J.R. Warden

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Welcome back, traveler.
Isn't it time you start demanding more from your day?

This upcoming weekend, my spouse and I are doing some major 'minimalizing' around the house, and they are not too thrilled about it. In fact, my spouse is rather stressed and regretful about setting the whole thing up (friends are coming over to help).

To help relieve that stress I put together this list of tips, so it seemed prudent to share these tips with you. This post starts with bigger ideal-based questions and gradually shifts into shorter practical tips, but each one can help you achieve a minimalist life full of purpose.

Eyes on the Prize
Most of us have heard it before, but in case you haven't, minimalism can be defined as a lifestyle or philosophy where one is in constant pursuit of a meaningful and intentional life with less. It is a practice of self-discipline where you only live with the material possessions that you truly need or those that enhance your life and help you achieve your goals. If you pare-down your possessions, you'll have more time to focus on what matters in your life.

In American culture minimalism can be quite hard. We're the most advertised to population in the world, and many of us are always in search of 'the next thing' to make us happy. But it isn't only our shopping habits that we should watch, spending our time frugally is also important, and removing responsibilities and distractions from our environment can help us on both fronts.

If you are like my spouse, who is stressed at the thought of getting rid of things we once thought we needed, I would remind you to keep your eyes on the prize and remember why you're embarking on this journey to begin with.

1. Live Intentionally by Picking 3
   We first need to begin with the big picture. If you don't start here, you won't find lasting change. Minimalism will just be a short-lived fad in that myriad of self-help techniques you've tried.

As I've said, your environment should reinforce your goals for your life. Removing distractions and negatively-impacting activities that don't help encourage you to reach those goals is a great thing to do, but what are your goals?

In broad strokes, think about the things that matter most to you. What things make you feel happy or give you a sense of purpose? What do you crave more of in your life? I want you to pick three things. Not ten things you love, only three.

When we narrow down our scope to the most important things, we're creating criteria that we'll use to judge what possessions we truly need. As humans, we're pretty bad at multitasking; there's only so much time and mental energy we can devote ourselves to, so why fight your nature? Sometimes we have to prioritize and give things up.

My three big ones are the connection I have with my family and friends, writing as a medium to express myself (fiction or blog), and learning and self improvement. I wouldn't include a career in your top three if you can help it, because you aren't your job, your much more than it! But, if your work is something your passionate about and it does matter that much to you, go ahead.

Keep the three things that matter most to you written down in a journal or on a sticky note at your desk. It'll give you something to reflect on when you're going through your belongings, and in the years to come.

2. Rest Actively
   Often, our time off work is squandered on passive activities that provide momentary relief, but lack any feeling of long-term fulfillment. Embracing the idea of "resting actively" can transform your downtime into opportunities for personal growth, connection, and rejuvenation.

How often do you come home after work just to space out in front of a screen? When you walk away from it you might feel a bit more relaxed in the moment, but those lingering thoughts "I should do this", or "I could have taken care of that", eat away at us from the back of our mind.

Wouldn't you feel better if you took care of those things you procrastinated on? If you took the time to work out, go hiking, or create something artistic? Doesn't taking the time to focus on your top three things sound more fulfilling?

I'm not saying you can't mindlessly relax. I'm saying that there's a point of diminishing return. For me, that's about two hours. Beyond that, I begin to feel as though I'm not really living intentionally. I'm resting passively.

I always feel better when I take the time to schedule out my weekends. Even if it's only by "morning", "afternoon", "evening", it still gives me a framework that helps me stay in line with my big goals.

Remember, rest is not just about doing nothing. It's about doing things that truly matter to you and fill your cup. Schedule time for those things.

3. Digital Minimalism
   This might be one of the hardest parts for some people, and it's definitely the longest section in this article. After all, we're more connected online than ever before, and connecting with people is important... but...

Read the rest of this post on my blog at https://www.jrwarden.com/embrace-minimalism/

When was the last time you ran from your pain?

Welcome back, traveler. Today’s topic is a hard one. A hard one to digest and a very hard one for me to even write about. It isn’t always easy to recognize what’s hurting us because it can turn out to be something we swore was always good for us. It could be something like medication, a diet, or, in my case, a relationship.
While there may never be a clear-cut decision completely free of regret, it is important to recognize the things that harm us so that we can be renewed by it. But before we get into the nitty gritty, I want to draw upon some parallels that spoke to me.

