#257 Resolution, Resolve, Commitment, Vow

     Changing the course of your life in a more meaningful direction, toward greater authenticity, is entirely doable and entirely in your own hands. Who else knows the depths of your own being better than you? Who else makes choices every single moment? Who else receives moment-by-moment feedback re how the last decision made you feel?

     Just do it! Moment-by-moment choices add up to momentous change in quality of life for all. 

Blackboard & Graphics by P. Michael Lovas, Mandy Wintink & Sam Kennedy

#256 We Can & Must Keep Moving Forward

     “happiness is a skill that can be trained. That training begins with deep insight into mind, emotion, and our experience of phenomena, which then facilitates practices that maximize our inner well-being at a deep level, ultimately creating a sustainable happiness and compassion.”

       Tan C-M. Search inside yourself. The unexpected path to achieving success, happiness (and world peace). HarperCollins, NY, 2012.       NOTE: the author is Google's celebrated engineer & "jolly good fellow" Meng.

New Brunswick artist - Ghita Levin Pottery www.ghitalevinpottery.ca

#255 Why Do Formal Sitting Meditation Practice?

     “Once one has tasted the practice for oneself, the motivation is very likely to be there to extend the time of formal practice, not to achieve a special state, but to simply rest in awareness itself, outside of time altogether. This is the practice of non-doing, of openhearted presencing, of pure awareness, coextensive with and inseparable from compassion. It is not an escape from life. On the contrary, the practice of mindfulness is a gateway into the experience of interconnectedness and interdependence out of which stem emotionally intelligent actions, new ways of being, and ultimately greater happiness, clarity, wisdom, and kindness – at work and in the world.”               Jon Kabat-Zinn

       Tan C-M. Search inside yourself. The unexpected path to achieving success, happiness (and world peace). HarperCollins, NY, 2012. 

Pablo Picasso's Child with a Dove

#254 From Self-Centeredness to Wisdom, Joy & Happiness

     "Meditative awareness is more akin to hearing well than seeing clearly. When looking intently at a visual object, we tend to aim a narrow beam of attention onto something outside of ourselves. But when we listen mindfully, we open our awareness in all directions in order to receive the sounds that pour in. Just as one develops a meditative ability to discern ever subtler tones and harmonies in this polyphony, so one can refine an empathic ability to detect ever finer nuances in the other's plea. As the deafening chatter of self-centeredness subsides, one recovers that silence wherein one hears more sharply the cries of the world."

        Batchelor S. “Living with the devil. A meditation on good and evil.” Riverhead Books, NY, 2004. www.stephenbatchelor.org

 

     Self-centeredness reliably generates suffering for self & others, while letting go of "self-clinging" and wisely opening up to caring for others and the environment generates joy for self & others. While inherently ethical, this is first & foremost an experiential fact of life. So if you take happiness seriously, you really should consciously experiment, moment-to-moment, with shifting your energies (thoughts, words & actions) from ego-centricity to allo- & ecocentricity. This is also happens to be the basic definition of wisdom.

 

Not one of these boxes contains happiness

 

#253 Others' Behavior - Compared to Our Past Behavior

     It's interesting, challenging, and humblingly disturbing to notice others' inappropriate behavior, only to realize that our own was VERY similar not so many years ago - and still remains under duress. Are we individuals not somewhat like the white blood cells circulating in the bloodstream of a multicellular organism? We're here briefly. We have individual strengths & weaknesses - a job to do, and areas in which we need help. Yet our identity is really that of the whole organism - the universe (the common good).

      "an emerging consensus suggests that three important dimensions of wisdom involve recognizing that the world is in flux and the future is likely to change, recognizing that there are limits associated with one’s own knowledge, and possessing a prosocial orientation that promotes the 'common good.'
      A common feature of these different dimensions of wisdom is that they require people to transcend their egocentric viewpoints to take the 'big picture' into account and reason holistically."
        Kross E, Grossmann I. Boosting wisdom: Distance from the self enhances wise reasoning, attitudes, and behavior. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General 2012; 141(1): 43-48.

 

Peggy's Cove, Nova Scotia, Dec 27, 2012

 

#252 Double-check perspective before judging

"YOU ARE NOT STUCK
IN TRAFFIC,
YOU ARE TRAFFIC"             billboard in BC

We each are part of the problem,
and potentially, part of the solution.

