White mug with smiley face. The Happiness Project.

Review: The Happiness Project

What did I just finish reading? The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin. This book was not on my reading list. I saw it at my local second-hand shop one day for a dollar and it piqued my curiosity. It seemed like one of those frou-frou, feelgood, self-help books, but it wasn’t that bad. I actually liked it and …

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effective altruism donation jar

An Introduction to Effective Altruism

Effective altruism is about the most effective ways to benefit others. Most people I know are concerned about the world. Some care deeply about the environment and many are passionate about a variety of social issues. We support crowdfunding campaigns, attend public demonstrations, sign petitions, and generously donate to charity. But how effective is this? I’ve been thinking …

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Incense burning. Alternative Spirit Magazine.

Review: Alternative Spirit Magazine

Alternative Spirit Magazine is an independent, quarterly, Australian publication for anyone who has an “alternative spirit”. Though its headquarters are in Victoria, Alternative Spirit doesn’t have a distinctly Victorian perspective and appeals to Pagans and people of other alternative spiritualities all over Australia and perhaps even New Zealand. The theme for the glossy, 30-page Winter …

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Painting from the Windows to the Sacred exhibition.

Windows to the Sacred

Windows to the Sacred: An Exploration of the Esoteric is a beautiful and provocative exhibition of alternative forms of spiritual practice. I had a chance to visit and was excited to see art by esoteric icons such as Rosaleen Norton and Aleister Crowley. Rosaleen Norton (2 October 1917 – 5 December 1979) was an Australian occultist …

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Child in a costume representing the journey into the underworld

The Underworld

What is the underworld? In various mythology, the underworld a place deep underground where the souls of the departed go. I don’t believe there is literally a dark netherworld deep beneath the surface of the world nor do I believe that it’s a spiritual place where we go when we die. To explain how I view the underworld, …

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