Murders in La Loche

Day One La Loche 2/7/16

First night at La Loche and Buffalo Narrows after the shooting of  four people.  Even the chance encounters I have had clearly indicate the shock and hurt felt within these communities. There has been further frustration with the crowds of media and politicians which came and left.

Northern communities are clearly dismayed by the lack of interest in providing adequate services in the north. The 'rubber necking' of the south in response to the shootings smacks of insincerity. Adolescent suicides and missing aboriginal women have been ignored for decades.  Mental health services are not adequate and there are few educational programs for the youth.   Ironically 'we the south' gladly take the natural resources of the north without question.

So on day one of my many visits to the north I remain skeptical that anyone really cares.  Years ago I met with various government officials and recommended wellness clinics be in place throughtout the north on a quarterly basis.  These would serve as education centers, sexual assault response centres and mental health support.  The response is that there was no funding or cooperation between government departments and nothing could be done.  I don't know if four dead bodies will make any difference but I hope they do.   Peace.  Dr. T

Mindfulness Meditation Community Practice

Our next Mindfulness Meditation Community Practice will be held on Sunday January 17th from 3-5 at the office of Dr. Todd Sojonky.  Suggested minimum donation is thirty dollars.  We will practice walking mindfulness, full body scan, sitting meditation and the practice of Loving Kindness.  Hope you come and enjoy our Caring Community.  Please register at Mindfulness Regina on Facebook.

Live Fully Now - Alan Watts

Mindfulness

The practice of mindfulness, of bringing the scattered mind home, and so of bringing the different aspects of our being into focus, is called Peacefully Remaining or Calm Abiding.

All the fragmented aspects of ourselves, which had been at war, settle and dissolve and become friends. In that settling we begin to understand ourselves more, and sometimes even have glimpses of the radiance of our fundamental nature. ---Rigpa

Letting Go

Although we have been made to believe that if we let go we will end up with nothing, life itself reveals again and again the opposite: that letting go is the path to real freedom.

Just as when the waves lash at the shore, the rocks suffer no damage but are sculpted and eroded into beautiful shapes, so our characters can be molded and our rough edges worn smooth by changes. Through weathering changes, we can learn how to develop a gentle but unshakable composure. Our confidence in ourselves grows, and becomes so much greater that goodness and compassion begin naturally to radiate out from us and bring joy to others.


That goodness is what survives death, a fundamental goodness that is in each and every one of us. The whole of our life is a teaching of how to uncover that strong goodness, and a training toward realizing it.  -Rigpa Quote of the Day

Muddy Water

There is a famous saying: “If the mind is not contrived, it is spontaneously blissful, just as water, when not agitated, is by nature transparent and clear.”

I often compare the mind in meditation to a jar of muddy water: The more we leave the water without interfering or stirring it, the more the particles of dirt will sink to the bottom, letting the natural clarity of the water shine through. The very nature of the mind is such that if you only leave it in its unaltered and natural state, it will find its true nature, which is bliss and clarity.

---Rigpa Quote of the Day

Seven Deadly Habits

Punishing, Complaining, Blaiming, Threatening, Nagging, Criticizing, Bribing!!!!!


Do these things and you will make everyone around you nuts! Dr. William Glasser believes that most of the emotional turmoil we experience is directly caused by our use of these seven deadly habits. We seem to have our wiring crossed. We spend half our lives trying to control the people and the institutions which fill our lives and it is sick! As we try harder to control those around us they quite naturally become resistant and resentful and soon our relationships are broken and disappointing. Although Glasser's theory (Choice Theory) seems quite simple it has worked well in therapy with thousands of people. Diagnosis and labelling (DSM-IV) are seen as damaging hostile tools that only hurt our relationships further. Instead Glasser says we simply need to replace the seven deadly habits with the seven habits of truly caring people.


Supporting, Encouraging, Listening, Accepting, Trusting, Respecting and Negotiating Differences!!!

If you work and live with these habits most of your problems will disappear. Try googleing the Glasser Institute to find out more. Peace. TJS.

Dealing with stress.....

"You build up resistance to stress by learning, acquiring and practicing skills needed to go forward and cope." Dr. Donald Meichenbaum

Donald Meichenbaum became one of the great Canadian psychologists. He believed that the self-messages we send create our behaviour. For us to deal effectively with our stress and anger we must pay attention to the self messages we send and change them. Through cognitive behavior therapy we learn new skills to cope with stressful situations and send healthier messages of worth and value. Remember much of our stress is self-induced through inner dialogue.

Call a psychologist and develop a stress-reduction plan!

Taming The Mind

If this elephant of mind is bound on all sides by the cord of
mindfulness,
All fear disappears and complete happiness comes.
All enemies: all the tigers, lions, elephants, bears, serpents
(of our emotions);
And all the keepers of hell; the demons and the horrors,
All of these are bound by the mastery of your mind,
And by the taming of that one mind, all are subdued,
Because from the mind are derived all fears and
immeasurable sorrows.


SHANTIDEVA

Joy

Whatever joy there is in this world
All comes from desiring others to be happy,
And whatever suffering there is in this world
All comes from desiring myself to be happy.

SHANTIDEVA

Mental Posture

If you are sitting, and your mind is not wholly in tune with your body—if you are, for instance, anxious or preoccupied with something—your body will experience physical discomfort, and difficulties will arise more easily. Whereas if your mind is in a calm, inspired state, it will influence your whole posture, and you can sit much more naturally and effortlessly. So it is very important to unite the posture of your body and the confidence that arises from your realization of the nature of your mind. ---Rigpa Quote of the Day