How To Find Inner Clarity To Return Back To Yourself
I reflect on finding inner clarity and learning how to soften the habit of overthinking.I talk about White Nights by Fyodor Dostoevsky and its quiet portrayal of longing, emotional projection, and the inward spiral of thought.
From there, I explore the idea of “unselfing,” a term coined by philosopher Iris Murdoch in The Sovereignty of Good, the practice of loosening our fixation on the self in order to see more clearly and truthfully.
I also discuss meditation as a form of emotional hygiene: a way of gently cleansing the mind, not by suppressing thoughts, but by allowing them to settle so attention can widen and soften.This episode will also be available on Spotify.
Visual references / artists featured:
Pierre Bonnard
Natsuki Nakamura
Additional images sourced via Pinterest (if you recognise or know the names of any of the other artists featured, please let me know so I can credit them properly).
Books referenced:
– White Nights, Fyodor Dostoevsky
– The Sovereignty of Good, Iris Murdoch
Interview with Gelong Thubten:
• A Monk's Guide to Happiness - with Gelong ...
Substacks cited:
– Catherine Shannon, On Vigilance
https://catherineshannon.substack.com...
– Ayushi Thakkar, A Guide to Emotional Hygiene
https://ayushithakkar.substack.com/p/...
This is an essay-style reflection on attention, clarity, and the small inner shifts that help us live more gently with our thoughts.
My Instagram - josephinewritessMy Substack and personal essays - https://writesjosephine.substack.com💌 Josephine Podcast is now live ONLY on Spotify : https://open.spotify.com/episode/1gCE...