Verna, I love this post and especially your story about Floyd. Like you I have a chattering brain (the Buddhists, like Pema, call it monkey mind, as you probably know, as it swings from one trivial thought to another). I do two things to stop it: one is to get into my body; and the other is to embody myself in the present moment, like you do. It works, but it takes a lot of practice.
It does take a lot of work, yes! Practice practice practice! I had forgotten that the Buddhists call it Monkey Mind. We all live with it--the question is how much we allow it to run our lives. I am so grateful to Pema for making those teachings so accessible.
Thank you for this! I’ve been beating myself up lately about mistakes that I’ve made in the past and you have given me new perspective.
As an only child, my SB sometimes speaks out loud since I grew up talking to myself; this tends to drive my husband crazy!
I will forever more use Floyd’s World in situations where people do, in fact, do exactly what they were hired to do but nothing more. With my SB, it won’t be a surprise if I scream, “Floyd’s World” out loud to no one in particular!
About the gratitude: When our son was young we would write down three good things about our day every night at bedtime. I still have the journals and the lists go something like this:
Him: No homework, playing baseball, DOUGHNUTS!
Me: Lunch with a friend, quiet reading time, DOUGHNUTS! 😀
Happy New Year! Thanks for your stories; I look forward to them.
Hi Kim. When I told a friend today that I had to make a call to the billing department of the hospital where my sweetie was diagnosed, she responded, "Just cut to the chase and ask to speak with Floyd directly." It helps to laugh.
What a nice thing to share with your son--the gratitude journals and DOUGHNUTS!
Verna, I love this post and especially your story about Floyd. Like you I have a chattering brain (the Buddhists, like Pema, call it monkey mind, as you probably know, as it swings from one trivial thought to another). I do two things to stop it: one is to get into my body; and the other is to embody myself in the present moment, like you do. It works, but it takes a lot of practice.
It does take a lot of work, yes! Practice practice practice! I had forgotten that the Buddhists call it Monkey Mind. We all live with it--the question is how much we allow it to run our lives. I am so grateful to Pema for making those teachings so accessible.
Thank you for this! I’ve been beating myself up lately about mistakes that I’ve made in the past and you have given me new perspective.
As an only child, my SB sometimes speaks out loud since I grew up talking to myself; this tends to drive my husband crazy!
I will forever more use Floyd’s World in situations where people do, in fact, do exactly what they were hired to do but nothing more. With my SB, it won’t be a surprise if I scream, “Floyd’s World” out loud to no one in particular!
About the gratitude: When our son was young we would write down three good things about our day every night at bedtime. I still have the journals and the lists go something like this:
Him: No homework, playing baseball, DOUGHNUTS!
Me: Lunch with a friend, quiet reading time, DOUGHNUTS! 😀
Happy New Year! Thanks for your stories; I look forward to them.
Hi Kim. When I told a friend today that I had to make a call to the billing department of the hospital where my sweetie was diagnosed, she responded, "Just cut to the chase and ask to speak with Floyd directly." It helps to laugh.
What a nice thing to share with your son--the gratitude journals and DOUGHNUTS!