Postcards from the Funny Farm

It sounds cliche when I first write it but I have found it to be so very true: “From a distance, things look simpler.”  When our world seems so big and the cast of characters are crowding in, just meditate on all these things “from a distance.”

My parents have been troopers lately.  My dad now in his 60’s is changing jobs and it’s a bit slow going.  The fact that it is in real estate doesn’t help matters much.  Still, they are keeping their spirits up and doing great.  They just went on vacation to the Grand Canyon in Arizona last week.  My dad said it was very inspiring to see that giant open space.  It puts you in your place but also encourages you to do the little things you need to do.  Did you know the Grand Canyon was formed by a small streeam over throusands of years?  We need that kind of perspective sometimes.  Try and get quiet and meditate on your problems, “from a distance.”

All people have fears.  Sometimes these fears can prevent us from success.  When I have fears at work, for example, they can stress me out so much that I miss the creative, innovative solutions that are right before my eyes.  One way of dealing with these debilitating fears is through visualization and practice.  I call this the “Tar Baby” approach.  If you go to Disneyland, you’ll find a fun water ride there called “Splash Mountain.”  The ride has a back story going on in miniatures all along the way.  It is the story of how Brer Bear wants to beat up Brer Rabbit and Brer Rabbit says: “Do whatever you want, but please don’t throw me in the briar patch.”  Of course this is silly to the viewer because Brer Rabbit was born in a briar patch.

The thing that scares us is the briar patch.  To conquer the fear we can visualize us getting along with the things that causes us fear.  Imagine yourself having success instead of failure.  When the moment you once feared comes, you will not fear it.  Like Brer Rabbit you will laugh and say: “I live in the briar patch.”

Enjoy the ride.

Have you ever tried visualization to reduce anxiety and relax? It’s really not too difficult. The steps are something like this:

1) Put some music or nature sounds on your CD player and close your eyes. Then
2) visualize yourself in nature.
3) Imagine your favorite wild animals all around you and yet it feels totally safe.
4) In your mind go under waterfalls, take drinks from mountain streams, feel the wet cold granite flats under your bare feet.
5) Last, make sure to breathe deeply as you visualize all this stuff. It will calm your body down and put you in a trance-like state so your fear can subside and you can get a clear perspective again.

Any visualization will work. You can get in the mood for sex, for example, by picturing your wife in a variety of babydolls and you don’t have to spend a dime! The mind is powerful.
It sounds a little out there I know, but if you give yourself over to it your creative mind truly comes alive. That is the part of our psyche we need to solve the problems that cause us to stress. I have used this method for close to 15 years and found it to be very helpful and rejuvenating.

This method and many others can be found in a profound little book called “the Relaxation Response.” You might want to pick up a copy. Stay tuned to this series I’m starting entitled “How to Relax,” it’s key to keeping our minds open to the possibilities that lay before us. I hope you’ll join with me as we explore this. Do you know how to relax?