Coping skills: Finding ways to survive By Duane Hewitt Coping is crucial to us all. Whether we deal with an angry and difficult boss, have financial problems, are going through a crisis on account of Covid-19, or are facing life challenges like cancer or the death of a loved one, […]
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When Angels Weep
When Angels Weep By Duane Hewitt We humans must surely give angels reason to weep. From our treatment of one another, to how we treat life on the planet, down through the ages with crime, war, violence, our efforts to control one another, and all the cascading things we do […]
The Science of Attraction and Desire
By Duane Hewitt A more appropriate title for this article might be “The emotional triggers of desire.” But some background to the actual science of love and attraction will be referenced, so please read on. Just what is it that makes us “desire” another? Such desire can encompass a number […]
An Apology to Our Readers
By Duane Hewitt We owe an apology to each and every one of our readers. We’ve been slow to add new articles and links as promised. The blame for this for the most part goes to Covid-19. Here in Toronto, it has been an unending series of lockdowns as mandated […]
How to Become a Virtuoso Guitarist
By Duane Hewitt A virtuoso guitarist will ultimately combine the highest degree of skills in a range of musical abilities that include precision, speed, musicality, technique, knowledge, ear training, listening, discipline, talent and growth. (It is understood that each term used here refers to musical skills.) And so the road […]
Teen Suicide
By Duane Hewitt If one was to comb through the Internet looking for statistics regarding teenage suicide, the evidence of suicidal trends in young people is beyond disturbing. It’s daunting. And it isn’t a callous approach to the topic. On the contrary, it’s one of several starting points in an […]
Lovers, Married, or Just Friends?
Lovers, Married, or Just Friends? How the two of you were meant to be together By Duane Hewitt It’s something you might find yourself wondering about at the beginning of a relationship, and certainly at the end of a relationship. Were you meant to marry this one particular person? Or […]
Help for Those in Need: Links and Resources
Needing Help and Having Somewhere to Turn By Duane Hewitt – with the help of many! At various times in our lives, there comes a point when we all need help. Sometimes we carry burdens that are simply too much to bear. Suicide, fear, pain, anxiety, depression, job loss, homelessness, […]
Acceptance
By Duane Hewitt Acceptance does not mean giving in or giving up. It means agree to, assent, approve and acquiesce. We can learn to practice acceptance regularly, on a daily basis. Such practice can ease our nerves and our very being. We might do this by learning to stop judging […]
Suicide – When pain exceeds resources to cope
Suicide – When pain exceeds resources to cope By Duane Hewitt Have you ever thought about suicide? Are you thinking about it now? Please take a moment and read this first… Talking about suicide shouldn’t be unsettling. What is disturbing is that it happens at all. People feel driven to […]
Aging Well
By Duane Hewitt The thought of aging might be distressing but we needn’t equate aging with a slow demise to death. So many of the things we fear about aging have become almost clichéd, but there are things we can do to age well. Keeping our minds active: No matter […]
Self-Harm: Symptoms and Causes
By Duane Hewitt The Mayo Clinic states that self-injury is not meant as a suicide attempt but more so as a harmful way of contending “with emotional pain, intense anger and frustration.” And there’s a cycle involved where, though there may be a temporary alleviation of the emotional pain that […]
The need for talking circles and discussion groups
The need for talking circles and discussion groups By Duane Hewitt More than ever, there may be a need for discussion groups and talking circles. Call it a resurgence of an old tradition. But the fact of the matter is we do need to connect with one another, and this […]
Feeling rudderless in the wake of Covid-19
Feeling rudderless in the wake of Covid-19 By Duane Hewitt COVID-19 has left many people feeling rudderless. Job loss, financial problems, relationship break-up and divorce, violence – including domestic violence, daily reports of new spikes in Covid-related cases, business closures, seeing a toppling effect of services we once took for […]
Hope and Hopelessness
Hope and Hopelessness By Duane Hewitt If there are things in this life that are worth dying for, then there must be equally great things worth living for. The most critical time in any battle is not when one feels spent and exhausted, but when that same person no longer […]
Our Need for Touch
Our Need for Touch By Duane Hewitt As feeling, physical beings we have a need for touch. Touch, that is, good, feeling, sensitive touch that is not hostile or threatening, calms. It soothes. It can excite us as well as quell any discomfort within us Our skin is the largest […]
Escapism – and why it can be good for us
Our need for escapism By Duane Hewitt We escape in fiction and fantasy primarily because from time-to-time we need to. There is no doubt that escaping through movies, online gaming, music, or a good book allows us to separate ourselves from truer realities, whether that be dull and dreary or […]
PTSD – When the pain of trauma exceeds the ability to cope
PTSD – When the pain of trauma exceeds the ability to cope By Duane Hewitt The human race might have a long history of violence, cruelty, and war – but that doesn’t mean we were designed to witness or experience such things. We do have breaking points. So how does […]
I shall not live in vain
By Duane Hewitt If I can stop one heart from breaking,I shall not live in vain;If I can ease one life the aching,Or cool one pain, Or help one fainting robinUnto his nest again,I shall not live in vain. Emily Dickenson (December 10, 1830 – May 15, 1886) In her […]
The Burning Question: Where Was God?