The Phoenix: Rebirth from the Ashes
So many people know of this iconic bird thanks to Fawkes, Dumbledore’s legendary companion in the Harry Potter series, but allow me to give you more insight. The Phoenix is a Greek legend of a massive bird always depicted in flame. It shares similarities from other mythical creatures like the Russian firebird, Hindu garuda, and the Native American thunderbird (although notably less so).

Our immortal bird is said to regenerate cyclically; dying in a spectacle of a large inferno, only to rise again from the ashes of its burned body. Why does this matter to us? Well, I think because the thing that gives it life is what kills it, and by living through its own death, it begins anew.

It came to my attention that the Phoenix can be more than just a tale, but a model of how we should live through our own pain. The Phoenix symbolizes renewal, the sun, time, resurrection, metempsychosis (the transmigration of the soul, i.e., reincarnation or moving on to the afterlife), and some even believe Jesus Christ.

I don’t know about you, but I have been having disturbing thoughts about one thing I treasure the most: my relationship with my spouse. What if this thing I swore was giving me life, is instead actually killing me? How can I, like the Phoenix, be reborn from this pain, too?
I’m sure there is something in your life you want a fresh start on. Who doesn’t? And how do you know what that fresh start should look like?

Symbolism of Fire: What it Means
In Christianity and other religions, fire can have more than one interpretation, depending on the context. Most times, however, when fire is involved in religion...

Read the rest of this post on my blog at https://www.jrwarden.com/fire-rebirth-through-pain/

Welcome, wanderer, to this crossroads where fantasy, philosophy, and folklore converge.

At this intersection, the boundaries between these realms often blur, revealing a tapestry of interconnected ideas and narratives. While you can choose to trek down any path, I find it most interesting where elements and similarities can be found. In this article, I'll be investigating one of the most well-known fantasy worlds where these three domains intertwine.

(Note: You're reading a post from my main blog at www.jrwarden.com)

The Realm of Fantasy
As a writer, I have ever held the belief that the allure of a good fantasy story lies in the complexity of its characters, the interplay of themes, and the immersive depth of the world. Such fantastical realms are brimming with diverse cultures, histories, and intricate magic systems. It is within these elements that fantasy becomes a powerful vessel for exploring both philosophical themes and folklore from around the world.

Let us take a trip to Middle-earth, a prime example of fantasy literature, and one that a huge number of people are familiar with thanks to the movies. You may not have considered it before, but part of the reason it is such a masterpiece is how elegantly J.R. Tolkien weaves philosophical themes and folklore into the narrative of Lord of the Rings.
One such philosophical theme is the nature of power, embodied by the One Ring. Through the struggles of Boromir, we witness the temptation and allure of power, and how the desire of power can be corrupting and cause one to break one's own moral code to attain said power.

Through Frodo, we see the need for responsibility when possessing great power. Each time he puts the ring on and uses its power to his advantage, the cost is clear and present; Sauron and his wraiths sniff him out like starving hounds. Frodo cannot escape that responsibility even when he offers to give the One Ring to Gandalf, Aragorn, and later Galadriel, because of the weight (both physical and the responsibility) of bearing it. None accept Frodo’s burden, and in the famous conversation, “I wish the Ring had never come to me.” To which Gandalf says, “So do all who live to see such times, but that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us.”

We even see the consequences of when such a power is mishandled through Gollum. Frodo knows that Smeagol used to be a hobbit, but has now been transformed into this twisted and conflicted creature. Frodo sees what he himself could turn into if he cannot resist the temptation of the One Ring. The proverb “absolute power corrupts absolutely” by Lord John Edward Acton in 1887 comes to my mind.

While the realms of fantasy are places where authors create stories that exercise our imaginations and challenge us with philosophical ideas, these are not the only tales that aspire to mystify and teach us. We draw many facets of these worlds and their lessons from age-old wisdom woven within folklore from around the world.

These are ancient tales of mythical creatures and legendary heroes and extraordinary adventures. So let us venture into the convergence between fantasy and folklore, where cultural heritage and timeless truths intertwine with fictional narratives. Let us see how the wisdom of folklore dances hand-in-hand with fantasy and philosophy.

