Wednesday Wisdom

An oldie but a goodie. I got this one from a tea bag, and it stuck.


"When ego is lost, limit is lost."

-Anonymous

Daily Detox: Mindfulness

Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction is a western term for what many people simply call meditation. Meditation can take many forms, but for me, it a chance to clear the mind, recenter, and open myself to spiritual and mental growth. Mindfulness brings me back to the present moment and teaches me how to 'be here now.'

There is a new study out showing the brain science of meditation. There is some level of scientific proof revealing what ancient practitioners have said all along: that meditation increases memory and empathy, changes sense of self, and reduces stress and anxiety.

I've experienced this in varying ways, whether at a retreat, in yoga class, or in personal study here and there. I've always wanted to delve deeper. The perfectionism post awhile back reflected my handling of this goal--one more thing on the to-do list that wouldn't get done unless I could do it completely. Pretty unrealistic, though.

At the recommendation of a mother I work with, I picked up A Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Workbook in hope of learning new ways to integrate this practice into my busy life. It's sat by my bedside for weeks now, waiting for me to be 'ready,' whatever that means. My mind has gotten busier and busier over the last few months, and picking up this discipline has seemed too daunting. Yesterday, though, lovely instructor Lisa at Cityoga integrated a simple 5 minute meditation into our slow flow class. It was so peaceful, and quite possible at my level of mind-clutter. That evening, when I offered up my excuse of a too-busy mind to allow me to practice regularly, a good friend called me out and reminded me that it's probably just the right time to start.

So, I'm starting! Time to detox my crazy noggin and refocus on the present. I'm taking a few minutes this evening to go beyond browsing the pages of this book and begin to study mindfulness in a new way. I'm hoping to increase the calm in my life and give my body a break from tension and anxiety. I'm hoping for deeper spiritual understanding and stronger connection to the world and the Divine. I'm hoping to learn a bit about myself and become a better person for the people around me. But first, I have to allow myself the time to practice. I'll let you know how it goes.

Wednesday Wisdom

"You must learn to be still in the midst of activity and to be vibrantly alive in repose."

--Indira Ghandi

Haves and Have Nots

I'm all about responsible use of resources. We don't carry debt in our home (aside from mortgage and student loans, and we're diligent with those). We live below our means. If we couldn't pay cash for it, we do without. I'm grateful we've been able to make these choices.

That said, there are instances where people are stuck with 2 bad choices. Do you go into debt or do without the transportation that gets you to work? Do you go into debt or do without medicine that keeps you going?

This new proposed budget gives me a headache. I really, really value fiscal responsibility. But not as much as I value protecting vulnerable members of our society. What is more important to us, as a society?

How did we get to a place where certain people 'deserve' to be wealthy? The argument I hear over and over again is how hard they work for it. That drives me crazy. Why?

Guess who else works hard? Garbage collectors. Certified Nurses Assistants. Construction workers. Warehouse staff. Servers in restaurants. Maintenance workers. Teachers. People who work 3 icky jobs to cover their bills. While I'm at it, why not add social workers?

So that's why tax breaks for the top echelon of society give me a headache. You can find wealthy people who work harder than many average or low-income people. You can find plenty of low-income people who bust their tails every day while some wealthy people rely on other people's hard work to sit pretty. Comparing someone who was born into a wealthy family and inherited a position at a big firm to someone who was born into nothing, treated with little dignity, and worked her way into a $9.25/hr job at age 18, who do you think works harder?

There are all kinds of stories from all kinds of backgrounds, and they are all worthy of respect. The problem comes when society tells us the story of the wealthy person is more valuable than the story of the hard working single mom, or the lonely widow on a fixed low income.

There is disgusting behavior across the socio-economic spectrum. I often hear people decrying the ugliness of welfare fraud, and I agree. If you don't need food stamps, or if you can get by without pulling a big social security check, it would be nice to save those funds for people who truly need them to survive in this culture. We would save a lot of money that way. BUT, how many people in the top 10% income bracket need the luxuries and excess they can afford?

Maybe these painful cuts to programs like heating assistance for low-income citizens or community action programs for struggling neighborhoods wouldn't hurt so bad if I knew everyone was chipping in to keep our society strong. Maybe it wouldn't be so hard to take if I knew we were cutting the fat in our enormous defense fund, or if I knew the only people receiving the assistance that remains were the people who truly needed it.

Maybe the cuts wouldn't be so bad if I saw the best of human behavior, across the socioeconomic spectrum. Maybe people struggling to survive can band together and support each other, although I certainly know that is easier said than done. Maybe people with large incomes who believe in charity over government assistance can fully engage themselves in giving--and not just in charity, but in true social change that unites our society instead of dividing us into haves and have nots. Maybe we can work together across economic lines to build a more just society.

