"The big moments of life tend not to be the ones that wear us down. Even great tragedies sometimes bring about the best in us. What wears us down is the day to day and the hour to hour." Fr. Richard Veras
The above quote seems true to me. Some years ago I completed a national trauma responder training. The trainers said that one can never know for certain how he/she will respond in a crisis, but historically I become very calm in a crisis. It is the little things in the daily routine that can wear me down. This is not to diminish the trauma of big events; that trauma is real, but the seemingly endless day to day frustrations can really take a toll. Even the tiny things, like lights left on /doors left unlocked (or locked). In those times it helps me to remember to not sweat the small stuff. I saw the title of a book recently which was, "You Can't Afford the Luxury of a Negative Thought." I have not read the book, but the title resonates with me. Negative thoughts impact my mood, my body, and my soul in a negative way. It is important to be disciplined about not entertaining them.
Mar 7, 2012
Mar 6, 2012
Inner voice
"At the very least, we can learn to strap down the obstreperous mind and discourage its constant inclination to tell stories. Then, perhaps, the inner voice can catch the ear." Marilyn Stortz
We have all heard and read about the busy mind and how it takes us out of what may be important, but I like how Marilyn Stortz described it -- as the mind constantly telling stories. Isn't that true? When I notice my thoughts, they are often of what I did or did not do or say in a past or future situation. Stories, all of them. Even the lists of to-do's that my mind does, are really stories of organization. Inspiration cannot come to us if our mind is busy with some story of its own. Inspiration comes to us in the still, small voice that requires quiet and attentiveness to notice. Just for today, let us practice keeping our mind quiet and at peace, and let us see what inspirations come to us.
We have all heard and read about the busy mind and how it takes us out of what may be important, but I like how Marilyn Stortz described it -- as the mind constantly telling stories. Isn't that true? When I notice my thoughts, they are often of what I did or did not do or say in a past or future situation. Stories, all of them. Even the lists of to-do's that my mind does, are really stories of organization. Inspiration cannot come to us if our mind is busy with some story of its own. Inspiration comes to us in the still, small voice that requires quiet and attentiveness to notice. Just for today, let us practice keeping our mind quiet and at peace, and let us see what inspirations come to us.
Mar 5, 2012
Living life
"As matches are just sticks until lit, as ice is not quenching until thawed, questions and problems remain obstacles until lived." Mark Nepo
Does it seem to you, as it seems to me, that the path ahead is strewn with obstacles and problems? Taxes to be done, insurance forms to complete, appointments to be kept, medicine to dispense. What if, as Mark Nepo says, these things are problems only when dreaded in advance? It seems to me that may be true. I know I will get the taxes done, insurance filed, appointments kept and medicine dispensed. I will do it one step at a time. No reason to dread. And, I will mix in some fun. The symphony tonight, a lovely walk with my daughter tomorrow, time to read my new book. I will live life, and the problems will dissolve in front of me. Perhaps the conditions in which I find myself are the exact ones needed to propel me to my greatest potential as a human being.
"Every person's condition is a solution in hieroglyphic to those inquiries they would put. We act it as life, before we apprehend it as truth." Ralph Waldo Emerson
Does it seem to you, as it seems to me, that the path ahead is strewn with obstacles and problems? Taxes to be done, insurance forms to complete, appointments to be kept, medicine to dispense. What if, as Mark Nepo says, these things are problems only when dreaded in advance? It seems to me that may be true. I know I will get the taxes done, insurance filed, appointments kept and medicine dispensed. I will do it one step at a time. No reason to dread. And, I will mix in some fun. The symphony tonight, a lovely walk with my daughter tomorrow, time to read my new book. I will live life, and the problems will dissolve in front of me. Perhaps the conditions in which I find myself are the exact ones needed to propel me to my greatest potential as a human being.
"Every person's condition is a solution in hieroglyphic to those inquiries they would put. We act it as life, before we apprehend it as truth." Ralph Waldo Emerson
Mar 4, 2012
Laughter for stress
"Frustrated? Ask yourself what aspects of your situation are so absurd you can't help but laugh." Lindsey Konkel
According to a study reported in Healthy Living, people who complained to friends felt less satisfied than those who put their problems in a funny or positive light. I had a recent experience that yielded similar results. I met with a woman who also has a spouse with Lewy Bodies Dementia, and she was full of doom and gloom about the closed doors for help that she has encountered. She has every right to her feelings, but it was not good for me to hear them. She said her husband had been evaluated by a nursing home twice and did not qualify, and that she had been on a facility's waiting list for over a year. It is not helpful for me to hear such dire facts, even if they might be true. I had my own bump with longterm care insurance this week; the company was in the process of closing the claim. I decided that I had the choice of being annoyed at the extra work of correcting this mistake, or I could be grateful that the mistake was caught while easily corrected. I have to admit, it would be pretty absurd for longterm care insurance to cancel on us just when things are getting significantly worse.
According to a study reported in Healthy Living, people who complained to friends felt less satisfied than those who put their problems in a funny or positive light. I had a recent experience that yielded similar results. I met with a woman who also has a spouse with Lewy Bodies Dementia, and she was full of doom and gloom about the closed doors for help that she has encountered. She has every right to her feelings, but it was not good for me to hear them. She said her husband had been evaluated by a nursing home twice and did not qualify, and that she had been on a facility's waiting list for over a year. It is not helpful for me to hear such dire facts, even if they might be true. I had my own bump with longterm care insurance this week; the company was in the process of closing the claim. I decided that I had the choice of being annoyed at the extra work of correcting this mistake, or I could be grateful that the mistake was caught while easily corrected. I have to admit, it would be pretty absurd for longterm care insurance to cancel on us just when things are getting significantly worse.
