Postcards from the Funny Farm

I talked with my mom today on the phone and she had an amazing quote for me. Without sounding like a typical son, I have to tell you that I have one of the smartest moms on Earth.  She taught preschool for 20 years and holds a degree in history from Cal State Fullerton. There are other accolades, one of which includes raising a son who writes a blog from the funny farm (borderline accolade LOL) … anyway, read what I have to say about her quote won’t you?

As we chatted about certain woes people in our extended family like job lay-offs and divorces, (Thankfully not me! Our advice was for people not in the conversation, ever have that kind of phone convo?) Anyway, she offerred me some simple advice as I was trying to give some to her. We were talking about how important it is to be conscious only in the “now.” As Eckhart Tolle says: “The past is just a dream, the future never comes. All we have is now.”  She said this quote that I absolutely love:

Learn how to find peace between the things that happen.

Now, I don’t normally write about the phone conversations I have with mom. She’s a great lady and like I have said, she raised me! BUT this one was so great and helped me so much this morning (even when I didn’t even think I needed help!) I had to share it with my readers before I started teaching today. Remember it … we all ought to. To read more about Eckhart Tolle, read my latest article published at BlogCritics where I discuss Consciousness and the Current Recession in America. Have the best day of your life! (another lifelong quote of my Mom’s)

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My mom and I have been talking a lot lately about the book A New Earth. If you haven’t heard of it yet, you soon will. Oprah has fully endorsed its author, Eckhart Tolle, and we all know that what Oprah endorses, sells like crazy. But Tolle is a very humble guy. He claims his ideas were all around him and that he didn’t invent them. Pretty humble for a guy who’s probably going to become the next psychology writer billionairre. More and more people I talk to about the book tell me they have either read it, or want to read it. But this guy isn’t hype, he has great vision in his book. If you haven’t read it yet, you should.

I remember getting a similar feeling about a book when I read M. Scott Peck’s psychology book: The Road Less Traveled. ” When I read great books like these, so full of truth and help, it’s like relaxation comes from he page, into my eyes and throughout my body spreading calm and joy. I’m still on chapter one of A New Earth, but what I have read so far is pure genius. My goal is to write a review of it very soon, so stay tuned to Postcards from the Funny Farm for that. I want to do this to spread the news about this amazing little book. Tolle’s insights on spiritual meaning in the world around us are really revolutionary and life-changing. Whether you are going through something as simple as trying to experience life more or something as serious as working through drug rehab and the like, this book brings out a strength you didn’t know you had.

At any rate, my mom told me a story from his book the other day that really intrigued me. She also watches the author every Monday she can on Oprah’s website where he does a regular video “town hall” style class where people can participate and ask questions. She gave me some good advice from him regarding negative people. Lately I’ve been getting some bad energy from people in all areas of my life and it’s beginning to worry me. Why am I attracting this sort of energy? Is it the way I talk? Is it the things I say? How do you deal with negative people anyway? We’re supposed to stay positive ourselves but what about when we can’t control bad energy around us. As I’ve speculated on here in the past, we should ignore it but as some of you commented, that isn’t always the best option. There is an alternative to ignoring Tolle offers that I prefer. It’s a phrase to have waiting in your back pocket. When negative people spout all sorts of negative things, just tell them this:

Is that so?

You can respond without reacting. Reacting is the “ego” as Tolle calls it. Responding is more of the being who you are inside coming out. There are so many good energies in my life these days now too, but why is it that I allow the bad ones to bring me down? It isn’t even rational to pay the most attention to negativisim. Another book by Tolle is called simply: “Stillness Speaks.” I would agree with that, wouldn’t you?

Anyone coming into your emotional space and saying “blah blah blah (something negative - you fill in the blank here)” should never take your good energy. Simply nod your head and say “is that so?” I love this mantra and I intend to use it from now on. If you tell me the sky is falling, I can say calmly “is that so?” If you tell me something is impossible I will say “WHY?’ Then, if you tell me why I will say: “is that so?” If you make a point on a forum I don’t agree with, there is no need to argue or even debate. All I need to do is consider what you have said and then say: “is that so?” Think about it, for real life or even social internet connections, it’s a pretty good mantra! Revolutionary thoughts like these take meditation. Here is a video I ran across of Tolle talking about getting that into our daily lives.

