WYGYWPNTFAPR!

WYGYWPNTFAPR

This blog started with me at home reading a passage from "Wherever You Go There You Are" written by Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn.

This is an excerpt from the section called: Patience, in the chapter-lesson: The Bloom of the Present Moment.

Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn:

Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn: On the radio, I heard someone define ethics as "obedience to the unenforceable." Not bad. You do it for inner reasons, not because someone is keeping score, or because you might be punished if you break the rules and get caught...It is an inner hearing you are attending to...
["Wherever You Go There You Are" by Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn]

I can appreciate this view, and agree with the necessity of people behaving ethically.

Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn continues [in the same section: Patience, which begins on page 47 of my Hyperion book edition]

Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn: If someone hits you with a stick, you don't get angry at the person attatched to the arm. But if you look a little deeper, you can't find a satisfactory root cause or place for your anger, even in the person, who literally doesn't know what he is doing and is therefore out of his mind at the moment. Where should the blame lie, or the punishment?

From my point-of-view, which I call:

The School of FILE A POLICE REPORT: He HIT me with a stick.

(IMO) In an ideal world, I would file a police report, then wait for the authorities (that our society recognizes) to answer 'where the blame lies', and determine what the punishment should be.

As a disabled person, my life-experience-Ainst (angst) lies in part, in my belief, that my neighbors and family see my disability through a:

She is crazy because he hit her with a stick. Does she know?..point-of-view.

From my viewpoint, the voices I hear, which I call 'demonic' have a 'demonic-point-of-view':

We can use her as a telephone because 'god' hit her with a stick.

I find it hard to have a clear, sane view amongst many 'unbalanced' voices.

Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn continues to think about the behavior of the hypothetical hitter:

Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn: Maybe we should be angry at the person's parents for the abuse they may have showered on a defenseless child."

I also thought of a similar viewpoint (before I had read that sentence). After I read the passage (about not becoming angry with the stick hitter) I wondered how to apply the Golden Rule towards a person harming others. My thoughts went something like:

Me: Because he would not have wanted to be hit with a stick by someone bigger as a child, he should not hit other people with sticks.

What inspires me, and may inspire other people living and working with their lives after being disabled is this passage:

Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn: When asked about his apparent lack of anger towards the Chinese by an incredulous reporter at the time he won the Nobel Peace Prize, the Dali Lama replied something to the effect that: "They have taken everything from us; should I let them take my mind as well?"

Another person may ask...'should I let them take my love of life, or of humanity'?

The Doctor's Viewpoint:

Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn: This [ The Dali or Dalai Lama's ] remarkable display of peace...the inner peace of knowing what is most fundamental, and the outer peace of embodying that wisdom in carriage and action. Peace, and a willingness to be patient in the face of such enormous provocation and suffering can only come about through the inner cultivation of compassion, a compassion that is not limited to friends, but is felt equally for those who, out of ignorance and often seen as evil, may cause you and those you love to suffer.


I have tried to practice patience (not just exist as a disabled outpatient) through my angry and fearful feelings. I have felt sorrow, rage and hopelessness which, in the past, lead to my suicidal attempts.

I am angry that I can not turn in a police report, or FILE A RESTRAINING ORDER against the voices I hear but can not see. I am angry that the voices that have caused my disabilities continue un-restrained.

I am thankful that I am sometimes able to listen to, or see the light of reason. Reason is a good reason to work, and contine to (try to) practice the Golden Rule.

I am familiar with negativity, feels of bleakness and hopelessness. Such feelings create feeling of suffering. Ironically, when I 'get on' with living my life, I find it easier to live my life (although I continue to hear voices that increase my anxiety, paranoia, fear and anger.)

Jon Kabat-Zinn: When we have to push, we push. When we have to pull, we pull. But we know when not to push too, and when not to pull."

I find this modern world sometimes like...Koyaanisqatsi...life out of balance.

Many people may find it hard to know when not to push. I try to look for guidance.

I also like the familiar saying:

G ♀ d, grant me the
Strength to change the things I can (and should) change
Patience to accept the things I can not change,
and wisdom to know the difference.

In my therapy sessions, which I received free, it helped hearing another person agree with me.

...Maybe I should not try to physically fight with people trying to hurt me (unless it is my last option, as a form of self-defense).
...Yes, some people are dangerous, and may wish me harm.
...Yes, it is 'A-o.k' to ask for help, or call the police.

Lately, I desire validation.
I wish there were a Dial-A-Doctor/therapist Hotline!
I would appreciate a 10 minute talk with someone willing to listen and give helpful advice.

I think I will visit the doctorjoyce.com website, and see if I can suggest the
'Dial-A-Doctor/therapist' idea there.

I like this bit of advice from 'Dr. Joyce':

'Dr. Joyce': "I encourage my clients to affirm their worth and align themselves with PPGPs -- Positive People Going Places" [Ebony.com October 2011]

Me: I like this.

PPGPP -- Positive People Going Someplace Positive

V / S

NPGSP -- Negative People Going Someplace.

I wish Negative People (and their words) would 'get to step'n' taking their 'toxic behavior' elsewhere!

Unfortunately, whatever positive place you will reach, you will probably meet people acting less than 'human'.

This world offers many opportunities to practice (a spiritual practice, and...'love'.)

Where Ever You Go You Will Probably Need To FILE A POLICE REPORT!