- meditation
- optimistic thinking
- appreciating our blessings
- staying aware of the complexity and richness that is ours right now, this instant
- being who we are now instead of regretting who we longer are
Meditation - increasingly recognized in many different fields as a mental tool for knowing more of your entire mind and body better. There are tons of books and web pages but the basic idea is quite simple: stay still and focused for 8 to 10 or 20 minutes and during that time, work at not thinking about anything. Don't be furious or nutty about doing so. Just gently put aside whatever thoughts come up. Thoughts inevitably come up but shelve them for the period of meditation. Being as steadily aware of your attention's focus increases your ability to put your attention on what you want to think about and not what chance or others direct you to. Take a look at "The Relaxation Response" by Herbert Benson, MD of the Harvard Medical School for more information. There are many other good sources about this tool that is increasingly used in medicine, psychology, sports science, business and other fields.
Optimistic thinking and being aware of your blessings, gifts and assets - Time magazine just ran a cover story on this subject. A big name in the field is that of Martin Seligman. The famous trio from St. Paul: faith, charity and hope point to the value of realizing that we all have good things to be grateful for and to hope for. The Zen story of the man fleeing a tiger who not only scoops up a strawberry while in flight but deeply enjoys and savors the delicious taste underscores the value of noting the good you currently have, even while in pain or grief.
Realizing the current instant, the Now - Jesus's advice and that of the Buddhists and other religions point in the same direction as Eckhart Tolle's The Power of Now and his other excellent books. It takes practice but we can learn to appreciate a beautiful day or a loving look while worrying about money or other problems. Enjoying, savoring what we have while we have it makes sense.
Being who we are now without regretting not being who or what we once were - I used to be 21 years old and I looked that age. Now, I am 71 and I no longer look 21. Boo-hoo. Think about it. I used to look 2 but don't now. I used to do 12 chin-ups and I can't now. When the good fairy asks me if I wish to be those earlier ages, I decline. I was poorer, more fearful, more confused, more unfinished, less accomplished. I know my current assets and they are good, even if they aren't celebrated in People magazine or the evening news.
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Bill
Main blog: Fear, Fun and Filoz
Main web site: Kirbyvariety
