Mindfulness is a good thing for all.

Some time ago I became aware of being mindful.  I had heard the term, mostly from Buddhists and other secular stress management consultants as a way to bring excellence and calm to ones life.  I recently heard a Catholic teacher that I greatly respected attribute mindfulness to those other people, you know the non-Catholics who lead us away from Christ.   I must say I was very disappointed by that attitude.  Mindfulness IS NOT just for Buddhists. Being mindful is being present in the moment. Aware of your choice from the multitude of impulsive possibilities in your daily life.  If you have learned some self discipline you may not consider this as you may already have utilized it.  Your parents may have taught you at a very early age and over time and through the maturing process you have incorporated mindfulness into your daily life.  Mindfulness is a skill that can be applied to Christianity, or work or eating or exercise.  It is a skill like listening.   I am mindful of Christ in my life.  I try to be mindful of my prayers and contemplative practices.  Most of all I am trying to learn to be mindful of what I eat each day.  It is remarkable to consider all the bad habits a man can develop over the course of 60 years of life. (almost 61)  It is being present to my self and my soul that finally saved my life. Being present to Jesus in my life and the choices I make daily that keep my body temple healthy.  That is what changed my life. Being present to the LORD each and every moment of every day. Even as I work I am mindful of his presence. #PBTGA.

What Jesus Taught and on Silence

My recent discernment started after my recent attendance at a political event (see Politics and Faith) led me to go back to the beginning.  I did some research.  What did Jesus really teach?  Fr. Richard Rohr tells the truth about what Jesus really taught .  I discovered Fr. Richard Rohr and started getting his daily meditation blog via email.  His web referenced his talk at the Festival of Faith at Louisville Kentucky in March on Silence.

Silence is the phenomenon that brings our culture together as one. http://youtu.be/uaMVKnpsDA8?t=10m25s  .

Politics and Faith

Recently, I attended a reception for the congressional representative for the 1st District in Maine. I had been a party faithful for many years. I was amongst many friends and like minded people. I had been the municipal the Chair of the party, an elected city council person and a school board member. For many years I thought I could keep my faith and moral beliefs separate from my political thought. They did not have to be reconciled. That has changed for me. I have decided I must reconcile my faith with how I vote and who and what issues I support. I struggle with the realization that Constitution appears to not require morality, but favors freedom. Life, Liberty and the pursuit of happiness, does not include, necessarily morality. So many have rationalized their political decisions and support with this in mind. I must support issues that reflect truth. According to Pope John Paul II Truth cannot Contradict Truth.
 
So for sake of conversation AND, to be honest, I wanted see the reaction I might get if I made a comment to a few friends that I was moving to the right. I was becoming more conservative. A few agreed but did not engage.  One very intelligent friend suggested I read a book called God's Politics by Tom Wallis. I looked at the book and the reviews and it seemed to present a very liberal view of how God might or should impact our political thought and actions. I still will read the book, but with caution and prayer. I also had a conversation with a person I have liked and respected for many years. She quoted me the Boston Catechism about conscience. I could not counter her statement that generally if your conscience is different with what the Church teaches than you are OK to vote or make worldly decisions with your conscience as the guide. Conscience trumps the teaching of religious leaders?  I wondered. Was the Pope wrong? Was the magisterium wrong? I had some discerning to do.  I left the meeting thinking, I may be in the wrong political party.  Maybe I should just become an unenrolled independent citizen and vote my conscience. I will think about this some.

I reviewed my Year of the faith email today. I have been participating in a Year of Faith program that facilitates the reading of the Catholic Catechism in one year. I was pleasantly surprised to see todays topic the exact challenge that I was struggling with. Day 227 How to Form and Follow Your Conscience Seems the holy Spirit decided to assist with my discernment. Praise God.  I believe that coincidences are usually for a reason and many times are the holy Spirit intervening. Not always, but in this case it seemed to be clear.  The caveat to my friends comments was that the conscience can be poorly formed. It can be based on erroneous information.  How do you decide.  As a practitioner of contemplative prayer now for more than 20 years, I usually give it to God in prayer, and I reach a very confident conclusion in most cases.  I have been reading the magisterium as well which I think is important to be sure your conscience is formed in communion with the Truth.

