OMG I am humbled and honored that you took the time to answer my question because it is a question we all grapple with. I love that you wondered aloud if you’d wasted your time early on — BT (before therapy). Just know, nothing is wasted. Your varied life experience has brought you to where you are right now. You started to talk about “I expect less . . .” and then the guy in the pickup with the loud rap music turning into the church drive got your attention. Maybe another time you can talk about “expecting less” which in no way diminishes life, it enhances it. Finally, because I feel like I’ve talked too much, what you call saving rednecks by walking in the woods (listening to the leaves crunching underfoot) is what the Japanese call “Forest bathing.” Thank you for your insights. You are a blessing.
Great post. Thanks for sharing! Mindfulness and meditation have done the trick for me. I use the Waking Up app with Sam Harris every day, and there are lectures and even some “sleep meditations” to listen to as I drift off. But during the day, I just keep trying to remind myself to *notice* things, mindfully. It has expanded my world and my sense of wonder. Like you with the crunching leaves! Just a walk in the woods and NOTICING things, not just the beautiful but all things, is very therapeutic.
Contentment. I don't know that I've ever been content. It's hard when you have people coming at you from all sides. But I've found that for me...there might be a relationship between contentment and satisfying my never ending curiosities. Sometimes that's doing arty stuff, sometimes it's reading. Recently it's been I have made friends with a murder of crows. There's something kind of special about leaving them a big plate of walnuts and Jerky and coming back to find coins, random bits of jewelry, pretty rocks etc. They come and stand on my car and make the friend caw. I find it a strangely comforting way to wake up in the morning. It feels like an honor.
I wanna elaborate on my previous question a bit. I asked about fear. What I really wanna know is how you deal with it...like things like stage fright for example.
All you need is the ability to mimic their friendly caws, some food they like,a few shinies, good intentions and a bit of patience. They're VERY smart. They use tools and can mimic human speech to a degree. If you give them food and objects that shine, they'll bring you presents and get real close. They follow me when I'm walking around town too. They're not pets though. You can't think of them that way or they'll tell you to fuck off. It's more like being someone's favorite waiter lol. Google it. I found a video where a girl did this and I wanted to try so I did.
I’ve noticed the crows on our property. Don’t you love that we humans call them a “murder” of crows? I wonder what crows call us? A mess of primates? Anyway, they seem to be a warning alarm when there’s a hawk or perhaps a coyote in the vicinity. I pay attention when they appear to be shouting out. I’m going to pay even more attention now that I’ve read your commentary, maybe add some shiney bits to the black sunflower seeds I leave out.
That's one of the more practical reasons I did it. I don't mind the hawks but the coys are a problem and they do give warnings. People associate the color black with evil unfortunately. I think that trope mightve helped create whoever was the first racist. My grubby lil secretly goth heart disagrees lol Pay attention and you can start to differentiate the calls. And they do love their shinies. They've brought me money too. Coins they found.
I don’t think I’ve ever been content. I have my happy place which is laying in the sun & listening to music, but I can’t think of a time outside of my happy place where I am content.
Cory. You are chewing waaaay too much nicotine gum. Slow your roll, boy.
OMG I am humbled and honored that you took the time to answer my question because it is a question we all grapple with. I love that you wondered aloud if you’d wasted your time early on — BT (before therapy). Just know, nothing is wasted. Your varied life experience has brought you to where you are right now. You started to talk about “I expect less . . .” and then the guy in the pickup with the loud rap music turning into the church drive got your attention. Maybe another time you can talk about “expecting less” which in no way diminishes life, it enhances it. Finally, because I feel like I’ve talked too much, what you call saving rednecks by walking in the woods (listening to the leaves crunching underfoot) is what the Japanese call “Forest bathing.” Thank you for your insights. You are a blessing.
Great post. Thanks for sharing! Mindfulness and meditation have done the trick for me. I use the Waking Up app with Sam Harris every day, and there are lectures and even some “sleep meditations” to listen to as I drift off. But during the day, I just keep trying to remind myself to *notice* things, mindfully. It has expanded my world and my sense of wonder. Like you with the crunching leaves! Just a walk in the woods and NOTICING things, not just the beautiful but all things, is very therapeutic.
Best wishes, Corey. Keep going!
Contentment. I don't know that I've ever been content. It's hard when you have people coming at you from all sides. But I've found that for me...there might be a relationship between contentment and satisfying my never ending curiosities. Sometimes that's doing arty stuff, sometimes it's reading. Recently it's been I have made friends with a murder of crows. There's something kind of special about leaving them a big plate of walnuts and Jerky and coming back to find coins, random bits of jewelry, pretty rocks etc. They come and stand on my car and make the friend caw. I find it a strangely comforting way to wake up in the morning. It feels like an honor.
I wanna elaborate on my previous question a bit. I asked about fear. What I really wanna know is how you deal with it...like things like stage fright for example.
Love your relationship with crows.
All you need is the ability to mimic their friendly caws, some food they like,a few shinies, good intentions and a bit of patience. They're VERY smart. They use tools and can mimic human speech to a degree. If you give them food and objects that shine, they'll bring you presents and get real close. They follow me when I'm walking around town too. They're not pets though. You can't think of them that way or they'll tell you to fuck off. It's more like being someone's favorite waiter lol. Google it. I found a video where a girl did this and I wanted to try so I did.
I’ve noticed the crows on our property. Don’t you love that we humans call them a “murder” of crows? I wonder what crows call us? A mess of primates? Anyway, they seem to be a warning alarm when there’s a hawk or perhaps a coyote in the vicinity. I pay attention when they appear to be shouting out. I’m going to pay even more attention now that I’ve read your commentary, maybe add some shiney bits to the black sunflower seeds I leave out.
That's one of the more practical reasons I did it. I don't mind the hawks but the coys are a problem and they do give warnings. People associate the color black with evil unfortunately. I think that trope mightve helped create whoever was the first racist. My grubby lil secretly goth heart disagrees lol Pay attention and you can start to differentiate the calls. And they do love their shinies. They've brought me money too. Coins they found.
That dude is playing Pokémon go. Going back to listening
I don’t think I’ve ever been content. I have my happy place which is laying in the sun & listening to music, but I can’t think of a time outside of my happy place where I am content.