the morning. I remember how surprised I was when Jerry Seinfeld of all people said that he attributed his success to his twice daily meditation practice.
Okay, I'll bite. I think maybe this is a 'yes, and....' thing for me. I agree with Krishnamurti, and I agree with you. We don't find our own path to wisdom by filling ourselves up with other peoples' thoughts/teachings. And yet...when we get introduced to new ways of seeing the world, new ways of thinking, we can expand our own possibilities. And books are one of the best ways I've found to do that. So maybe it's all true?!
Maia, I agree with you absolutely. I was aware, even as I was writing this short piece, that there is a difference between taking others’ concepts for truth and trying to live up to it without ever really making it your own, and just using others’ words as inspiration and guidance toward the independent work of understanding the self and one’s relationship with the world.
And I was aware of the irony that if I had not read Krishnamurti, I would not have written this essay, and possibly not even be thinking about these differences.
I decided not to delve into that, but rather to, like you said, provoke some conversation! 😊
I view the man’s advice to not read books as both bad advice and a wake up call. (So I guess I feel the same as you do; both yes and no!)
lol, Don, for the modern era you could modify the title to: Don't Read The "News".
That said, I do agree that we could all probably use a little bit of practice getting comfortable with the idea of sitting quietly with nothing to do. Heck, most of us panic if we find ourselves in the bathroom without our phones, or at least a magazine.
I'm onboard with your rebellion at the end, don't take away my books!
... but if you want to lock me out of my phone and computer for a day or two at a time, it would almost certainly do me more good than harm.
Yeah, Krishnamurti also often used refrigerators as an example of a world that meets its every need but still suffers from existential angst. So a little behind the times haha.
You’re right about the phones. I don’t go anywhere without mine. Even when I want to, I think, but what if I want to take a picture? I should get a camera like you!
Lately this thought's been coming to me that I want to have an "80s week," in the sense of rolling back things to what I would have done back then. So maybe I'll leave my phone at home for a whole week and see how it is to be moving through the world without it. When I need directions, I'll have to look at a paper map or ask a real person. When I need to get in touch with someone, I'll need to wait until I get home, or see them in person. When I want to take a picture, either I make a mental picture of something and that's good enough, or I get a camera!
The intention I set for myself during yoga practice this morning was "focus." And as if on cue, there was a swarm of landscapers outside the classroom running trimmers and blowers through most of the session. 😅
Very few of us are comfortable just sitting with ourselves, and I count myself among those who need a lot more practice. Appreciate the nudge.
Don, Such a beautiful last line! As always, I agree and disagree. I really get how accumulating more spiritual knowledge can be a distraction from being with what is in this moment. But hey, then nobody would read your Substack! I love soaking in spiritual knowledge both through my mind and my being. It gives me inspiration to keep going on the path. But ultimately, I know it's all useless if I don't have the courage to be here now with whatever is arising.
There's something that happens inside of me every time I release myself from the external and internal pressures of doing or being more than what I can or am right now. I feel a catharsis, a release. It's a gift to me, really, to be able to say - "This is life. This is who I am. I don't have to fix anything. I can just notice and accept." That's not to say I don't do any sort of self-reflection, in which I realize there are certain habits or behaviors I'd like to change. I do. It's just that the practice of simply allowing my life and my self to be what they are is really gratifying and liberating.
It's also made me care more about ordinary situations and people, instead of chasing some type of lofty and ambitious plan.
Thanks again, Don, for such a thought-provoking piece!
Thank you, Jeannie. It sounds like you’re on a good path! 🙏💚
NYT July 12, 2026 About 2,000 years ago, the Roman philosopher Seneca warned of a crisis of attention. The problem wasn’t caused by smartphones or TikTok; it was because papyrus had become more widely available. As a result, scrolls became plentiful and wealthy readers had access to more texts than ever before.
Seneca observed that the minds of those who read too many scrolls too quickly became restless and unsteady. This kind of mind was less able, he noted, to “stay in one place and spend time with itself.”
Seneca had some practical advice, which he outlined in his “Letters From a Stoic”: Devote your attention to one idea a day.