The Burning Question: Where Was God? By Duane Hewitt It may well be the most difficult and compelling question ever posed – and it was called out by none other than Christ in his most difficult hour: “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” (“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” […]
Anxiety
Anxiety By Duane Hewitt Anxiety is like waiting for a thunderclap. Anxiety is an underlying current within you that prevents you from feeling true peace and relaxation. Even if you’re strong and healthy, anxiety is like having a taught rubber band around your chest or tension in your body. It’s […]
Finding Joy
Finding Joy By Duane Hewitt Our desire for joy is intrinsic to our natures. Joy gives us feelings of peace and contentment that can approach bliss. And joy can add longevity to your life while making that lifetime feel all worthwhile. When a person learns the various ways of practicing […]
Falling in love with someone you can never have
Falling in love with someone you can never have By Duane Hewitt For those who have never fallen in love with someone they can never have – congratulations. Consider yourselves lucky, because feeling a deep, passionate love for someone you can never have can be painfully difficult to live with. […]
When you can’t find someone to love
When you can’t find someone to love By Duane Hewitt Our inherent need to love can often feel sidetracked if we are unable to find someone to love. After all, we are meant to love as much as we need to be loved. But what if we are unable to […]
Our need for consumer protection
Our need for consumer protection By Duane Hewitt Throughout our lifetimes we will consume an extraordinary amount of goods and services. Food, clothing, medicine, computers, technology… the list is virtually endless. Then there are the many services from which we benefit; all of which range from schooling and education to […]
Near Death Experiences: What we can learn from them
Near Death Experiences: What we can learn from them By Duane Hewitt Here in 2020, it seems that the doors have been flung wide open regarding the topic of the Afterlife and the purpose of life on earth through the many accounts of Near Death Experiences. No longer just the […]
Having nothing to live for… Don’t I have the right to die?
Having nothing to live for… Don’t I have the right to die? By Duane Hewitt If you’re thinking about killing yourself, you’re not alone. Right at this moment, you’d be part of a huge number of people who are thinking about taking their lives. According to Vox Media, “9.3 million […]
How to Think
How to Think By Duane Hewitt We’re expected to do it all our lives. From our earliest time of learning to our later years it is engrained in us that this is something we must always do. Doing it well can be extremely beneficial to us. Doing it poorly can […]
PTSD: Risk and Resilience Factors
PTSD: Risk and Resilience Factors By Duane Hewitt Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) can strike anyone, from young children to the elderly. A simplified definition of PTSD is the stress that follows being witness to or experiencing a terrifying or traumatic event. It is most often associated with war veterans and […]
Women – Our most precious gift
By Duane Hewitt “Women stand at the center of creation because women have been granted the incredible gift of bringing each of us into the world. And so women are creation.” – Duane Hewitt Where would we be without our women? Women are our most precious treasured gift: Their inner […]
Exercising and Advancing Consciousness
By Duane Hewitt Our brains are true powerhouses that are capable of far more than we may understand. These dynamos store what is likely unlimited information, process experience and thought, induce imagination (and all it encompasses), operate the human body and its many complex processes, are the key to identity, […]
Beauty – allowing ourselves to appreciate true beauty
Beauty – allowing ourselves to appreciate true beauty By Duane Hewitt Do we know beauty when we see it? When we look into the face of another, what is it that we see? People often judge who is beautiful and who is not – and yet, how can this be […]
Thought Crime: Murder and the manifestation of thought
