Category Archives: psychology

Get Still, Stop Talking, and Put Your Hand on Your Heart

The sky in southern Michigan today looks like this today. The meteorologists say it is due to Canadian fires. The adjective, apocalyptic, is used to describe this phenomenon.

Photo by Patrick J Cole

Synchronistically, Tricycle offers a free set of three Dharma teachings today under the umbrella topic of Buddhist Advice for When You’re Feeling Overwhelmed. The first teaching comes from the 2021 article entitled Overwhelmed? Pay Attention by Kimberly Brown.

Kimberly Brown’s article sums up with this brief prayer and gently encourages us to “repeat as necessary”:

“May we be free from danger, violence, and hatred. May our actions bring benefit and do no harm.”

You can check out her article here: A Practice for When You’re Overwhelmed – Tricycle: The Buddhist Review

And find the links to all three teachings here: Buddhist Advice for When You’re Feeling Overwhelmed

The Tears of Things

I’m feeling sad today – how ’bout you?

Richard Rohr, in his book published last year (see book cover below), says it so well:

“There is an inherent sadness and tragedy in almost all situations: in our relationships, our mistakes, our failures large and small, and even our victories. We must develop a very real empathy for this reality, knowing that we cannot fully fix things, entirely change them, or make them to our liking …. all things have tears and all things deserve tears.” p.4 of The Tears of Things by Richard Rohr (c) 2025.

The Tears of Things: Prophetic Wisdom for an Age of Outrage: Rohr, Richard: 9780593735817: Amazon.com: Books

Fortunately, I’m also recalling the Buddha’s metta (loving-kindness) prayer: “May we be happy … may we be well … may we be safe … may we live with ease.”

Now if I can only hold the feelings of sadness and loving-kindness simultaneously. How ’bout you?

Picture taken by author at Magnolia Grove Monastery in Batesville, MS

Pain Management & Mindfulness

A couple of years ago, I became deaf in one ear. It was bizarre and lasted for six weeks before improvement began. With the help of modern medicine and mindfulness I fully regained my hearing.

The procedure that led to improvement involved shots into my ear which required me not to twitch or move in any way as the needle was inserted. I did not look forward to the weekly shots, but I knew I needed to endure them in order to have any hope of my hearing returning to normal.

I share this, fortunately temporary, condition because mindfulness helped me enter the doctor’s office and accept the procedure that was coming. Through breath awareness and recalling the Five Remembrances, I was able to still my body and accept the medical procedure.

Below is a link to Lynn J Kelly’s blog where she shares what she has learned about pain management and mindfulness. I think you’ll find it interesting.