Seneca compared the benefits of deep reflection to the alchemy by which bees transform nectar into honey. In the hive, bees repeatedly pass the nectar they gather among themselves, mixing it with enzymes that alter its chemical composition. Think of the nectar as information and the honey as wisdom. Whereas nectar sours within a matter of days, honey doesn’t spoil — not even after being buried for thousands of years in an Egyptian tomb. Seneca’s honey metaphor corresponds to what psychologists call deep processing: By returning to the same idea repeatedly, we signal to our brain that the idea is worth moving into the architecture of long-term memory. Each time we retrieve an idea from memory, we also wrap it in new associations (a process known as reconsolidation), which ensures that those ideas remain relevant to our life as time goes on.
In Leo Tolstoy’s novella “The Death of Ivan Ilyich.” Ivan is on the brink of death, and Ivan cannot escape the feeling that life has passed him by. And yet he had achieved all the “right” things — the good job, the nice house, the fancy friends. So I churned over Ivan Ilyich in my mind throughout my day. My own experiences and thoughts alchemized Tolstoy’s warning into a personal conviction that would start to form part of my character. Don’t let life pass you by.
I am hardly the first person to appreciate Seneca’s insight that a crowded library is no match for a curated portfolio of deeply assimilated wisdom. Marcus Aurelius tested one Stoic principle a day against the chaos of war. Elizabeth I drew on a well of carefully digested wisdom from Seneca and Cicero to handle the pressures of ruling. Abraham Lincoln owned few books but mastered them all.
By SJ Murray
Thanks for sharing this, Rosemary. I enjoyed reading it. I hope you’re doing well. 🙏💚
What an interesting take, Don. We can listen, read, do whatever so that we don’t face the reality of ourselves. Great point. I’m about to go for a run in the forest. Think I’ll meditate on Seneca. 😉
That was a great comment/quote by Rosemary. I think I’ll meditate on it too!
Thanks, Steve!
Regardless of Seneca, I’d still like to have a good used bookstore in my town.
As would I, Paul. Hyannis lost It’s only used bookstore a number of years ago and I still miss it.
I used to visit used bookstores frequently while in California. Here‘s one of my favorites: https://www.lastbookstorela.com/
That bookstore looks awesome, Paul!
The two used bookstores near me are kind of sad. At first glance, one might be intrigued; they are both packed to the ceiling, with books tumbling into the aisles. But I’ve visited them enough to know that these books are the ones they haven’t been able to sell online. And it seems as though they have not culled their stock ever. I’ve stopped going because I seldom find what I need or want to read. 🙁
It's an awesome place. Another favorite was The Illiad Bookstore in North Hollywood—a different kind of paradise!
You're welcome. Don, some of your readers definitely understand the irony in the title of your post, but I'm the opposite type, who's a bit slow in understanding this irony (it's one of my weaknesses, unfortunately). You don't need to regret having written this ironic title for your post.
I was already having second thoughts about the title before your comment, so I went ahead and changed it. Thank you, Negar.
Don, I disagree with you a little on your post's subject. I think reading books has advantages such as finding answers for our problems, and getting ideas for living a good life. Beside that, during chats with new people, if you say you've read this book, or that book (no matter the title of those books), it makes your conversation more interesting.
P. S.: For your generation, Don, talking about books is one of many suitable themes in a conversation. After my conversations with some people near my age I've realized that among younger generations like mine, talking about movies or series is a suitable theme. But about books, it depends.
Negar, I’m beginning to regret the title of this essay, which was meant to be ironic. I read every day!
As I said in the closing line of this post, “you’re not getting my books!” 😇
Thank you for reading and for being here 🙏
"To just be quiet with myself, to see what that is like." There it is.
I am a seeker through and through, which is why I am pulled to more learning, more reading, more resonance in the company of others' words. AND, what you touch on here, via Krishnamurti, distracting ourselves from ourselves via others, is something I feel more acutely these days. For me, it's not letting myself tip too far into distraction from my own life. Trusting there is enough here, as is, for me to revel in.
Thanks for this reminder, Don!
Thank you, Allison. You strike me as sensitive, intelligent, principled, and open-hearted; a good combination for staying on track and being honest with yourself. I imagine your reading is for opening up even more, not for hiding from yourself.
I’m honored and pleased to be a witness to this beautiful humaniing! 🙏💚
I love this, Don. Right on.
Thanks, Jeanine! 🙏😊
Solitude, silence, and stillness open up a world of peace and joy and the wonders of being alive.