Thought Crime: Murder and the manifestation of thought By Duane Hewitt Yes, you can kill with your thoughts. You can also do a lot of other things, very good things, too. The technique of manifestation by thinking involves thought – intent – and focus, focus, focus; along with an appreciation […]
The Magic of Love – Creating your own special love story
By Duane Hewitt “Love is composed of a single soul inhabiting two bodies.” – Aristotle You feel your pulse quicken each time you find yourself thinking about that person, which is seemingly endlessly. You can’t take your eyes off them when the two of you are near. You wonder where […]
Neuroplasticity – you are what you think
Neuroplasticity – you are what you think By Duane Hewitt According to something called “neuroplasticity,” it may be true that you are what you think – and the possibilities raise some very interesting questions that may yield a number of truly amazing benefits. Neuroplasticity refers to the brain’s ability to […]
The coming alien invasion – don’t want for it to happen
The coming alien invasion – don’t want for it to happen By Duane Hewitt If you think you understand anything about what it’s going to be like when Earth gets invaded by aliens, think again – because it’ll be like nothing you ever could have imagined. For starters, get it […]
Thinking About Suicide? A Word of Comfort to Those in Pain
By Duane Hewitt If you feel like you’re on the verge of suicide, please take a moment to read this… “If you’re looking for a sign not to kill yourself, this is it.” – Unknown Beyond debilitating injury, pain and disease, part of what causes us the anguish that can […]
Suicide among the Elderly: Risks and Reasons
By Duane Hewitt Suicide in our aging population of seniors and the elderly is on the rise. Why? Some of the reasons can be specific to the individual, but there are a number of standard risks to watch for if we are to help. The more common causes that can […]
Suicide: Surviving Death by Killing Self
Suicide: Surviving Death by Killing Self By Duane Hewitt If you feel you are in such emotional pain or anguish that you can’t stop thinking about suicide, then it may be time to take a bold new step into a new and completely different future. Rather than taking your own […]
Suicide – Arguments in favor
Suicide – Arguments in favor By Duane Hewitt Spoiler Alert: If you’re firmly set against suicide, be forewarned that this article raises some points concerning a person’s right to suicide. It’s tragic that we live in a world where suicide is frequently viewed as the only way out. And it’s […]
Maturity – What does it mean to be mature?
Maturity – What does it mean to be mature? By Duane Hewitt Have you ever stopped to consider what it means to be mature? What is maturity? Is it just a relative term? What are the qualities of maturity? We may have thought we were reasonably mature at 17. Then, […]
Our Mortality – What can we learn from it?
Our Mortality – What can we learn from it? By Duane Hewitt The topic here regards something you know very well: Our mortality. We’re all destined to die. So just what exactly are we supposed to do with that information? There must be some value to it. Does our mortality […]
Mankind’s Greatest Inventions
Mankind’s Greatest Inventions By Duane Hewitt If you ever find yourself getting down on mankind, cheer up! As a race we’ve invented some pretty cool things from the wheel to the alphabet to the computer. We’re always busy inventing something new and innovative. The value of many of mankind’s greatest […]
Human Being Opinions – Get them while they’re hot!
Human Being Opinions – Get them while they’re hot! By Duane Hewitt We’ve all been served a ton of them throughout our lifetimes whether we wanted them or not. What are they? They’re human being opinions, and there are plenty to go around with absolutely no indication that the supply […]
The Purpose of Life
The Purpose of Life – breaking free of illusion and knowing your true self By Duane Hewitt What is the purpose of life? If we say it is to love and serve God, does that say enough about such a supremely vast topic? Is not more likely that the real […]
The Power of Prayer – even if you don’t believe
The Power of Prayer – even if you don’t believe By Duane Hewitt Prayer helps us in ways that we may not realize and are not identified in spiritual sources like The Bible. And whether or not you believe in a Supreme Being, there is evidence pointing to some very […]
Our Preoccupation with SEX! SEX! SEX!
