Practical Guides
Wisdom divorced from practice isn’t wisdom—it’s abstraction.
What Lives Here
These are actionable frameworks, practices, and tools grounded in philosophical depth. Not quick fixes or life hacks… but methods for integrating wisdom into actual life.
Think of these as bridges between theory and practice—ways to make philosophical insight operational.
Current Guides
This section will be populated as guides are developed. Check back regularly.
In Development
The following practical guides are being prepared:
Decision-Making in Moral Complexity
A framework for navigating ethical dilemmas when principles conflict and stakes are high. Draws from virtue ethics, casuistry, and Christian personalism.
Daily Practices for Cultivating Presence
Concrete routines (not just meditation) for maintaining attention and awareness in a distraction-saturated world.
A Reading Guide for Philosophical Depth
How to read philosophy well—not just for information, but for transformation. Includes recommended sequences and engagement practices.
Conversation Starters for Meaningful Dialogue
Questions and prompts that move beyond small talk without being awkwardly intense. For building genuine connection.
Reflection Prompts for Self-Examination
Structured questions for examining your life, choices, and direction—without descending into paralyzing introspection.
Digital Minimalism Framework
Practical steps for reclaiming attention, curating your information diet, and using technology intentionally rather than reactively.
Building a Personal Rule of Life
How to create sustainable rhythms and practices that support flourishing—adapted from monastic tradition for contemporary secular life.
Discernment Process for Major Life Decisions
A structured approach to vocational, relational, or geographic decisions when the stakes are high and the path unclear.
Cultivating Intellectual Humility
Practices for remaining open to being wrong, engaging charitably with opposing views, and maintaining curiosity over certainty.
Ethics Check Protocol for Professional Contexts
A quick framework for evaluating the ethical dimensions of professional decisions, especially useful in tech and business.
Format
Each practical guide includes:
1. Context & Rationale
Why this practice matters. What problem it addresses.
2. Core Framework
The main structure, method, or approach—explained clearly.
3. Step-by-Step Implementation
Concrete instructions for actually using this in your life.
4. Common Obstacles & How to Navigate Them
What typically goes wrong, and how to adjust.
5. Variations & Adaptations
How to modify for different contexts, temperaments, or constraints.
6. Integration with Other Practices
How this connects to broader patterns of flourishing.
7. Further Resources
Books, essays, or thinkers that go deeper.
How to Use These Guides
Don’t just read them. Try them.
Philosophy as spectator sport is worthless. These guides only matter if they touch your actual life.
So:
- Pick one guide at a time
- Actually implement it for 2-4 weeks
- Notice what works and what doesn’t
- Adapt as needed
- Then move to another if it’s useful
Accumulating practices without integration is just another form of consumerism.
Submission Guidelines
Contributing a practical guide?
Requirements:
- Test it yourself first — Don’t share untested theory. What have you actually used?
- Be specific — “Cultivate presence” is vague. “Morning reflection protocol: 10 minutes, specific prompts, evaluation criteria” is actionable.
- Acknowledge limitations — No practice works for everyone. Note who this does (and doesn’t) serve well.
- Ground it philosophically — Why does this practice matter? Connect it to deeper commitments about human flourishing.
- Make it sustainable — Practices that require heroic willpower aren’t sustainable. Build in realistic expectations.
See full contribution guidelines in CONTRIBUTING.md.
A Note on “Self-Help”
These guides draw from philosophical and spiritual traditions—virtue ethics, Christian monasticism, Stoicism, contemplative practice—but they’re not “self-help” in the typical sense.
The goal isn’t optimized productivity or personal branding. The goal is flourishing—which sometimes looks like doing less, not more. Like being content rather than constantly improving.
So these practices serve wisdom, not efficiency. Character formation, not life-hacking.
Questions?
Not sure which practice to start with? Wondering how to adapt a guide to your specific context?
Open an issue with the label practical-guidance-question and we’ll help.
Coming soon: Regular additions as new practical guides are developed and tested.