To the degree that we can let go of our own blockages,
we'll create less unnecessary suffering, and
our natural wisdom & energy can flow to heal & inspire.

Photo: P. Michael Lovas

#251 Is Stress-free Living a Reasonable Aspiration?

     Many times one hears that people want to minimize stress in their lives - to live hassle-free. People attempt to achieve this by going along with, instead of confronting people / things with which they disagree. This can range from inconsequential taste preferences all the way to the most serious immoral / illegal / criminal acts. Where does one draw the line on this slippery slope?
     There are 2 main responses to stress - approach vs avoidance. The healthy response to a morally / legally acceptable challenge outside of one's "comfort zone", is approach - accepting & adapting to this new level of functioning, akin to a muscle having to grow in order to become used to weightlifting. Humans adapt not just physically, but completely, including evolving their self-concept (eg new sense of agency) & worldview.
     The unhealthy response to any challenge is avoidance - pretending it's not happening or otherwise try to avoid dealing with it eg substance abuse, other distraction methods. Here the individual tries to remain the same (self-concept & worldview), despite the constantly changing environment. Of course individuals who do this still change - they become more rigid (less psychologically flexible) and progressively less capable of responding in a healthy, functional manner to the ever-changing environment. Essentially, there's a devolution of consciousness, self-concept & worldview.
     Our every thought, word, and deed rewires our brains and bodies to become more and more skilled at what we habitually practice, be it playing the piano, daydreaming, or telling lies. Our moment-to-moment choices CREATE our present AND future.

Matthew Richardson   New York Times

#250 Presents & Presence

     Most of us are conditioned to automatically make external conditions as comfortable as possible, as soon as possible, for ourselves. This includes taking a pill as soon as we feel an ache, adjusting the thermostat as soon as the temp feels uncomfortable, complaining to ourselves & others when things or people don't perfectly conform to our wants, etc, etc, etc.
     This self-centered obsession is thoroughly ingrained in our consumer society. Advertizers, like drug-pushers, brainwash us to "demand" the highest level of sustained personal comfort, otherwise life's not worth living. Big business openly admits that its mission is to create "consumer dissatisfaction".
     Interestingly, Eastern psychology has held for 3,000 years that self-concern is the very root of suffering, not happiness. The more we obsess over pampering ourselves, the more we suffer.
     The "war on drugs" will be won, when each of us stops craving & buying "stuff" that artificially transport us "a happy place" ever so briefly. How well does that work for the average addict? Consumer society is founded squarely on addictive dependence to stuff that can't possibly satisfy.
     Presence is being open, aware, and available to be helpful to whatever and whoever is before us in the present moment. Clearly presence is the exact opposite of addictive self-centeredness. Rare intervals of giving presents - "stuff" - is no substitute for continuous presence. Each one of us must eventually recover from our addictions, and thus give something of true value - ourselves.

Photo: afj2   www.dpreview.com

#249 Busy, Scattered, Distracted, Monkey Mind & Clarity

     When we sit in meditation, particularly when there's a lot going on in our lives, the mind is flooded with, sometimes overwhelmed by, thoughts.

      “… in the mind of the ordinary person, no less than sixty-four thoughts come and go every … fraction of a second. These thoughts arise because … of desire, aversion, and ignorance. Because of them, our minds cannot help but constantly move. Only by transcending (these) can the mind stop moving.”
       Sheng Yen “Song of Mind. Wisdom from the Zen Classic Xin Ming.” Shambhala, Boston, 2004.

     Fortunately, as we continue sitting, thoughts settle with time. If we take a glass jar of water with a clump of mud and shake it, the water becomes opaque and brown. But as the jar sits still, and the mud settles to the bottom, the water gradually clarifies. Like water, the mind is inherently crystal clear.
     Time alone isn't enough. We must "choose to confront those fears and desires that hitherto we had either repressed or acted out.” Specifically, we must work directly & wisely with desire, aversion and ignorance.
       Batchelor S. “Living with the devil. A meditation on good and evil.” Riverhead Books, NY, 2004.

Photo: wchee   www.dpreview.com

#248 Process Transforms Doing into Being - It's the Singer, not the Song ...

