As for life, I’m humbled,
I’m without words
sufficient to say
how it has been hard as flint,
and soft as a spring pond,
both of these
and over and over
Mary Oliver, Long Afternoon at the Edge of Little Sister Pond
Tag: Joy
Simple advice for mental health: pause and notice
There is often a harmony between ancient stories and modern psychology. Yesterday’s reading in the Catholic liturgy reminded us to “stay awake“. When the Buddha started to teach, he met some who, recognizing something special in him, asked: “Are you a god?” He simply replied: “I am awake.”
So…. staying aware of what is around us, pausing and noticing – not taking small things too seriously or getting submerged in the worries of this Monday – seems to be related to psychological health.
Goethe gives us a simple practical way :
A man should hear a little music,
read a little poetry,
and see a fine picture every day of his life,
in order that worldly cares may not obliterate the sense of the beautiful
which God has implanted in the human soul.
Goethe
Sunday Quote: Part of something deeper
No matter how small we feel in our daily situation, we are always part of something greater.
Even for the simple flight of a butterfly,
all of the sky is necessary.
Paul Claudel, 1868 – 1955, French poet and dramatist.
Même pour le simple envol d’un papillon, tout le ciel est nécessaire.
A letting go practice
November is the month of letting go of what is no longer needed or has fulfilled its purpose, just as trees now release the last season’s leaves. In China, an old proverb speaks to this: “Give away, throw away or move 27 items for nine days and your life will change.” The practice of letting go teaches us about non-attachment. The process of releasing or emptying provides room for new possibilities, opportunities, and blessings to enter our lives. In November we can readily see how much we have to be thankful for compared to our troubles and dissatisfactions. As we extend gratitude for the bounty and goodness that are present in our lives, any pockets of ingratitude that once seemed large in our imaginations become dwarfed- nearly nonexistent.
Angeles Arrien 1940 – 2014, Cultural anthropologist.
The driving force
Today, November 2nd, is traditionally the day that we remember those close to us who have died and gone before us
All men should strive to learn before they die,
what they are running from,
and to, and why.
James Thurber
Sunday Quote: Kindness
Modern society prizes intelligence, achievements or efficiency…
What wisdom can you find
that is greater than kindness?
Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Quelle sagesse trouverez-vous supérieure à la bonté?