How are you reacting to bad energy in your life?

The first time I ever listened to BlogTalkRadio was when I heard an interview with Matt Mullenwegg, co-creator of WordPress. Since then, when I hear an interesting voice of our times is being featured on there, I click back over and put my headphones on to enjoy a great show.

I’m writing here about a new show being featured on BlogTalkRadio, it’s called Your Mental Health Radio Talk Show. Some readers will assume immediately that mental health is neither interesting nor does it have anything to do with them: bare with me, I beg to differ, it does. Other readers’ ears perk up because they know mental illness. Whether schizophrenia has touched an aunt or bipolar has ravaged a brother, mental illness (and/or health) is too close to home for many many people in the world. The next time you are walking through a swarmed crowd, remember that one in three people are affected by mental illness. It could be a million dollar movie star you adore or an unseen immigrant in the back of a restaurant quietly cleaning dishes in sinks.

An upcoming show will feature Dr. Raymond Moody, MD author of the world-reknown book Life After Life and his new book Life After Loss takes up where Life After Life left off. The esteemed host and more information about this talk radio channel can be cound here: www.authorsden.com/jacquelinesforeman

That’s what is so great about this new Blog Talk Radio service. I’ll be tuning in regularly because psychology has played a huge role in my personal development. Not only have I read Peck’s treatise but many many others. Incidentally, another amazing one is the classic, Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff by Richard Carlson. Books and other media like these can transform your life from simple survival to truly enjoying life. It can be like the sun shining through the clouds of your life. A regular internet radio show like this can be a great tool for your mental health and that of your friends and loved ones.

Don’t you agree the time for such an internet medium has come?

To raise your awareness of mental health issues or just to be entertained, I wholeheartedly endorse listening to Your Mental Health Talk Radio at blogtalkradio.com/yourmentalhealth Tuesday’s and Thursday’s at 6 PM EST.

Do you know that Simon and Garfunkel tune? You know the one where they say … “Feelin’ Groovy!” That came into my head as I was thinking about what to blog on today. Another psychology topic, that makes two in a row. This one is more specifically about what I call the “Psychology of Perception.”  I have been interested in in psychology for almost two decades now. All throughout my 20’s (the 1990’s) I read books by authors such as M. Scott Peck, Rollo May, Leo Buscgalia, Richard Carlson, and a host of others. I ended up specializing in education but my personal reading interests have always lied in psych. I’m not ashamed to say as well that I have paid for counseling on more than one occasion. It has benefited me greatly and I truly admire all walks of mental health therapists. They have a tough job and if they do it right, they can transform a person’s life for the better.  I think if we’re honest with ourselves, we are all a little kooky, hence the title of this blog.

Today I’m reminded of that song aforementioned. I don’t want to feel stressed about life … that just isn’t me. When I am stressed, I become something different … someone different. Maybe not altogether, but people approach me and say: “Are you okay? Are you sick?” I have one of those demeanors that is inescapably transparent and people around me, including my wife, tell me they can tell when I am stressed or not myself. For example, the other day my wife told me I looked younger because I had shaved very close but when she glanced down further at my neck, she noticed there was still some stubble there. eek. I hate it when I am in a rush and miss that. Ever happen to you? Anyway, she told me I look “older” when I miss that area. It’s like a 5 o’clock shadow at 8am. Well, as I have been saying, do you know why I missed that? Because I was stressed!

I need to feel groovy but how do I get there? Well … I can plan my day based on things I am passionate about. As a teacher I know how to do this. You tie in the lessons to examples that you are interested in and it makes for a much more effective lesson. Yes, it takes more creativity, wit, and candor than just following the rote textbook, but it pays off for your attitud3e and for their achievement results. In other lines of work, or for housewives, you’ll have to plug in your own connection here though I could think of some.

Kicking up the cobblestones of your life and feeling groovy is the way top a great day and that great day multiplies and translates into a great month and then a great year. Try and get a hold of that song if you can. Listen to it and make it your mantra today. Remember the psychology of looking at things from another angle. Don’t fixate on the angle that brings you down. There are always more than one way to perceive a situation.