     It's very interesting listening to someone giving their perspective of events in which you were both involved, particularly when they deliver it as an absolute statement of fact, instead of their unique impression. We tend to cling to certainty and tend to be averse to uncertainty & ambiguity. Yet nothing is solid & unchanging, not even our memories of the past - even that changes constantly.
     Perhaps fear of aging partially explains why people tend to be intolerant of ambiguity, and pretend to be certain about uncertain things. Ambiguity tolerance should, unless we fight it, arise naturally as we age. It takes a great deal of patience, tolerance & endurance to put up with life's litany of embarrassments. One has to learn to enjoy the process of working with imperfection, including one's own. Quickly & ethically obtaining a great result is a very unlikely prospect. Focusing on the process however is entirely different.
     People slowly, mindfully working on a meaningful product or service are themselves transformed by the process itself. We each individually reduce suffering and create joy by the actual quality we bring to life, moment-by-moment. WE INDIVIDUALLY provide what we all need. Nobody else can do it. WE ARE RESPONSIBLE. WE can and must rise to the occasion.

See also: http://healthyhealers.blogspot.ca/2012/12/everyones-doing-their-best-under.html

#247 Time, Timeless, Timelessness

     In our era of compulsive busyness, restlessness and distraction, the term "time-poverty" has been aptly coined. Yet aren't we all travelers on a brief journey called life?

     The true traveler has no destination
     and no fixed time of arrival.                        Laozi

Overflowing Fragrance   http://www.chineseartpaintings.com/2cj015f.html

#246 Balancing Service with Quality Personal Growth Time

     “becoming a superior person sometimes requires more discipline than even the best of us can muster. For one thing, the vita mixta requires equal attention to both action and contemplation. Augustine’s ‘righteous busyness’ must be founded upon times of ‘holy quiet.’ Without replenishing ourselves with solitude, we will find that our busyness – all our doing and giving and caring – leaves us only frustrated, resentful, and exhausted. ‘It is so easy to simply get too busy to grow,’ writes the Benedictine monastic Joan Chittister. ‘It is so easy to commit ourselves to this century’s demand for product and action until the product consumes us and the actions exhaust us and we can no longer even remember why we set out to do them in the first place.’ Worse, without holy quiet, righteous busyness easily becomes self-righteous. We’ve all caught ourselves at times when our efforts to do good in the world – to teach our children, help our communities, correct an injustice – have more to do with looking good or proving something than with a genuine, selfless desire to serve.”

       Simmons P. Learning to fall. The blessings of an imperfect life. Bantam Books, NY, 2000.

Legend of the Fish People at the Great Flood by Norval Morisseau

#245 Why so terribly busy?

     “I think if we’re honest with ourselves, we can agree that our busyness – whether of body or of mind – is often a distraction, a way of avoiding others, avoiding intimacy, avoiding ourselves. We keep busy to push back our fears, our loneliness, our self-doubt, our questions about purposes and ends. We want to know we matter, we want to know our lives are worthwhile. And when we’re not sure, we work that much harder, we worry that much more. In the face of uncertainty, we keep busy. These days, the idea of original sin has grown unfashionable, but to me it seems as good a way as any of naming that deep feeling of unworthiness so many of us suffer, driving us to hurl a lifetime of work and worry into a pit that can never be filled. Unchecked, this impulse can drag us into bitterness, loneliness, depression, and despair.”

        Simmons P. Learning to fall. The blessings of an imperfect life. Bantam Books, NY, 2000.

Jan & Will's cat

#244 When the going gets rough, the tough learn to stay present

     This is how Philip Simmons, diagnosed with ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease) at age 35, saw mindfulness:

     “The present moment, like the spotted owl or the sea turtle, has become an endangered species. Yet more and more I find that dwelling in the present moment, in the face of everything that would call us out of it, is our highest spiritual discipline. More boldly, I would say that our very presentness is our salvation; the present moment, entered into fully, is our gateway to eternal life.”

       Simmons P. Learning to fall. The blessings of an imperfect life. Bantam Books, NY, 2000.

#243 Gradual progressive letting go of ego, embodying wisdom

     None of us had perfect parents genetically or behaviorally. None of us received consistent unconditional love or an ideal mix of appropriate boundaries and freedom to discover & learn from our own experiments with life.
See: http://healthyhealers.blogspot.ca/2012/12/everyones-doing-their-best-under.html
     So we all emerge on the world stage with baggage - 'a little off' in outward appearance, thinking & behavior. And the rare time we think someone just might be perfect, when we get to know them a bit, we soon realize otherwise.
     I love the metaphor of individuals being like rough-surfaced, angular stones that sit in a monk's pocket. After many years of rubbing against each other, the stones emerge smooth. A lifetime of guided mindfulness practice absolutely ensures (neuroplasticity via training) remarkable progressive refinement.

