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Observations

The Ethics of Attention: Reading, Writing, and Living in a Distracted Age

As I prepare for some very exciting spring workshops and begin working with a new cohort of 1–1 clients, I find myself returning again and again to the question: what kind of attention are we cultivating? And to what ends? At the same time, I am collaborating with colleagues at the University of Surrey on…

Observations

What Makes a Book Feel alive?

What makes a book feel alive? I’ve been circling that question recently, not in a purely theoretical way, but in the way a question circles you when something in your life has sharpened it. This week, my Dad’s first novel, The Pueblo Affair, came out today, a Cold War espionage thriller seeded in his experiences in…

Observations

Why We Need Beauty in Everyday Life

Beauty has become strangely suspect in our society today as too indulgent, too easily confused with luxury, escapism, or branding, or too uncaring in a world filled with sadness and despair. We talk about beauty as if it were optional, as if it were something to be enjoyed after the serious work is done. But…

habits

The Way We Live Matters More Than The Way We Think

It’s easy to forget that philosophy was never meant to be a spectator sport. Long before it became something we studied, it was something people did. Philosophy began as a way of arranging a day, training attention, shaping character, and orienting oneself toward what mattered in life. It didn’t live in texts, but in habits: how one…

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About Me

Hi, I’m Allan. I’m a professor, coach, and meditation teacher interested in how we can live and think more creatively in a complex world. My work bridges mindful living with the craft of scholarship, bringing together literature, philosophy, and contemplative practice.

Alongside my academic writing, I share reflections here on the art of academic practice, slow living in a fast city, and the small rituals that make daily life meaningful. This blog serves as a library and archive for my wider projects across Substack, YouTube, and beyond.

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