Mindfulness, by Ellen Langer the 25th Anniversary Edition. This was a very interesting and positive book. I decided to read it this week after watching an interview J.B. Peterson had with the author. She has a new book coming out tomorrow, The Mindful Body, which I have preordered. I mostly likely will have read the new one before you get to read this post.
Mindfulness as she describes it is all about both paying attention to what is and being creative about what can be. In the interview she started by asking what 1+1=. Guess what? It’s not always 2, if you take one pile of laundry and add it to another pile of laundry you still have 1pile of laundry!
Another part of reality is the importance of perception. She gives the difference between being told your cancer is in remission or your cancer is cured. The first causes stress and bad outcomes. Much better she says to make these messages conditional, as it it seems like….
It all reminded me of back in the day when my wife had been I’ll for about three years. That had been the doctors prognosis. Her current doctor told her to go home and conserve what energy she had left. Instead we fired the doctor and bought a canoe. She lived 26 more relatively active years. These included organizing, training and leading a group of clowns for a special worship ministry; traveling to the Holy Land; setting up for and teaching Catechizes of the Good Shepherd.
Part of mindfulness also seems to be related to seeing function more than things. Langer didn’t use this example. However, I think McGiver had it in spades! Watch some refunds and you will know what I mean. Each episode had him turning what was at hand too the tools he needed.
I believe this is what Jesus was doing with the Parables. He was trying to get people to see and think outside the box. When asked “who is my neighbor?” He tells the parable that has the listener ask, “Am I a good neighbor?
Langer also describes how mindfulness helps us be aware of alternative possibilities. It reminded me of Romans 8:28. “All things work together for good for those who love the Lord.” For a good example read my post The Best Car. My mother would say, “It’s an ill wind that blows no good.” If we are mindful we may find that good wind.
She also emphasized the positive effects of playfulness. It made me think of a game one could play. What other things could a _________be? She used the example of a brick. However, you could do it with anything. It is like the opposite of the saying that if you only have a hammer everything looks like a nail! Well what else could a hammer be? Here are some off the top of my head. You could use it to prop open a door. It might work as a can opener. The handle might stir your pot. Get the idea.
I hope this post has been both informative and encouraging. It might also be an incentive to read her book or attempt more mindfulness. It could lead you to an interesting conversation or play a game.
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