Photo: CG33   www.dpreview.com

#242 Can you do it? Attitude is key!

     "Whether you think you can, or think you can't, you're right!"             Henry Ford

     It's so interesting to see participants struggle during the first of 8 mindfulness sessions. They struggle sitting for 5 minutes; they struggle to keep their hands and feet still; struggle, struggle, struggle. They have a firm, set idea of what they can and can't tolerate, can and can't do. Sitting still for such a terribly long time is not something they think they can do, so they can't. Yet a few weeks later, they're all able to enjoy sitting peacefully and still for 30-40 minutes.
     Gentle persistence, curiosity, accepting & observing our mildly difficult situation, letting go of our self-concepts, our presumed limitations evaporate. They were pure fiction to start with.

     "As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others."            Marianne Williamson

Photo: zaw min tun   www.dpreview.com

 

#241 Disengaging from the Mind's Momentum & Unnecessarily High Cortisol Levels

     On getting out of bed in the morning, I can feel my brain revving up - getting all the balls I'll be juggling during the day up in the air above my head.

     The biochemical mechanism behind this is the cortisol awakening response (CAR) - "the sharp increase in cortisol release observed over the first 30 min after awakening. ... the cortisol rise after awakening reflects the anticipation of the day’s demands."

     Most of us do not face real danger in our daily work - we artificially create stress by magnifying insignificant things out of proportion & by "multitasking" ie failing to focus our whole mind-heart-body on completing each task - one at a time.
     Now I know that I have a choice first thing in the morning: 1) to become one with (cognitive fusion) speeding-up thoughts OR 2) see them as just thoughts (not reality itself) from an objective, observer perspective (cognitive defusion).
     Most of my life I've gone with #1 by default, but I no longer want to be swept away by the momentum of stressful busyness. Now I'm able to choose #2! It's like putting my foot on the clutch, and disengaging from a revving engine. It's quite obvious, and quite wonderful! On the rare occasion when there's something truly stressful coming up in my day, then I focus on meeting that challenge, so more cortisol is appropriately released.
     "a flexible adaptation of the CAR to situational demands was associated with positive states & traits (ie low stress, low neuroticism & high happiness). Conversely, a loss of flexibility - which resulted in a level of arousal that was either too low or too high compared to environmental demands - was associated with negative states & traits."

       Mikolajczak M et al. Cortisol awakening response (CAR)'s flexibility leads to larger and more consistent associations with psychological factors than CAR magnitude. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2010; 35(5): 752-7.

Photo: grantbush   www.dpreview.com

#240 Adversarial Relationships, Friction, Core Values, & Quality of Life

     Increased sensitivity to physical feelings of inner conflict or friction can be acquired if one is interested and motivated. Like any engine, we don't operate or feel well when there's friction - pitting one thing against another. And what's the basic friction in life? Going after or running away from something that's not worth catching / can't be caught - eg fame, or that can't be escaped / should be experienced instead of avoided - eg doing one's share of work.
     So where's the rub that creates friction? These shallow desires & compulsions conflict with, rub against, our deep universal human core values. When we addictively chase after or run from meaningless fluff, we rub against our own grain - we have an adversarial relationship with our true self. This conflict is impossible to win - no wonder there's so much misery.
     The only possible positive long-term outcome results from going deep within ourselves, learning who we truly are, and ACTING in congruence with & EMBODYING this evolved mature identity or consciousness. When we start living this authentic, meaningful life, the frantic chasing abates on its own, naturally. We come to realize that we are now at home in this body, in this world. This is mindfulness practice.

     There is "a longing for ways of speaking of the human experience of depth, meaning, mystery, moral purpose, transcendence, wholeness, intuition, vulnerability, tenderness, courage, the capacity to love … it arises from the hunger for authenticity, for correspondence between one’s inner and outer lives. … there is a desire to break through into a more spacious and nourishing conception of the common life we all share. … trust, loyalty, and connection, find place and resonance.”
          Parks SD. Big questions, worthy dreams. Mentoring young adults in their search for meaning, purpose, and faith. John Wiley & Sons, San Francisco, 2000.

