WE will get by...WE will survive...
On this "GREY" and rainy Friday the 13th, offering some musical medicine to help us deal with the stuff in our lives that, at times, seems to get the best of us.
Among my favorite parts in the song occurs at the end where with a flourish the band makes the transition from
“I will get by…I will survive” to “WE will get by…WE will survive…”
And on “daze” when I forget and the f-bombs start flying over some current physical ailments or other stuff…with some help from my friends…I gradually return to these helpful practices…and instead of beating myself up for forgetting…I am grateful for remembering…
I like slogans because they are easier to remember…So, when someone asks me how I’m doing, I quip,
“More parts work than don’t!”
I also wear this next song’s title on one of my tee shirts.
Sorry that you feel that way
The only thing there is to say
Every silver lining's got a Touch of grey
It's a lesson to me
The Ables and the Bakers and the C's
The A B C's
We all must face
And try to keep a little grace
It's a lesson to me
The Deltas and the East and the Freeze
The A B C's
We all think of
And try to keep a little love
I never promised you a rose garden...Hmmm???
DEAD...and still smiling...
Practice makes the imperfect...perfect...
At this time in my life, I try to incorporate helpful practices such as paying attention to my self talk…beginning with my thought life...because...
See, how we treat ourselves directly affects how we treat others…
So...
Related:
Next, I choose to spend time with people who are also trying to make it through their days in positive ways. And I am grateful to be living with one - my Helpmate…Eileen...
The Power of “WE”...
"Life's so much better when WE're together..."
Altar TURNatives on the “suffering servant” perspective
For some time, I’ve been at a place in life where I’ve replaced “crucified” with “resurrected.” See, this is how I want to live.
This change has allowed me to give up the former ideas of a hellfire “g-d” who punishes…and replace it with a Big Daddy/Mommy/Other bandleader who beats me with a cool tempo...like in this next boogie woogie number:
“Beat me, Daddy, eight to the bar”
In a little honky-tonky village in Texas
There's a guy who plays the best piano by far
He can play piano any way that you like it
But the way he likes to play is eight to the bar
When he plays, it's a ball
He's the daddy of them all
The people gather around when he gets on the stand
Then when he plays, he gets a hand
The rhythm he beats puts the cats in a trance
Nobody there bothers to dance
But when he plays with the bass and guitar
They holler out, "Beat me, Daddy, eight to the bar"
A-plink, a-plank, a-plink plank, plink plank
A-plunkin' on the keys
A-riff, a-raff, a-riff raff, riff raff
A-riffin' out with ease
And when he plays with the bass and guitar
They holler out, "Beat me, Daddy, eight to the bar"
The Master and Commander...
Reducing "unnecessary" suffering
[excerpts from the article with my added bolding] One of the Buddha’s principal aims was to alleviate unnecessary suffering – that is, suffering caused by three factors: one, anger and ‘negative’ emotions; two, greed, craving and attachment; and, three, delusion – that is, having a misguided view or misunderstanding of how things are, the true nature of reality. Some kinds of suffering are an inevitable aspect of life. Aging, illness, injury and death affect us all, and seeing how these processes affect those we love is also hard to bear. Although we can’t avoid these aspects of life, we can learn how to negotiate them and how to lessen the impact they have on us. By changing our relationship with these experiences, we can be less affected by them.
Conserving, caring and sharing
Learning about impermanence, interdependence and causality would be at the core of a comprehensive education system. Learning the importance of taking responsibility for our thoughts, words and actions – and of compassion, awareness and kindness - would be key elements in a curriculum that emphasised critical thinking as well as: developing creative imagination, awareness and respect for all cultures; learning from history; and learning how all beings are interconnected. All centres of education would aim to develop in their students a holistic awareness of the interrelationships that bind all beings and natural forces together, and a realisation that all actions have consequences that may cause or alleviate suffering. Learning that the earth’s resources are finite and need to be conserved, and that biodiversity is essential to the health of us all, would be crucial – as would developing new ways of ensuring the well-being of all the peoples of the earth. Cultural diversity would be viewed as a sign of a flourishing planet. The natural world would be cared for as the home of all living beings – to be valued and cared for as we value and care for our own home.
These may be seen as pie-in-the-sky aspirations at present, but any action any of us can take, however small, which moves us in this direction, is a step towards a better future. Of course, clinging to notions of a future utopia may be one more attachment to be let go of. But, following an ethical path that might someday lead to a sustainable, fair and healthy society is surely something that each of us can do – it is a way of extending our meditation practice, and the understanding that comes from it, into our everyday lives. Making the world a better place depends on each of us, here and now, acting with imagination, kindness and compassionate clear-sighted awareness.
The subtitle of this next article is "Much of suffering in developed countries is self-created but can be overcome."
[Selections from the article with my added bolding] Existence is suffering. This is the First Noble Truth of Buddhism. To exist, to be alive, is to suffer. Some may initially want to argue this, and say they aren’t suffering. But their internal, and often verbal, dialogue would challenge their statement. As the comedian Louie CK states, “People in other countries have real problems. Like…Oh, [shoot]. They’re cutting off our heads, Today! Things like that. Here, we make up [stuff] to be upset about.” Consider for a minute how many conversations you have where someone is complaining.
In psychotherapy practice, as well as personally, I have witnessed many people (including myself) create suffering. This can be done by the choices made in life, or by one’s chosen state of mind. Whether it is the Death Instinct, the Jonah Complex, or some other theory that postulates why it occurs, it exists. Humans, no matter what their walk of life, suffer. At times it is necessary to experience the pain that comes with life. But at other times, it is unnecessary and dysfunctional, and can be overcome.
There is a saying in Eastern mindfulness philosophy, that if you are depressed you are focused on the past, anxious you are focused in the future. Peace only exists in the present moment. The idea of being present is the solution to created suffering (quite possibly all suffering is created, but that is for another article). First, if you are feeling sad about something, feel it. Really feel it, allow its full expression. Be in the moment with the pain. Allow it to come and pass, as all things do. Do not hold it longer, or discard it too soon. Be with it.
Remember to watch the company we keep…
tOM
#music #humor #friends #GratefulDead #thoughts #Bible #JackJohnson #PlayingForChange #CommanderCody #suffering #UnnecessarySuffering #Buddhism #BobbyMcFerrin #coffin
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