Maybe. But for now, we're stuck with 2 bad choices: an unsustainable budget that tries to care for our struggling citizens, or a slightly more sustainable budget that leaves people even more vulnerable.

Maybe we can find a better way.

Daily Detox: Disinfection

As far as detox goes, a little chlorine bleach or anti-bacterial stuff isn't so bad. Most of it is considered a skin irritant, which we know from winters full of hand sanitizer or scrubbing the bathroom with bleach water. Our hands can dry out and peel like crazy! And of course, when using bleach we have to dilute it and ventilate the area, and it still stings our eyes and burns our lungs. But is that all? What's really at risk when using bleach or other disinfectants?

When looking at triclosan, a popular anti-microbial in many washes and creams, the ladies at No More Dirty Looks report there's no real health benefit to using it unless someone is at risk for certain infections. There's always talk of anti-germ agents creating super-bugs, when the germs adapt and survive anyway. It can disrupt your hormones via thyroid issues, too.

Clorox themselves report bleach as a corrosive, saying in certain concentrations it can damage skin, lungs, eyes, and heart. The generally agreed-upon limit is that bleach is safe for normal use. However, the Material Safety Data Sheet says very plainly that no exposure limit has been established. Meaning, scientifically, no one knows when bleach usage crosses from safe to unsafe. Don't forget, with everyone in your neighborhood using it, it goes into the water supply. Eek.

I'm not a scientist, so this is obviously nowhere near rigorous. Count this as my personal preference. I'll use bleach to disinfect when there has been illness in my home, but that's about it. I use hand sanitizer after playing with some sickly children at work. Other than that, no thanks. It makes me feel weird, and that just doesn't seem good for me, my family, or the environment.

Alternatives? Vinegar! Seriously! It's an acid and it has disinfectant properties. Some people can't handle the smell, but when it dries, the smell is gone. I promise! Also, hydrogen peroxide. 1/2 cup of peroxide mixed with a gallon of water will take care of a household worth of cleaning needs. We love the resultes, and it feels good to know there are very few potentially harmful chemicals in our home.

Remember: BE CAREFUL when mixing any kind of cleaning chemical, natural or not. Make sure you're not making a toxic potion!

Here's my real question. It's pretty easy for me to find safety info on cosmetics. It's pretty easy to find natural cleaning solutions. What I can't seem to find is a solid database of safety info for cleaning products. I have learned not to trust labels or company claims, but where can I go to get unbiased info? Any thoughts?

Wednesday Wisdom

. . . a little bit late.

"It is very wrong for people to feel deeply sad when they lose some money, yet when they waste precious moments of their lives they do not have the slightest feeling of repentance."

--Dalai Lama

Here's to learning to use well and savor all of the moments we've been given.

Sleepies

Hello, blog world!

Considering the ice capades of the last week (even church was closed today!), you'd think I would have found some time to blog. But I didn't! No Daily Detox this week. I didn't even post a Wednesday quote!

I had the best of intentions, but we ended up with some winter hibernation. Sure, I worked from home most of the week, but I also took some major breaks. Reading. Husband time. Lots of quiet. I felt like a cat!

Anyone who knew me way-back-when knows in the past, I might have used the snow days differently. I might have gone on an organizational/cleaning binge, staying up odd hours until the job is done. I might have caught up on the to-do list, regardless of how exhausted it left me. I might have gone on a crazy midnight escapade. A college roommate recently reminded me of my habit of waking up at 4 AM after a fun night to finish my homework. And in high school, there were a few of us who wore our sleep deficits as badges.

No more! I have now determined sleep is more important than self-made obligations. If I had learned that when I was younger, perhaps I could have gotten my tasks done faster, and better. Sleep is not for the weak or lazy! Without sleep, we're slower, dumber, grouchy, even less moral. Sleep is not just rest for the brain; the brain is super-busy while we sleep, integrating data from our day. Some studies show that loss of one night's sleep equates to 30% decrease in cognitive function. Wish I could have told that to my 11th grade over-achieving self!

Of course, when we're young, we think we're invincible. I probably wouldn't have listened anyway. And there are times in life where sleep seems like the ultimate luxury. This is the first time since I was a kid that I can remember being fully rested, and I have to say, it's pretty stinkin awesome! Better enjoy it while I can.

What does this have to do with just living? There is a lot to be said for taking good care of ourselves so we can do our part for the world. Every day I make important decisions for the families I work with, based on morals and ethics. I owe it to them to be at my best. Plus, there's a lot to be said for enjoying the simple gifts in life.

For some interesting reading on the human brain, check out Brain Rules by John Medina.

Happy Sabbath!