Seize each Precious Moment to be Authentic

#239 Self-talk - Compulsive Self-sabbotage, Handicapping?

     "I'm sooo tired", "I'm sooooo stressed" etc - is this common self-talk for you? - Probably. Is it a direct readout on reality? - No. What effect does this have on your life? - It's a downer, an invitation for the past to spill over, pollute & suffocate the present - your life! It's a dysfunctional mental habit - voodoo, nocebo.
     How exactly do you see prolonged moaning and groaning bringing you efficacy & joy? How helpful is repeatedly telling yourself how miserable you are - why hypnotize yourself to prolonged misery?
     The skillful, mindful way of dealing with feeling tired or stressed is to accept & briefly investigate with curiosity the physical feel *** of these phenomena, knowing that, like all phenomena, these constantly change & will regress in their own time. Then get back to an open-hearted relationship with whatever the present moment holds. Let go of the story - it goes nowhere. 
     Is it always easy to do the above? - no. Is there a more effective alternative? - not that I know of. So we get on with it! What can I do NOW? If it's rest, rest with enthusiasm - savor it! If it's sleep, sleep with wholehearted commitment - plunge right in! If there's work to be done immediately, one's got to do what one's got to do! Do the best with an alert mind and an open heart. That's the best we can do in this challenging life. And that's a whole lot easier when we don't handicap ourselves by compulsively dragging the crud of the past (or anxieties of the future) to pollute our precious now.

*** See: http://mindfulnessforeveryone.blogspot.ca/search?q=physical+processing

The Fine-Tuners at the Halifax Seaport Market   http://thefinetuners.ca/

#238 Identity & Authenticity - the Work of a Lifetime

     Throughout life, whether we're consciously aware of it or not, we all struggle with identity and authenticity issues. We all try - unsuccessfully - to manage these "developmental struggles by rethinking past choices and worrying about future directions. Coping strategies such as avoiding the underlying issues by either working obsessively or not working at all only add to the problem.

     College and university students, and everyone else, for that matter, notice that when they stop and pay attention for a moment, there is often a disconnect between their bodies and their minds. For example, if we ask people, 'Where is your mind when you're taking a shower, brushing your teeth, or walking to class?' we typically hear that their minds are somewhere else - worrying, making plans, remembering some past problem, passing judgment on themselves or someone else. In this way, they go through their days not even noticing the vast majority of everyday experiences. Often only novel or particularly unpleasant events penetrate their fog of future-oriented thoughts. This approach to life can rob them of their experience of some of the best things about being alive. Even worse ... it can block their access to their authentic desires and innate wisdom, hampering their ability to find a coherent path for themselves. Mindfulness is about learning to bridge the mind-body disconnect, to begin to make contact with what is true and wise and kind within all of us and to use this knowledge to move confidently into the future."

       Rogers H, Maytan M. Mindfulness for the Next Generation. Helping Emerging Adults Manage Stress and Lead Healthier Lives. Oxford University Press, NY, 2012.

#237 Neurogenesis, Neuroplasticity, Epigenetics, Empowerment, Liberation

     Through "state-of-the-art brain scanning and gene mapping technologies. ... we've discovered that brains grow (continuously, throughout life). New neurons form in a process called neurogenesis. Neurons change their growth and firing patterns with new experiences in an adaptive process called neuroplasticity. We have further learned through the study of epigenetics that genes are not destiny and that life experiences modify whether and how genes express themselves.
     The capacities for people to transform their sensory awareness and physiological and emotional states, as well as their reactions to their life experiences, is currently being explored in entirely new ways that are both exciting and liberating. The new biological sciences encourage us to revise some of our most enduring beliefs about the nature of the relationship between brain and mind, and even mind and body. It is especially compelling to go from merely suspecting to actually proving that life experience changes brains in measurable ways. Instead of being victims of an unalterable genetic destiny or living out some unconscious mental script we must inevitably and blindly adhere to, we have a chance to reclaim greater control over our lives than most of us had dared to suppose.
     This is an empowering realization, a fresh call to be active in redefining who we are and what we are capable of as human beings."

       Yapko MD. Mindfulness and hypnosis. The power of suggestion to transform experience. WW Norton & Co, NY, 2011.

