In this edition of BRAZEN Recommends, Maria Popova of Brain Pickings explores the book Mating in Captivity: Unlocking Erotic Intelligence by Esther Perel to better understand the antiparallel relationship between love and desire, and the importance + beauty of cultivating space in your relationships in order to keep the fire burning.

Shalina May Kumar breaks down the concepts of mimetic desire; the difference between desires of nature and desires of opinion; and the Stoic approach to living a more content, satisfied life.

Cover illustration by Shanita Lyn Kumar.

Ever wondered why the path up that flight of stairs looks never-ending when you’ve just had your lunch? Or why it always looks like you can reach that really cool book on the top shelf, before you actually try, and find you can’t even brush it? Today's instalment of BRAZEN recommends sheds some light on that question.

Photo by Youssef Naddam via Unsplash.

BRAZEN recommends this beautiful article from Brain Pickings, which celebrates E.E. Cummings’ timeless and inspiring advice to young poets.

Illustration from Enormous Smallness by Matthew Burgess via Brain Pickings.

BRAZEN highly recommends this article from Brain Pickings which explains the four (incredibly simple, yet deeply powerful) mantras shared by Thich Nhat Hanh which transform fear into love. The perfect remedy for these crazy times, when we need love more than ever.

Ashvinder Kaur reflects on the relativity of fear in the face of a rapidly-changing world, and the hope for which she was named by a woman she never got to know.

Cover image by Jesper Aggergaard via Unsplash.

Often, the best way to overcome a fear is to face it head-on. And while you’re at it, why not do it in style? ;)

Written by Carissa Morais.

In an age where everything we could possibly want is at our fingertips, it takes a certain amount of intention to satisfy our endless curiosity without getting jaded or carried away. Luckily, Carissa Morais has some great perspectives to share on how we can do this.

As it turns out, most of the real-life superheroes we look up to — inspirational leaders, blissful spiritual masters, flamboyant billionaires, people at the top of their field — aren’t actually prodigies, geniuses, mutants or the result of cutting-edge experiments involving radioactive spiders after all. What distinguishes these mere mortals from the rest of us is instead their dedication to little consistent practices that get them to insane levels of human achievement – the small habits of super heroes.

Written by Lenny Wan.

A stirring article on how change cannot happen as the result of a single scream, unless it is supported by the roar of a crowd.

Written by Shalina May.

Exploring the role of limits within the context of a limited life. Should we seek to do away with them completely, or do they have a place in our lives after all?

Written by Shanita Lyn.