Mar 3, 2012
Ideas
"If we think of Infinite Mind as an all-enveloping wind, we can imagine that ideas light upon us somewhere along the line. . . . and this is part of the wonder of our humanity --plucking ideas from the stream and giving them heartbeats and footprints in our everyday lives." Marilyn Stortz
Have you ever noticed that new ideas seem to spring up in various places in the world, simultaneously, without the people ever meeting and talking? I have read that was true of aspects of nuclear research, and recently in listening to an interview of Mark Zuckerberg. When discussing the twins who have sued him for taking their idea, the interviewer points out that social networks were already set up by other people prior to either Zuckerberg or the twins. Has it ever happened to you? That an idea for something will seem to come out of nowhere; an idea that you never thought of before. When I am at my very best, relaxed/calm/centered, it happens to me. Perhaps the above quote is true; that ideas are in a stream of consciousness for anyone of us to catch. If that is true, then it seems to me that it is important for us to be available to 'catch' the ideas. And, I think that means being relaxed, with a tranquil mind, open to the idea of catching an idea. It means to make time for creativity to come to us. Walking in nature is one way for me, noticing the content of my dreams, noticing what catches my attention in a book or elsewhere. What helps you to be receptive to creative ideas?
Have you ever noticed that new ideas seem to spring up in various places in the world, simultaneously, without the people ever meeting and talking? I have read that was true of aspects of nuclear research, and recently in listening to an interview of Mark Zuckerberg. When discussing the twins who have sued him for taking their idea, the interviewer points out that social networks were already set up by other people prior to either Zuckerberg or the twins. Has it ever happened to you? That an idea for something will seem to come out of nowhere; an idea that you never thought of before. When I am at my very best, relaxed/calm/centered, it happens to me. Perhaps the above quote is true; that ideas are in a stream of consciousness for anyone of us to catch. If that is true, then it seems to me that it is important for us to be available to 'catch' the ideas. And, I think that means being relaxed, with a tranquil mind, open to the idea of catching an idea. It means to make time for creativity to come to us. Walking in nature is one way for me, noticing the content of my dreams, noticing what catches my attention in a book or elsewhere. What helps you to be receptive to creative ideas?
Mar 2, 2012
Healing
"Make your mind vigorous, loving, healthy and positive and your body will respond accordingly." Dr. Wayne W. Dyer
I believe the above statement is true. That is not to cast dispersion on someone with an illness; to include ourselves and the person with dementia for whom we provide care; but I believe (and research supports) that the state of our mind is reflective in the state of our bodies. When we have an illness, might we want to consider it is wrong thinking, rather than inevitable? I know my health is better when I remain positive in my thoughts. With the stress of caregiving and the statistics that say one third of caregivers succumb to a serious illness themselves, it is certainly worth our effort to train our minds to 'vigorous, loving, healthy and positive' thoughts. It can benefit us in so many ways. So, how do we train our minds in this way? Meditation, maintaining unconditional loving thoughts, and remaining cheerful are reliable ways.
"The one basic underlying prinicple of the physical universe is that thoughts become things. " Dr. Wayne W. Dyer
I believe the above statement is true. That is not to cast dispersion on someone with an illness; to include ourselves and the person with dementia for whom we provide care; but I believe (and research supports) that the state of our mind is reflective in the state of our bodies. When we have an illness, might we want to consider it is wrong thinking, rather than inevitable? I know my health is better when I remain positive in my thoughts. With the stress of caregiving and the statistics that say one third of caregivers succumb to a serious illness themselves, it is certainly worth our effort to train our minds to 'vigorous, loving, healthy and positive' thoughts. It can benefit us in so many ways. So, how do we train our minds in this way? Meditation, maintaining unconditional loving thoughts, and remaining cheerful are reliable ways.
"The one basic underlying prinicple of the physical universe is that thoughts become things. " Dr. Wayne W. Dyer
Mar 1, 2012
Creating our path
"No matter where we dig or climb, we come upon the fire we left untended." Mark Nepo
Have your ever wondered if what you perceived was really real? Carl Jung had a dream in which he was cutting a path to a cottage in the woods. When he got to the cottage and went in, he found himself praying and realized that his life of cutting a path was the prayer's dream. Others have wondered if life is all really a dream. We spend so much time competing, achieving, doing tasks, denying, sacrificing -- what if it is all for naught? What if this is a dream, and our only real task is to awaken. Perhaps our time would be better spent cutting a path to our inner self.
"Once that path is cleared and once the being at our center is discovered, we can return to the world in relationship with our soul." Mark Nepo
Have your ever wondered if what you perceived was really real? Carl Jung had a dream in which he was cutting a path to a cottage in the woods. When he got to the cottage and went in, he found himself praying and realized that his life of cutting a path was the prayer's dream. Others have wondered if life is all really a dream. We spend so much time competing, achieving, doing tasks, denying, sacrificing -- what if it is all for naught? What if this is a dream, and our only real task is to awaken. Perhaps our time would be better spent cutting a path to our inner self.
"Once that path is cleared and once the being at our center is discovered, we can return to the world in relationship with our soul." Mark Nepo
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