Photo: BonsaiZG   www.dpreview.com

#236 Porous & Grounded vs Existential Crisis

     The quality of porousness seems at first blush to be radically different than being grounded. Porousness is about fully recognizing and accepting the aspect of life marked by constant change - how all phenomena arise, remain for a while, then abate. Phenomena constantly pass through our awareness, like a bird might fly in through an open window on one side of a house, and then fly right out an other open window on the other side of the house.
     Grounded refers to stability, like a house built of stone. Stability is achieved because and after we consciously accept and embrace the fact that everything and everyone - ourself, every person, animal & thing we love - is in flux, transient, only here for a moment in time. 
     One becomes increasingly porous AND grounded as one lets go of trying to hang on to anything, lets go of trying to push anything away. No longer chasing nor being chased, one learns to dwell peacefully in the present moment with an open heart. This all comes about through mindfulness training. Otherwise ...
 
     "An existential crisis may occur ... when (people) realize that their death may be imminent. ... the meaning of life itself is at stake. In dealing with an existential crisis, it is important to have the courage to confront the loss of meaning and security. Then, a new sense of meaning may emerge which is essentially a receptive experience of connectedness with an ego-transcending reality, such as mankind, nature, or God. This reduces existential fear and despair and leads to acceptance of 'life-as-it-is', including its finitude."
       Yang W et al. Existential crisis and the awareness of dying: the role of meaning and spirituality. Omega (Westport) 2010; 61(1): 53-69.

     See also: http://mindfulnessforeveryone.blogspot.ca/2013/11/432-i-try-and-i-try-but-i-cant-get-no.html
     and: http://healthyhealers.blogspot.ca/search?q=Lesser

"We are so lightly here" (Leonard Cohen)

#235 Discomfort - A Wonderful Opportunity !!!

     What happens when I'm trying to enjoy a book in my favorite coffee shop and the couple right beside me is having a continuous, moderately loud conversation? Well, I used to become irritated, judgmental, condescending, frustrated etc.

     “How wonderful that we have met with a paradox. Now we have some hope of making progress.”
                  Neils Bohr, physicist, Nobel laureate

     These days, I realize that their conversation (or any other behavior that doesn't cause suffering to them or others) is not my business. BUT, a big part of my practice is selecting the most appropriate attitude. Here, I can be porous, like a stone house without windows, doors, or roof. The sounds can pass through unobstructed, yet the stone walls remain solidly grounded, undisturbed.
     I've accepted the physical sensations of initial reflexive discomfort caused by my attitude (not their behavior). This in turn reminds me to select a more appropriate attitude - acceptance of the stimuli as impersonal sounds and an opportunity to practice mindfulness - to have curiosity about the situation. I then become more porously - physiologically - related to reality as it is. This is healthy. I'm at home, in my home, with others who are also at home - deep satisfaction. On leaving the coffee shop, there's NO hangover (no unpleasant residual effects), even though the couple's conversation persists. I'm learning to be at home in our world.
     Each one of us is a rock with rough edges, several carried in a monk's pocket, as he walks endlessly. At the end of his long journey, as we keep rubbing against each other, all of us become perfectly smooth - no more friction. This is the fruit of our practice.
     See also: http://mindfulnessforeveryone.blogspot.ca/2012/02/37-embracing-challenges.html

Trident Booksellers & Cafe, Halifax NS

#234 Shared World of Deep Meaning AND Multiculturalism

     Based on our experience in fifteen 8-week MBSR workshops, with attendees from a wide range of cultures, ages, and educational backgrounds, it's abundantly clear that mindfulness welcomes all to meet in a "shared world" of deep meaning. Mindfulness may well be the Esperanto - the common language - of deeply meaningful connection. As human beings we're all wounded, in need of healing from each other; AND we're all healers through listening deeply, being fully with each other.
     Anything less than such a deep human-to-human connection (see quote below), is a barrier to meaningful communication between individuals, cultures, religions etc (eg doctor-patient, peace talks).

