A philosopher's journey from the philosophy of the mind to quieting the mind and moving on to the philosophy of feel.

By Sam Yang - Get similar updates here

After launching this website, I received an email from my friend Poncho congratulating me on taking my thoughts to the web. To some, he's Alexander Ferguson — a Ph.D. in philosophy, an artist, a husband, a tea connoisseur, a corporate maven, and a mindfulness instructor — but to his friends he is Poncho. I forget the origins of his nickname, but he has remained the same lighthearted soul I've known since childhood. He has a natural calming effect on people and unlike other intellectuals I've known, has an easy way of speaking. He lives in New Zealand; however, we have kept in touch through long and rousing emails.

On this particular occasion, we talked about several topics, including his life before and after the 2011 Christchurch earthquake — the deadliest disaster in New Zealand history. Though I have read many academic works on philosophy and mindfulness, Poncho provided by far my favorite explanation of quietism, real mindfulness, boredom, and the simple joys of daily life. He has a poetry to his language that is part Homer and part Homer Simpson.

I consider many of my email conversations in the same vein as handwritten letters from the past: as a cache of eyewitness information, usually intended as a method of communicating personal experiences and considered thoughts. Then the conversations evolve over time, building on the last, as shared knowledge.

I enjoy conversations with Poncho for many soft and intangible reasons, and with his permission, I will share some of his observations. A philosopher's journey from the philosophy of the mind to quieting the mind and moving on to the philosophy of feel.

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