January 7, 2020
As I sat in my living room on a recent stormy Saturday, enjoying a cup of coffee and contemplating a topic for the Mindful Acceptance blog, I randomly recalled from one of my World Religions classes a part of the Dhammapada:
As a well covered house is not penetrated by a rain, thus a well developed mind is not penetrated by passion.
http://buddhism.lib.ntu.edu.tw/BDLM/en/lesson/pali/reading/gatha14.htm
As if on cue, I noticed the sound of a definite drip drip drip from the hallway. Now, while I’m no expert on roofing, it doesn’t take a General Contractor’s license for me to realize my roof is apparently not as well-thatched as I had incorrectly, and perhaps fueled by misplaced optimism, assumed.
The subsequent stream of emotions (from denial to frustration to despair to hope) passed while the drip drip drip continued, seemingly unconcerned. After some time, however, the situation reminded me that I am indeed fortunate enough to have homeowner’s insurance to inspect the damage of a recent windstorm, and that I have both access to and the means to get professional roofing help for this incident, in which I have otherwise convinced myself I am rather helpless.
Similarly, as we go through everyday life, assumptions may be made about the cultivation of our own minds. Well-thatched they may be at one time, maintenance could be required. While many are fortunate to have been born with varying degrees of resilience, lack of life-stressors, and/or social support networks ready to assist when storms blow through, there may be scenarios when further assistance could be helpful. To this end, individual psychotherapy, and more recently telehealth psychotherapy, can be a beneficial resource with a wealth of tools available depending on the particular issues being dealt with.
Mindfulness is one such tool, metaphorically and literally helping to notice otherwise distressing thoughts and emotions without necessarily reacting to them. Whether it’s thoughts about myself, the world around me, or others, mindfulness can help one notice experiences without the knee-jerk response that might be habit. Maybe it’s in changing responses to anxiety, or choosing not to give in to a craving, or perhaps deciding not to curse at a leaking roof in the midst of a torrential downpour, living a more intentional, mindful life could be a good goal for 2020.
Disclaimer: This blog is meant to be informational and entertaining to the general public, not to be construed as personalized mental health care or advice. Please do not rely on this blog in lieu professional mental health care, and do not delay seeking professional mental health care because of the information discussed in this blog.