In regards to fear, I have always appreciated Liz Gilbert's take on it, which is to understand that fear comes from the oldest, most primal part of our brains, and has a use. It has, down through many thousands of years, kept us safe. Rather than ignoring it or attempting to conquer it, we can just acknowledge it and thank it for doing its job. Invite it to take a seat in the corner or in the backseat. Reassure it that we hear its message and know that it is trying to care for us in its own lizard-like brain way, so we will allow it along for the ride. But we will not let it drive the car. Or control the fingers on the keyboard, or the tongue in our mouths.
Good luck with the kitchen. That's on my list, too.
You would probably enjoy Tim Urban’s blog waitbutwhy.com if you don’t know it already. I love his work. He does these cute cartoon and stick figure drawings of the different characters in our brain that explain our evolutionary past and our resulting behaviors (social acceptance mammoth, procrastination monkey, the rational mind, etc)...they are pretty hilarious and he’s brilliant. The procrastination monkey is always trying to grab the “wheel” in the brain and control things. He became famous for the Ted talk he did on procrastination. His blog post on the social acceptance mammoth In our brains really is a great explanation of why humans get so worked up about what other people think, because while our science and technology have evolved a ton over the past 50,000 years, our brains are still living in hunter gatherer tribes where lack of social acceptance means death. Crazy how much work we have to constantly do just to live with the brains we have!
Courage to walk into a new job tomorrow. The last time I worked in an office was 14 years ago and my kids were still in high school. Courage to face my disability while others are looking on. Being in-person social after a year of relative isolation.
I’ve had the book "Fear, Essential Wisdom for Getting Through the Storm," by Thich Nhat Hanh at my bedside on and off for years, and I highly recommend it for those feeling desperate for courage. It presents Buddhist wisdom in an incredibly helpful way, describing fear as a seed that will always be within us, but as a seed we can grow or shrink. We shrink it by not suppressing it, by allowing it rise up and showing it compassion, acknowledging and soothing it, and then through mindfulness and acceptance of impermanence/death, we can shrink it back to being a seed. A main focus of the book is how the root of our fears is our struggle to not accept impermanence/death. I feel like, for me personally, the truth in Buddhism and Christianity need to be merged/reconciled somehow, because they each offer something. While I see the richness and value in the teachings of Jesus, the Christian approach to death and fear (“caste out fear” and reject death) and the "battle between good and evil” and doesn’t calm my soul the way the Buddhist approach to fear does. At the same time, the Buddhist idea of nothingness/emptiness gets disturbing, so I tend to turn away from Buddhism at that point, but hold on to it as a way of dealing with fear. Whether or not God is nothingness or somethingness, or both, or whatever Unknowable thing It is, there’s something healing about going right to the root of human fear.
Courage to clean up the bedroom/office, dining table, and every other place left a mess in the wake of being at home all this time. Courage to see others with grace especially when I’d rather write them off. Courage to stop beating myself up for perceived shortcomings when it really means I’m just human.
I could use some courage tomorrow. My son and his wife think I'm not telling them enough that they are good parents although I feel like I do all the time. They're kind of upset with me and I feel like I'm trying as hard as I can. They said they don't want me to talk about my daughter and her kids as much and I will do that. I just need courage not to shrink up into a little corner and just be silent when I'm there tomorrow. It just makes me feel like I'm not good enough which is a very familiar feeling. I would appreciate any prayers. Thank you.
Chuck, I wasn't thinking in movie terms but your comment is in the same vein as mine. I had not yet read through the comments before posting mine. Nadia has it and forgets that she does, just like you, me and everyone else. That's what prayer does too, reminds us that we are loved, worthy, courageous, compassionate....the not so subtle reminder of the importance of consistency in an ever distracting world.
Courage, a difficult word at best, facing debt, through my own foolish decisions, facing an upcoming surgery, hand and wrist, my wife and I fighting the war against breast cancer, married three years, together for four, January 1st, courage against my own failures, my many many falls, today I simply ask for grace, and if Father see’s fit to answer 20,000 to clear our debt, courage, grace, prayer. Thanks for listening.
It is strangely beautiful when I can rely on others to pray the prayers my heart needs, but wasn't even aware of and certainly cannot find the words for. Thank you.
“Courage to heal, even though I sometimes love my wounds”. YES! YES! And YES! Thank you for that. I needed that, I feel that, and I struggle with that so very much.
courage to know when to speak humbly, and, more frequently and more importantly, to know to just STF up and not provide any more "wisdom".
Well said.
courage to make the right decisions about my prostate cancer because I'm afraid
🙏🏻
In regards to fear, I have always appreciated Liz Gilbert's take on it, which is to understand that fear comes from the oldest, most primal part of our brains, and has a use. It has, down through many thousands of years, kept us safe. Rather than ignoring it or attempting to conquer it, we can just acknowledge it and thank it for doing its job. Invite it to take a seat in the corner or in the backseat. Reassure it that we hear its message and know that it is trying to care for us in its own lizard-like brain way, so we will allow it along for the ride. But we will not let it drive the car. Or control the fingers on the keyboard, or the tongue in our mouths.
