Featured Articles
Pausing Myself
I am the child of a system that relentlessly forces us to study, work, produce, and rush, so I grew up believing that survival involved being busy with learning, doing stuff, and making things, regardless of whether it was necessary or beneficial for me. I…
Happiness Depends on You
Happiness is the goal of most people around us. They believe that it will come when they achieve all their goals, when they fulfill all their desires, when they have all they need, and so on and so forth. Does this sound potentially endless to…
My Little MS
MS is the Turkish equivalent of BC (meaning “before Christ”) when referring to years before the birth of Christ. Since 2011, even though I still see the term in history books, these two letters have a completely new meaning for me. They now refer to…
Meeting with the Mountain
Mountains only reveal their miracles to those who are enchanted by them. For anyone else, climbing a mountain is utter madness. For the passionate lovers, each and every journey is sacred, because the aim is to overcome the obstacles and move beyond a threshold. A…
The Importance of Respecting Privacy
I often come across photos of seminars, lectures, and workshops posted on social media, such as at the end of a yoga session when everyone’s lying on the floor. They are having a conversation with their own inner voice or simply spending some time on…
Mardin: A City of Peace and Brotherhood
Anatolia, one of the most ancient places in the world, has been home to many civilizations. Mesopotamia is one of the most fertile parts of Anatolia, and Mardin lies at the heart of this. Just from this you can imagine how fertile and miraculous it…
An Englishman in The Wise
Eight years ago, The Wise began its journey. After four issues, we parted ways with our first copy editor, Bea Vanni. Following this, I began searching for a replacement editor. I tried so many names that I found on a website, but then I came…
Labor of Love
Find a job you love, and you never have to work again, because it will be fun! This was the advice of a 93-year-old friend of mine (via my father). He gave it to me years ago, and I’ve practiced it all my life. It’s…
Are you Enlightened?
Is there anyone who is enlightened? What is enlightenment? Question 1: Is there anyone who is enlightened? What is enlightenment? I have seen or heard many people saying they are enlightened but actually I have not seen anyone who appears to really be enlightened. Please can…
The Energy of Colors
Have you ever noticed how the colors of the rainbow and our chakras are in the same order: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet? Each chakra draws on a different type of energy, and its status indicates the balance in our lives for that…
Gods and Goddesses in Turkish Mythology
All sections of society reflect the background mythology of that society, because over time, that mythology permeates into a society’s culture and becomes a part of it. When you look at various civilizations in ancient times, you may notice many similarities in their mythologies when…
What Kind of a Lover Are You?
This Ramadan has been very special for me. After many years, I am alone at home. I do not have a job that requires me to work set hours, because I recently chose to do my own work in order to contribute my service to…
Who Are You Really?
Who are you? Who do you think you are? Who? Who? Who? Are you the things you possess? Are you your houses, your car, your money, your spouse, your career, or your children? Are you the sum of your knowledge, your title, your body, your…
Allness and Nothingness
“When I see I’m nothing, it’s wisdom. When I see I’m everything, it’s love. My life is all about going back and forth between these two.” — Nisargadatta Maharaj From the moment we are conceived in our mothers’ wombs, we actually start filling a void…
A Story of Self-Actualization
May 19, 1919 was a pivotal day for Turkey. Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of the Republic of Turkey, took his first step toward the War of Independence by going to Samsun. Every year, May 19 is fervently celebrated all over Turkey. So, why do…