  Additionally, an exceptional blogger Robert Sylvester wrote related blog today. Church-Secular-or-Mystical?

So my plan going forward it to NOT join any one-sided party platforms or activists groups.  I really like the idea of a bipartisan effort, that I wrote about in my last blog. 
Enough for today.  OnWard

Citizens For Political Reform

I joined Citizens for Political Reform today. I am so tired of extreme partisan politics in government. This group was founded by some great people from both sides of the isle. Check them out at: The Bipartisan Policy Center

Undivided Self

Taking sides in a conflict has its risks. 

Margaret Thatcher said "Standing in the middle of the road is very dangerous; you get knocked down by traffic from both sides”.

If both sides are extreme and unwilling to compromise the only reasonable place to be is in the middle.  Right?  I am not sure.   Political research says most Americans, yes a majority,  are in the moderate middle when it comes to social and political positions.  We all know or have a family member who is far right or far left in their thinking. They are many times the minority at a family gathering, taking hard positions on this or that topic often times raising minute issues that in the end represent extreme positions.  When our Democratic process provides only extremes to vote for what are we to do?  Vote independent?  Not vote? Get involved.

 .   

ADHD is not that simple

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/suffer-the-children/201203/why-french-kids-dont-have-adhd 

This article is a good article that argues that non-medicine intervention is the best course for treatment of ADHD.  But I believe the comentary about the French culture and the suggestion that ADHD is ONLY a behavorial issue is eroneous. There are many well behaved ADHD diagnosed children and adults who have great difficulty in focusing, sitting still or staying on task, but to suggest a whole ethnic approach is better seems very prejudice. Remember our American values, stemming from the Constitution provide for freedom and expect self-discipline in deciding where the line of freedom ends and responsibility begins.  That makes treatment of ADHD more of a challenge in American society.  How much freedom do you give to children? Any? Too much discipline can bring ACE (adverse childhood experiences) and border on abuse. Too little then you have the spoiled brat syndrome.  This simplistic solution simply hammers our American values and only serves to further erode public truth about how people develop.   This is POP psychology at its worst.

In confidence....

When you tell a person something in confidence without stating it such  and it becomes an public declaration it presents a difficult situation. Although it should not have been shared, if you forget to say "please hold in confidence", there is a human flaw that wants to share.  Sometimes it is to make a political point or to "get back" at someone.  Unfortuntely, people are hurt. 

I have served as a counselor, a member of a number of boards and as a parent.  What I hear from loved ones, or friends remains in my head and becomes the subject of my prayers for others. Just between me and God. period.  A gossip goes about telling secrets, but one who is trustworthy in spirit keeps a confidence. Proverbs 11:13

The only exception to this is where a there appears to be an indication of harm to a child or others. Like many professionals I am a mandatory reporter.

Networking and Internet Radio & Work

I have started networking to find opportunities where my expertise can be used AND I can earn money to take care of my family.   I met Dan on line. He operates a website called vocrehabradio.com. After getting to know each other a little.   He asked if I would be a guest on a show he was producing about Work as Treatment. We recorded the show on Thursday, March 28, 2013.  I was interviewed in the second part of the show, podcast #11.   http://www.vocrehabradio.com/category/podcasts/   I enjoyed talking about recovery, transformation and rehabilitation.  I realized how passionate I am about this field. 

I fully agree with the theory that to give some one meaningful work is one of the most therapeutic things you can do.  Or, for someone to loose their job for reasons that do not seem fair.   Why is our country struggling?   There is not enough work that our workforce can do.  Companies are holding their dollars and scrutinizing  new hires for high technical skills that many of our workforce simply do not have, nor do they have the means or opportunity to obtain those needed skills.

So I just keep putting one foot in front of another. Making contacts, requesting opportunities, praying, meditating, walking, cooking dinner and ..... being mindful of our Creator as I understand OUR Creator to be.  One Day at a time.

