Mindfulness or Madness?

The lesson right now  is about listening,  breathing, sending out love. 

It is the only way to fend off the panic that comes as the world  I  knew  crumbles away, 

as the newspaper reports an even bigger wave of layoffs, that now includes my children's father.

What other  choice do I have:   medication? madness?

It is a lesson from my past. Just like making soup. When I was 18 I   learned how to live simply,  how to meditate.  So how timely,  now this  in-service training at the start of this week on the benefit of using meditation techniques in the classroom.

 It is so simple.  

We listen to the sound of the tibetan bell. 

Not as a religious buddist practice but as a way to become calm.

We breath  because it improves concentration, reduces conflict, makes us more resilient.

And it is free.

Just like all those things that I love most are free:

I am rich  drinking the  intoxicating rain washed  crystal  air 

seeing the winter blood orange sunset streaked with charcoal clouds, 

 smelling the sweetness of the daphne blooming 

serenaded by morning visiting symphonies of song birds

and tasting a raisin.

Be mindful.

And grateful. 

I can worry later about the worst case scenarios.

the global warming catastrophes.

all the what ifs....

for now, I can be in the moment

with what has not changed.

J inspires me by his new routines. Every day he goes into the back studio to spend time meditating. Then he writes in his journal.

And then he goes on with his day.

Learning new skills. Working on new products. Sending out job applications. Composing music. Being in support groups. Going to classes. 

I am mindful how easily relationship are strained in hard economic times.

How quickly conflicts  may rise when resources are limited. 

But for now I see kindness. 

People who have jobs who are  helping those who do not.

My friend who is still making money says she wants to keep spending it. 

That way she feels she is doing something to help the economy grow.

We cannot be afraid to give.

I think about my soup again.

So easy to put out a pot and share it.

Why should  McDonalds be one of the few corporations that is making a profit?

We must remember that there are other ways to heal the world.