Our Preoccupation with SEX! SEX! SEX! By Duane Hewitt Are we, as a species, obsessed with sex? Why? Current world population has us at 7.5 billion. But just 20 years ago, in 1997, it was a mere 5.9 billion. Back in 1950 it was a paltry 2.56 billion. We’re breeding […]
What it means to be human
What it means to be human By Duane Hewitt If you’re reading this, there’s a good chance that you’re probably human – but have you ever considered just what that means? The following offers some thought as to what it means to be human. You can choose your preferences selectively […]
Literature – what’s the point?
Literature – what’s the point? By Duane Hewitt Literature might best be described as written works of longstanding merit; particularly where the value lies in beauty of language or emotional effect. The term literature often applies to fiction that is notable, but literature also encompasses nonfiction, poetry, journalistic works, or […]
PEACE – can we grasp the meaning of true peace?
PEACE – can we grasp the meaning of true peace? By Duane Hewitt Peace is not simply the absence of conflict. True peace is much more. True peace is total; all-encompassing; it is perpetual. Peace is wholly lacking in conflict; no wars or rumors of wars. Peace is gentle, like […]
End Times – or just the same old thing?
End Times – or just the same old thing? By Duane Hewitt In reading references to “last days” and “end times” in The Bible, a question comes to mind: Truly, how can we know what the last days are? Have we only just recently entered the last days? I’m no […]
Your Life Story – what can you learn from it?
Your Life Story – what can you learn from it? By Duane Hewitt Humankind has been telling stories since there was language. It’s through storytelling that we learn about ourselves. Whether by poem, novel, fable, or tales shared around the campfire, it’s by such discourse that we explore our history, […]
Promotional Writing Basics
Promotional Writing Basics By Duane Hewitt Promotional copy appears in many places – articles, newsletters, flyers, websites, advertising, and even business cards. It applies to banks, bands, corporations, dentists, law offices, and anyone who has anything to say in trying to get a message out. Writing good promotional copy is […]
Why we all need to laugh more
Why we all need to laugh more By Duane Hewitt Most of us may not give much thought to laughter, but there are very important reasons for laughter and why we all need to laugh more. Laughter is good for us in a number of ways, beginning with this: Laughter […]
Worry – our ongoing quest to find something new to worry about
Worry – our ongoing quest to find something new to worry about By Duane Hewitt Our current era has brought with it an almost encyclopedic plethora of new things to worry about. Thank goodness it has, too, because, if anything, we can now scan the worrisome menu of things to […]
Happiness – the most sought after of emotional states
Happiness – the most sought after of emotional states By Duane Hewitt Are you happy? What is happiness and do we really have an accurate understanding of this most sought after of emotional states? How does one find happiness, or maintain it, or rediscover it once it goes missing? According […]
Starting a business? Read this!
Starting a business? Read this! By Duane Hewitt If you plan on starting a business, you need to understand all the principles to ensure your success. Whether you’re starting a sole proprietorship to sell soap, a family business that will offer janitorial services, are planning on starting an automotive shop, […]
BOOK PUBLISHING OVERVIEW – A “How-To” Article on Publishing
BOOK PUBLISHING OVERVIEW A “How-To” Article on Publishing By Duane Hewitt Although there is potentially a lengthy number of facets regarding book publishing, whether as a self-publisher or small or large press, the following offers some advice on the stages to consider when undertaking the venture of book publishing. Though […]
Writing Well II – In regards to style
Writing Well II – In regards to style By Duane Hewitt Writers sometimes have the view that, when developing their style of writing, it gives them license to break all the rules of writing. This is not necessarily true – at least not for good writing. Such a carte blanche […]
Writing Well I – pointers for blogs and articles
Writing Well I – pointers for blogs and articles By Duane Hewitt Articles about good writing skills can appear to be repetitive in content. After all, topics like content, style, form, and grammar can only go so far – or so it may seem. The fact is there can be […]
The Nature of Evil
The Nature of Evil By Duane Hewitt Those of us who see how our world is changing decade upon decade may be questioning what appears to be the proliferation of evil, both worldwide as well as in our communities. What’s going on? And what exactly is evil? In their book […]
Terrorism and hate crimes – How do we stop the evil?
Terrorism and hate crimes – How do we stop the evil? By Duane Hewitt How do we stop the rise of terrorism and deadly hate crimes that have become increasingly prevalent in our western world? Such heinous acts didn’t exist to such a degree previously, at least not like this. […]