The Father of Mindfulness

 The Art of Living by Thich Nhat Hanh is a book about how to live in seven meditations.  Thick Nhat Hanh is a spiritual leader, winner of a Nobel Peace Prize, and numerous book awards.  The Art of Living explains his teachings on "mindfulness."  As a member of TOPS, I know that eating mindfully is recommended.  You enjoy it more, it takes longer, and you appreciate all that went into making the food.  The reader will see how this approach to life, would work similarly.  

This guide to living mindfully will give a person, peace and happiness.  In the beginning, the author suggests that the book be read with the idea that the reader is walking in the forest.  At times, you have to stop in wonder at nature.  Sometimes, you stop to breathe.  Sometimes you stop to rest.  Sometimes you stop for refreshment.  This walk is the book's approach to life.

I think everyone can benefit from living mindfully.

Mindfulness at the Dentist

What a joke? I still say the teachers of mindfulness and those that think that stress is cause by the future are wrong. The premise is wrong. It's more stressful to be hit with the unexpected present: accidents, unexpected happenings, and just plain "life", than the future.

Who worries about the future? Or rather, why would anyone worry about stuff that may never happen? Like I said in my previous posting, turn it over to God. He's the only One Who can use the bad to make good.

This was all brought to mind, today, as I sat in the dentist chair. I wasn't that worried, or anxious. The dentist was fitting me for my bridge. No pain involved.

Then he took a hammer. That's right a HAMMER! That tool that you hit a nail with. He took a hammer and started smacking my teeth with it. Now tell me honestly, would that cause stress, or would you be thinking about tomorrow's stress? The dentist was trying to loosen my temporary bridge. See if you can practice mindfulness with a man smacking a hammer on your teeth.

Good Lord. Thank God I'm Catholic and believe in redemptive suffering.