“But we’re never gonna survive, unless
We get a little crazy
No we’re never gonna survive, unless
We are a little crazy”– SEAL
“But I don’t want to go among mad people,” Alice remarked.
“Oh, you can’t help that,” said the Cat: “we’re all mad here. I’m mad. You’re mad.”
“How do you know I’m mad?” said Alice.
“You must be,” said the Cat, “or you wouldn’t have come here.– ALICE IN WONDERLAND – LEWIS CARROLL
yoga
Practice
Knowledge is only a rumor until it is in the muscle
Get Lost
It’s okay to get lost sometimes. If you get anxious, stop and take a deep breath. You’ll see a camp fire in the distance. Follow it and you’ll be surprised what you find.
Go
If you think you need all the information before you make a decision then you’ll never act. There are always more data points to analyze. It’s infinite. The trick is to be decisive in the face of incomplete information…and it’s always incomplete.
Reverse the flow
The hunger to satisfy and fulfill yourself dissolves the moment you change the question from ‘what can I get?’ to ‘what can I give?’
Square breathing ◻️
My brother @socratixsw1 introduced me to a incredibly powerful deep breathing practice. It’s a relaxant after stretching or before bed.
Inhale for 5 seconds; hold your breath for 5 seconds; exhale for 5 seconds; when you’ve emptied your lungs, don’t breathe in again for 5 seconds; then inhale for 5 seconds. Repeat for 1 minute or 3 cycles.
5 seconds in, 5 seconds hold, 5 seconds out, 5 seconds no breath. Draw the square in your head – 4 sides of 5 seconds each.
Start out with 3 sets which gets you to 1 minute. The 3 sets will turn into 6 sets pretty effortlessly once you find your stride.
Go the distance
“The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice”
Martin Luther King Jr.
You’ll never believe the three things I’ve discovered
Now that I have your attention. Take your fingers off the mouse pad or stop scrolling on your phone. Pause, take a deep belly breath and list three things you are grateful for.
I’ll start:
- Hot coffee in the morning
- Breakfast with the family
- A deep breath on a blue bird day
Try it. The list might surprise and delight you.
Relax
You have arrived
Change your intention
Whatever you are doing, take the attitude of wanting it directly or indirectly to benefit others.
— Pema Chödrön
markbartels.org 