Thanks, Allen! 🙏
it's hard sometimes to grok the truth of we are not our thoughts...meditation has helped a lot. I do it in the morning. I remember how surprised I was when Jerry Seinfeld of all people said that he attributed his success to his twice daily meditation practice.
Thank you for reading, Sandra. Wow, I didn’t know that about Seinfeld. Huh.
I have to be honest; that view—that we are not our thoughts—can be interpreted several ways. Sometimes I’m not sure what people mean when they say it.
Yeah, mediation and also, the local library:). Thanks Don.
You're so good at provoking conversation, Don!
I really love the subtitle of this piece : )
Okay, I'll bite. I think maybe this is a 'yes, and....' thing for me. I agree with Krishnamurti, and I agree with you. We don't find our own path to wisdom by filling ourselves up with other peoples' thoughts/teachings. And yet...when we get introduced to new ways of seeing the world, new ways of thinking, we can expand our own possibilities. And books are one of the best ways I've found to do that. So maybe it's all true?!
Maia, I agree with you absolutely. I was aware, even as I was writing this short piece, that there is a difference between taking others’ concepts for truth and trying to live up to it without ever really making it your own, and just using others’ words as inspiration and guidance toward the independent work of understanding the self and one’s relationship with the world.
And I was aware of the irony that if I had not read Krishnamurti, I would not have written this essay, and possibly not even be thinking about these differences.
I decided not to delve into that, but rather to, like you said, provoke some conversation! 😊
I view the man’s advice to not read books as both bad advice and a wake up call. (So I guess I feel the same as you do; both yes and no!)
maybe context is everything : )
The advice makes sense to caution us from seeking another's wisdom in place of our own. But on a broader scale, reading is good for us!
lol, Don, for the modern era you could modify the title to: Don't Read The "News".
That said, I do agree that we could all probably use a little bit of practice getting comfortable with the idea of sitting quietly with nothing to do. Heck, most of us panic if we find ourselves in the bathroom without our phones, or at least a magazine.
I'm onboard with your rebellion at the end, don't take away my books!
... but if you want to lock me out of my phone and computer for a day or two at a time, it would almost certainly do me more good than harm.
Yeah, Krishnamurti also often used refrigerators as an example of a world that meets its every need but still suffers from existential angst. So a little behind the times haha.
You’re right about the phones. I don’t go anywhere without mine. Even when I want to, I think, but what if I want to take a picture? I should get a camera like you!
Lately this thought's been coming to me that I want to have an "80s week," in the sense of rolling back things to what I would have done back then. So maybe I'll leave my phone at home for a whole week and see how it is to be moving through the world without it. When I need directions, I'll have to look at a paper map or ask a real person. When I need to get in touch with someone, I'll need to wait until I get home, or see them in person. When I want to take a picture, either I make a mental picture of something and that's good enough, or I get a camera!
And you could dress like Cyndi Lauper or something ha ha!
Ooooh I love it! Or Pat Benatar, more my style!
I think that is a radically important experiment. I want to try it myself. Please write a Substack note about this proposal. 🙏
ok : )
The intention I set for myself during yoga practice this morning was "focus." And as if on cue, there was a swarm of landscapers outside the classroom running trimmers and blowers through most of the session. 😅
Very few of us are comfortable just sitting with ourselves, and I count myself among those who need a lot more practice. Appreciate the nudge.
So you focused on the hearing of the noise of the landscaping equipment, right? 😁
Thank you, Elizabeth!
I tried to imagine them as Tuvan Throat Singers which made me ridiculously happy.
Hahaha I love it!
I first heard of Tuvan throat singing through the Paul Pena documentary Genghis Blues.
Don, loved seeing your favourite bookstore.
Thank you, Adelaide, and thank you for reading! 🙏🩷
Don, Such a beautiful last line! As always, I agree and disagree. I really get how accumulating more spiritual knowledge can be a distraction from being with what is in this moment. But hey, then nobody would read your Substack! I love soaking in spiritual knowledge both through my mind and my being. It gives me inspiration to keep going on the path. But ultimately, I know it's all useless if I don't have the courage to be here now with whatever is arising.
Well said, Sandra. And I don’t think we disagree because you are absolutely right! 😁
What I write here is just part of the story, and what you say is the other part! 🙏