The Wisdom of Folklore
To some, folklore is nothing more than fantasy, but the truth is that fantasy could not exist (at least in the form that we know it) if it were not for its underpinnings in folklore. The crucial difference between the two is that folklore has been passed down through oral tradition long enough that the underlying facets of the story have become myth.

Folklore can be woven into cautionary fables that are imbued with cultural values. In this regard, folklore can provide a glimpse into the collective consciousness of a society and reveal their beliefs, fears, hopes, and philosophies. Take “The Boy Who Cried Wolf”, for example. It's a cautionary tale against lying that dates from antiquity. The earliest recording of it we have was in Greek from around 600 BCE in Aesop's Fables. It wasn't until the 15th century, when it was translated into Latin, that it really spread like wildfire across Europe.

On the other hand, a fable can balance that fine line between fantasy and folklore, like with dragons. So many cultures around the world have legends and stories about dragons. The Chinese have their serpents of the sky that brought about the rain and thunder. Babylonian stories speak of Tiamat, a primordial goddess of the sea and a serpent. Job 41:21 reads, “Its breath sets coals ablaze, and flames dart from its mouth.” Even though the depictions of dragons differ slightly, their appearance throughout so many cultures across the globe and different time periods suggests that they exist somewhere in this cloud of plausibility and myth.

See, folklore and fantasy are intertwined, with the latter drawing inspiration from the former. Folk tales often lay the foundation for many common tropes in fantasy, be it the creatures, traditions of cultures, or the philosophical lessons that these tales may impart upon us. And finally, it is with these moral lessons that we can see the last link between fantasy, philosophy, and folklore take shape.

The Last Link—Philosophy
For the definition of philosophy, I prefer 'the systematized study of general and fundamental questions, such as those concerning the existence, reason, knowledge, values, mind, and language'. By extrapolating on the ‘study of values’, philosophy is the study of ethical actions, the complexities of ethical actions, of good character, good vs. evil, and others.
In the realm of fantasy, we witness not only the echoes of ancient folklore shine through the foundation of the narrative, but we also can see many philosophical concepts come to life.

They manifest through moral dilemmas faced by the characters, which invites us to contemplate our own ethical decisions. Explorations of these can include personal identity, purpose, free will versus determinism, the balance of nature and humanity, knowledge and truth, and the before mentioned idea of power and its corruption with the One Ring.
But the thing that fantasy can do better than folklore or philosophy is offer us these same lessons in a fresh context. By offering us these philosophical inquiries in such a fantastical and mystifying narrative, fantasy can allow us to contemplate profound ideas in a more approachable and imaginative framework.

Fantasy is intentionally constructed to evoke emotion, arguably more-so than folklore is, making it the best medium for representing philosophical ideas to mass audiences and even children. I would even bet money that children the world over have learned more about values and ethics from Tolkien than from Seneca.
Since philosophy is the attempt to understand humanity, perhaps it is what makes up the gravel foundation of all stories. I’m not certain on that, but I do believe that fantasy has the strongest connections to the philosophy of all fictional narrative works. Hence, why I love it so.

Can you see the Intersection?
It can be so captivating to consider what your favorite stories have in common with others. The Lord of the Rings is considered a staple of fantasy, both classical and as a foundation for many modern stories. Tolkien got his elves from Norse folklore, and the English, Irish, and Scottish gave him his inspiration for goblins. Simultaneously, philosophy emerges from the depths of his story, enriching its narrative with profound contemplation and existential inquires on the corrupting nature of ultimate power.

These three domains converge, intertwine, and inform one another, creating this enchanting space where we can find these threads weave together to create a rich tapestry of ideas and imagination. Some stories showcase elements of folklore more prominently than others, and philosophical themes may manifest in different ways, but the interconnectedness of these three realms remains undeniable.

In Closing
May this exploration ignite a lasting flame within you, and inspire you to dive deeper into the realms of your favorite tales, be they rooted in folklore or fairy tales. Perhaps this journey will even spur you on to explore the philosophies of unfamiliar cultures, expanding your understanding and broadening your horizons.

I hope that it is also proved itself to be a valuable segue into this blog. There is little I look forward to more than learning, sharing, and creating with others, so please, let me know what you think of this post and look forward to more posts.
May your travels be safe and your mind forever enchanted.
~ J.R. Warden
P.S. Check out the rest of my blog at www.jrwarden.com