Alternate title: Let’s talk about how feeling like you are losing your mind may be totally not death in the medium run especially if you are brave enough to want to help people. Also, some observations about the awesomeness of quietly staring at a wall.

Disclaimer: I have such mixed feeling about this. Totally not on board with the spiritual realm stuff and kinda loving the rest. Especially the positive interpretation of sensitivity and the need for rituals (or patterns or systems or habits).

Inspired by: The Shamanic View of Mental Illness

Favorite quote: “Those who develop so-called mental disorders are those who are sensitive, which is viewed in Western culture as oversensitivity. Indigenous cultures don’t see it that way and, as a result, sensitive people don’t experience themselves as overly sensitive.”

Also ties into: Dabrowski’s Theory of Positive Disintegration and Overexcitabilities, and Josh’s take on it.

What are your favorite positive interpretation of sensitivity and emotional intensity?

So, while we are on rituals, I am really excited about doing mindfulness again after a five year gap.

My nascent mindfulness ritual:

I noticed a couple of month ago that coaching was going great with existing tribe and people I talk with on the internet, but new people were really scary and I could manage about 1 or 2 calls a week before it took most of my attention for that span of days.  So in the interest of not running away from my coaching adventure, I started looking at ways to better manage my reactions to new things and uncertainty.

For me, 4-8 minutes of meditation every morning has been doing A LOT to curb anxiety and stay grounded.

Since the book I originally picked up said to do 5 minutes longer than you are comfortable with, I started at 5 minutes in May, and am now at 10 minutes.  Pema Chodron is quickly becoming a favorite and I am enjoying her books on “Living with Uncertainty,” and “Start Where You Are.”  She also has Audible books.

A few observations on starting to meditate daily:

I am at a month and a half of doing this, and it still always feels like I am thinking, and it still helps me with staying centered that day even though it feels like I am doing it wrong.  If I check my email first, I usually miss that day.

Journaling is optional except to record that I meditated.  Some days I write, and sometimes I have 7 minutes flat before my first client or class call.  If you want to try this and are really pressed for time, you can start with a minute a day.

Right now starting a practice of sitting daily feels like the best self care choice I made in a very long time and it is adding to both available spoons and baseline cope!

What rituals (or patterns or systems or habits) help you smooth-out your experience of reality?

What rituals or systems are you curious about trying in the future?