     "Most analyses of traditional healing systems involve situations in which patients and healers share a similar cultural background. In multicultural societies, sufferer and healer may live in different local worlds and may not share the same notions of the roles of patient and healer, the appropriate place and time for healing, the meaning of symbolic acts, and the expected outcome. Where a shared world cannot be assumed, patient and healer must go through prolonged negotiation to define the parameters of an effective clinical encounter. Even when patient and healer find common ground, their co-constructed understandings of illness and healing may run into conflict with larger institutional contexts and the social world. The clinical encounter is embedded in social structures, which may give it unintended meanings and consequences."
       Kirmayer LJ. Asklepian dreams: the ethos of the wounded-healer in the clinical encounter. Transcult Psychiatry 2003; 40(2): 248-77.

Paul Hannon   http://paulhannon.com/

#233 Number of Hits & Meaning?

     A recent editorial had the promising title "Information is not knowledge, knowledge is not wisdom, wisdom is not truth." The abstract indicated the author would describe "the evolution of concepts related to knowledge." 
       Benjamins VR. Information is not knowledge, knowledge is not wisdom, wisdom is not truth. International Journal of Human-Computer Studies (2012), http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhcs.2012.10.005 

      Instead, it listed the numbers of hits a series of terms generated on Google. The quantity of anything - be it hits, "likes", or Facebook "friends" - should have no bearing on the quality of your life. Numbers lack inherent meaning.

      "Man's search for meaning is the primary motivation in his life."      Viktor Frankl

Fall in Nova Scotia

#232 Cultivating the "Wisdom to know the difference"

       “Compassion’s way is the way of letting go, of loosening our grip. … We can only become compassionate toward our life and toward those around us when we are no longer preoccupied with trying to control the uncontrollable.
     Acknowledging the inevitability of change does not mean mere passivity or resignation however. We can still ‘row, row, row’ our boat, but gently rather than frantically. We are honest about what we can control and what we can’t, and our efforts are directed toward what’s possible, not what’s impossible.” 
       Magid B. “Ending the pursuit of happiness – a Zen guide.” Wisdom Publications, Boston, 2008.  

     "oncologists ... who saw their role as both biomedical and psychosocial found end-of-life care very satisfying. But those 'who described a primarily biomedical role reported a more distant relationship with the patient, a sense of failure at not being able to alter the course of the disease and an absence of collegial support' ..."
       Jackson AV et al. A Qualitative Study of Oncologists’ Approaches to End-of-Life Care. J Palliative Med 2008; 11(6): 893-906.

Brody JE. "Aiding the Doctor Who Feels Cancer’s Toll" NY Times Nov 26, 2012
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/11/26/aiding-the-doctor-who-feels-cancers-toll/ 

Paul Hannon   http://paulhannon.com/

#231 Practice, Distractions, Letting go, Accumulating

     It's somewhat surprising that even among those who complete and seem to benefit from an 8-week MBSR course, the question arises: is there a follow-up course containing 'new' information? The implication being that now they 'get it' and unless there's something new and different to stimulate (distract) the mind, they'd be bored.
     One of the reasons that we sit still, silently, for up to 50 minutes at a time is precisely to let go of distractions - habitual busyness, so we can clearly study the mind.
     Fortunately, people do take the 'same' MBSR course several times sequentially, and progressively deepen their practice and understanding each time. In fact MBSR facilitators could never teach the exact same course twice because the depth of our understanding is also progressively increasing with daily practice.
     In reality, we're only able to hear or appreciate what we're ready for. As we mature psycho-spiritually, we actually appreciate things as if we heard them for the very first time. So 'beginner's mind' is really a way of avoiding 'premature closure' - the common tendency to catch the drift of a theme and immediately 'shut down', because one (mistakenly) assumes one already 'knows all about it'.
     We can spend all of our waking hours these days reading the flood of scientific and other papers and books on mindfulness should we wish to simply accumulate knowledge. No matter how much we read about mindfulness - but don't practice it - we know NOTHING about it. More importantly, such scholars derive NO benefit in terms of decreasing their own suffering, or improving their quality of life.
     Those who teach mindfulness MUST have a deep ongoing personal practice, guided by wise teachers, if they are to truly help themselves & others. "See one, do one, teach one" is just plain wrong when it comes to being a guide to an immensely deep, broad, way of life.

     Practice refers to the discipline of cultivating a crucial capacity of mind, such as wisdom or concentration. Practices are rehearsals of desired qualities, which eventually become spontaneous, natural ways of being.” 
       Walsh R. “Essential spirituality. The 7 central practices to awaken heart and mind.” John Wiley & Sons Inc, NY, 1999.

Photo: giants   www.dpreview.com