24 Nov The Dalai Lama re modern stress

The Dalai Lama, when asked what surprised him most about humanity, answered “Man, because he sacrifices his health in order to make money. Then he sacrifices his money to recuperate his health. And then he is so anxious about the future that he does not enjoy the present; the result being that he does not enjoy the present or the future; he lives as if he is never going to die, and then he dies having never really lived.”
If we look around we can identify with and recognize many people who fit this description; who tend to put their loved ones second in their drive to expand their material wealth; who tend to constantly worry and fret, or who are so caught up with distractions that they really are not present to their loved ones. Let me ask you, do you or someone you know tend to sacrifice health to make money? Or is anxiety so prevalent that the present is not enjoyable?
A number of years ago I did volunteer work with palliative care patients. While visiting some patients I was struck with the realization that so many people devote their lives to acquiring material goods and then need to dispose of it. Towards the end of the life cycle we see downsizing. Those in the nursing homes experience the extreme of this, being left with perhaps only a chair and a few pictures. A few of the people I spent time with had family that refused to visit them. It seems to me that our homes and material goods, while being important and to be enjoyed, are not as important as the relationships we develop and nurture.
I can attest to having once being someone who lived in the fear of ‘What if’s’. To reverse this way of being has taken work. It seems effective for me is to ask myself, when encountered with a challenge or choice, “What can I do about this”? Once I have this awareness, the next step is to determine which actions to take, if any. Once I have done what I have control over I choose to let it go and allow things to unfold, deliberately focusing my energy and thoughts elsewhere. Ultimately, the only thing we have control over is how we choose to look at something, our thoughts and our actions.
Many people experience a lot of unrest due to the inner tension created by their thoughts and or unresolved emotional conflicts. For those who struggle with emotional conflicts that eat away at them, addictions (drugs, work, alcohol, money, food etc.), inner tension, depression or anxiety, the combination of Biofeedback and Psychosomatic Energetics is incredibly helpful!
Do you or someone you know fit the description of what the Dalai Lama spoke about? If so, and support is desired, give me a call. I can help.