Moving Forward with Grace

Having a good day. I have been following up on some job leads, moving forward with a homeless youth project AND getting some exercise.  The new advent daily email posted a link to a superbowl commercial sponsored by Dodge Ram that brings to light the divine work of farmers.  Makes me want to buy a Dodge. LOL. more importantly it reminds me the importance of the work that farmers do. Sure we can get into a political argument about corporate farmers vs local farmers and organic farmers Vs thosed that use chemical fertilizer.  But that is the destroyer dividing us.  We are evolving our farming strategies and should not destroy the gains we have made in commercial farming. Yes we need to move towards more sustainable farming. But for now I just want to thank the farmers.

http://youtu.be/AMpZ0TGjbWE

#PBTGA

A wonderful video....

http://happycatholic.blogspot.com/2013/01/want-your-heart-to-soar-watch-this.html

Former Employer posted losses

I was not surprised today when my google alert provided the following story. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-01-31/aetna-profit-slips-as-insurer-settles-reimbursement-lawsuit.html .  I believe Aetna will continue to have difficulties due to claim practices both in their health insurance and disability benefit markets.  When claims facts are on the fence they seem to always rule in favor of their pocket book, rather than to do the right thing and dig deeper into the facts of the claim. These quick decisions in a highly intense production environment bring significant errors.  This class action suit is one, but their LTD/STD market may see other similiar action as Employers and Employees begin to see their innovative claims practices at work. Fast is NOT always better.  I really tried to tell them but they decided my opinion was not a fit for their culture.  I understand employment at will but I believe they were misguided in their decision to terminate me. They may have violated the ADA with a wrongful termination. I have submitted this for review by the EEOC, we shall see.   I believe eventually there will be consequences for this innovation and it will show up in their profits and large employee turnover. The future of Aetna may be on shakey ground. But then what do I know.
If God is with me, who can be against me.

Employment Prayer

I lost my job on January 8, 2013. I have been networking and contacting potential employers, posted my resume on Indeed and Monster, AND applied for 16 jobs.  I have had a few very encouraging contacts and hope to firm up some consulting work in the very near future. 

With the time on my hands I have been participating in the 9:00 communion service at our church most days.  I discovered a wonderful prayer today. 

Employment Prayer

Mary, our Lady of the Miraculous Medal,

you once experienced 

hardships and difficulties.

Look kindly on me now

as I face the same difficulties.

Help me to find suitable employment.

Through my work,

I want to meet my physical needs,

and grow spiritually.

Help me to find a job

that lets me provide for myself

and for those who depend on me.

I trust you, Immaculate Mother, 

to hear my prayers and intercede for me.

I will share you goodness with others 

that they may know your power with God

and give Him honor and glory.

Amen.

#PBTGA 

Sadly, I lost my job today working at home for Aetna.  You know what they say when God closes one door he opens another.  I am just sad I could not find a place with my previous employer.  They were innovative and doing some great things.  It just was not a good fit.  So, I start my networking for another opportunity. Pray for me, as I will continue to pray for others.  Things will work out in time.  #pbtga

My heart aches for the families and community in Newton, CT.  It is a tragedy that is so painful.  I find my self grieving much more in these times. This of course is so close to home that the pain exceeds my empathy for those who suffer around the world.  This can be a painful  reminder that death and destruction has been happening in the Middle East and elsewhere continuously for years.  We must not let this pain fail to teach us of the pain of others and carry it to all our action.  Peace on Earth and Good will to all.....  Every parent in Afghanistan whose innocent children or family members die from drone attacks, or others who have been victims of terrorism.  They feel the pain we all feel now. After our grieving when we all go back to our lives, and the pain becomes a distant memory, let us not forget those who suffer around the world.    

I pray that our human condition will be released from these destructive forces and the Peace of Christ will touch us all.    

Where do we go Now

Saw a great movie this past week end.  Where do we go Now?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Te9c2jReOg

A movie about a small village in Lebanon that depicts the strength of the women in our lives. Remarkable. I am so grateful for the women in my life. My wife and best friend, Allison, my mother, grandmother and aunts. I never had a sister, but I have many platonic women friends going back to high school.   We men need to realize where peace can be found.