our antiquated mindset

It can all be so overwhelming – climate change with its scary apparitions in the form of runaway Amazon rainforest fires or melting polar ice caps, the state of our agriculture which has decimated the insect population (produce and fiber crops) and contributed hugely to greenhouse gases and earth’s warming (mainly industrial beef and pork farms, but also the poultry and dairy industries), the grip corporations have over our lives, and on and on.  

And then – we need to remember that we’re wired evolutionarily to react to danger and the negative – to escape that potential saber tooth tiger.  Such physical dangers are no longer there as we as a species have come to dominate life on earth.  Instead, the danger is our antiquated competitive mindset geared to warfare, violence, and attack mode.  Yet, as we have opened up to Eastern philosophies and meditation in the past few decades, we have learned that we can gain control over our mind. Just got to visit those gremlins up in the attic and become conscious and aware of them – and then an amazing shift can happen.

Times are changing and we have to evolve with them.  Our minds are still operating according to paleolithic patterns, while the world around has changed so much.  Because of our danger oriented thinking patterns we have a hard time appreciating the ease with which we live nowadays (i.e. running water, hot showers, warm homes and comfortable clothes, as well as abundant food), the privileges we have gained (i.e. education, freedom of speech, freedom to practice any religion), the natural beauty that’s all around us, the endless opportunities we have in this new world (i.e. choice of vocation), the amazing foods from all over the world we can get at any supermarket, and so much more.

Let’s get with the times and try to shift, one mind at a time, to a modern mindset of cooperation, appreciation, wonderment, sustainability, mindfulness, and equality so we can all enjoy the tremendous gains we have made, and heal and appreciate our beautiful planet earth together.

living with ease

Years ago, I learned in martial arts how to avoid a direct confrontation by redirecting the attacker’s punch and thereby neutralizing it.  Last week someone stopped short right in front of me in their car.  The right lane was open, I slalomed smoothly into it, avoiding the obstacle that came out of nowhere, and swiftly back into my original lane, elegantly, easily and in the blink of an eye.  

Learning to circumvent obstacles - potential problems or confrontations – with skill and flexibility, awareness, ease and spontaneity is an acquired life skill.  You need to be ready, always.  We learned that too in taekwondo, how to react quickly without knowing where and in what form a punch or attack would come from.  It requires a split-second reaction and good judgement, backed by years of training the mind.  

The many bullies out there who navigate life with confrontation, force, and muscle power expend a lot of energy and create negativity, frustration and resentment all around them along the way. The Tao Te Ching already stated that “A tree that is unbending is easily broken.”  Kindness, cooperation, flexibility, and good judgement garner respect and are skills for living life with ease and elegance - muscle power and force not required.

good morning!

We have so many opportunities for new beginnings, for reboots, for starting over, for rethinking the way we have been doing and feeling things.  As a matter of fact, every morning, just like this fine morning, is a chance to say to yourself, “Today, I’m going to do it differently.” 

Whether you want to be more courageous, more grounded and calm, more compassionate, more creative, more proactive, more social, more loving, more focused, more creative – every morning presents a new chance to shift.

Make it good morning today!

a light bulb

The other night I noticed that one of my headlights was out.  When I called our auto mechanic in the morning the recording said that they were closed for the week.  My mind went into a whirlwind of how not to drive after dark for a week to avoid getting a ticket.  Then my husband disappeared into the basement. When he came back 15 minutes later, he handed me a small lightbulb and asked me to buy a replacement at Autozone. It cost me a few dollars, and my car was back in business in minutes.  

We live in an age of information, transparency, do-it-yourself, and availability of just about anything that was previously only accessible to professionals. It’s empowering and puts us in the driver seat.  In the past I would have had to wait for the shop to reopen a week later to get the headlight fixed and it would have cost a lot more than a few dollars.  Whether it’s about purchasing specialty items or acquiring information – the availability of pretty much anything to pretty much everybody gives us agency and puts us in charge.  We’re no longer helpless, or at the mercy of a professional’s hocus pocus, and perhaps even price gauging.  We can find out for ourselves and direct a desired outcome like never before.   

In the wellness arena we’re becoming the project managers of our health with the help of publicly available information – no more Gods in the white coats. We can have a productive dialogue with the providers and jointly decide on the best course of action. When we built our house a few years ago we researched construction methods, mechanical systems, and renewable energy options, and were able to have a productive dialogue with the architect and contractor and make informed decisions.

Times have changed. You’ve been empowered.

your home, your sanctuary

Your home is your sanctuary and in our insane and crazy world needs to be your refuge.  When we moved to our new house a few years ago, my husband insisted on asking people to take their shoes off in the entrance foyer as a way to keep the street dirt out.  I resisted it, somewhat, for many years when having people over because for me the shoes complete the outfit.  A fine dress worn with slippers, or walking around on socks in a suit, looks unfinished and comical to me.  Moreover, I felt less comfortable asking people in a business setting to remove their shoes. But in lots of countries people take their shoes off before entering the home, and many repair people slip shoe protectors on when coming inside in order to keep the floors clean and unmarred by grit and rough soles.  

Times have become more informal.  We don’t have “silver”or a formal china set anymore for festive occasions.  It’s all the same, although the table setting can be more or less elaborate.  Along the lines of greater informality, I am slowly making friends with giving up the formal matching-shoes-look as an example to those who come visit – whether for business or pleasure.  

Our regulars already know the routine, and some of them even bring their own slippers.  Meanwhile, I have a drawer full of washable spa slippers to encourage new visitors to take their shoes off at the door - no pressure.  

Our home, our sanctuary.