Good luck with the kitchen. That's on my list, too.
You would probably enjoy Tim Urban’s blog waitbutwhy.com if you don’t know it already. I love his work. He does these cute cartoon and stick figure drawings of the different characters in our brain that explain our evolutionary past and our resulting behaviors (social acceptance mammoth, procrastination monkey, the rational mind, etc)...they are pretty hilarious and he’s brilliant. The procrastination monkey is always trying to grab the “wheel” in the brain and control things. He became famous for the Ted talk he did on procrastination. His blog post on the social acceptance mammoth In our brains really is a great explanation of why humans get so worked up about what other people think, because while our science and technology have evolved a ton over the past 50,000 years, our brains are still living in hunter gatherer tribes where lack of social acceptance means death. Crazy how much work we have to constantly do just to live with the brains we have!
I will check that out! Thank you!
Love this sentiment.
Courage to walk into a new job tomorrow. The last time I worked in an office was 14 years ago and my kids were still in high school. Courage to face my disability while others are looking on. Being in-person social after a year of relative isolation.
Courage to stop abusing my body with food so I don’t die of a heart attack while I’m waiting...
I’ve had the book "Fear, Essential Wisdom for Getting Through the Storm," by Thich Nhat Hanh at my bedside on and off for years, and I highly recommend it for those feeling desperate for courage. It presents Buddhist wisdom in an incredibly helpful way, describing fear as a seed that will always be within us, but as a seed we can grow or shrink. We shrink it by not suppressing it, by allowing it rise up and showing it compassion, acknowledging and soothing it, and then through mindfulness and acceptance of impermanence/death, we can shrink it back to being a seed. A main focus of the book is how the root of our fears is our struggle to not accept impermanence/death. I feel like, for me personally, the truth in Buddhism and Christianity need to be merged/reconciled somehow, because they each offer something. While I see the richness and value in the teachings of Jesus, the Christian approach to death and fear (“caste out fear” and reject death) and the "battle between good and evil” and doesn’t calm my soul the way the Buddhist approach to fear does. At the same time, the Buddhist idea of nothingness/emptiness gets disturbing, so I tend to turn away from Buddhism at that point, but hold on to it as a way of dealing with fear. Whether or not God is nothingness or somethingness, or both, or whatever Unknowable thing It is, there’s something healing about going right to the root of human fear.
*Cast not caste (big difference)...need ☕️...can’t write or spell yet today
From the hymn.....Grant us wisdom, grant us courage, for the facing of this hour........for the living of these days. O Lord I pray
Courage to clean up the bedroom/office, dining table, and every other place left a mess in the wake of being at home all this time. Courage to see others with grace especially when I’d rather write them off. Courage to stop beating myself up for perceived shortcomings when it really means I’m just human.
Sobbed when I read this. Courage; Just what I needed to read today and just what I need to pray for every day. So much gratitude.
I could use some courage tomorrow. My son and his wife think I'm not telling them enough that they are good parents although I feel like I do all the time. They're kind of upset with me and I feel like I'm trying as hard as I can. They said they don't want me to talk about my daughter and her kids as much and I will do that. I just need courage not to shrink up into a little corner and just be silent when I'm there tomorrow. It just makes me feel like I'm not good enough which is a very familiar feeling. I would appreciate any prayers. Thank you.
Sorry stuck on the movie tangents, but didn't the cowardly lion find out he had courage all along, just didn't know it? maybe we are in the same boat
Chuck, I wasn't thinking in movie terms but your comment is in the same vein as mine. I had not yet read through the comments before posting mine. Nadia has it and forgets that she does, just like you, me and everyone else. That's what prayer does too, reminds us that we are loved, worthy, courageous, compassionate....the not so subtle reminder of the importance of consistency in an ever distracting world.
I think God loves me most when (and because) i take the time to fall to my knees in prayer, even before (in spite of ) anything comes out of my mouth
Courage to change the things I can....
Courage, a difficult word at best, facing debt, through my own foolish decisions, facing an upcoming surgery, hand and wrist, my wife and I fighting the war against breast cancer, married three years, together for four, January 1st, courage against my own failures, my many many falls, today I simply ask for grace, and if Father see’s fit to answer 20,000 to clear our debt, courage, grace, prayer. Thanks for listening.
It is strangely beautiful when I can rely on others to pray the prayers my heart needs, but wasn't even aware of and certainly cannot find the words for. Thank you.
“Courage to heal, even though I sometimes love my wounds”. YES! YES! And YES! Thank you for that. I needed that, I feel that, and I struggle with that so very much.
LOVE THE PICTURE, I AM SURE C. S. LEWIS WOULD LIKE.