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Welcome back to Thank God It’s Monday! And hello from Detroit! We are on the road again visiting a new baseball stadium, seeing the new sights, and of course, eating some new, delicious food. It’s a wonderful opportunity to be able to travel and be reminded how seemingly small our lives are when we step out of our routines and out of our heads.
I have talked about some Buddhist teachings that have served me well and ones that I think would contribute to developing better humans such as yourselves. This week I listened to a podcast about the five remembrances which I wanted to share with you all. Just to pretext them a bit, they might not sound in line with my usual upbeat tone but they contribute equally to a life well lived.
The five remembrances are:
- I am of the nature to grow old. There is no way to escape growing old.
- I am of the nature to have ill health. There is no way to escape having ill health.
- I am of the nature to die. There is no way to escape death.
- All that is dear to me and everyone I love are of the nature to change. There is no way to escape being separated from them.
- My actions are my only true belongings. I cannot escape the consequences of my actions. My actions are the ground upon which I stand.
If you’re still with me and you didn’t close out the window in discomfort, consider for a moment how these reminders which at first are a bit morose can increase happiness.
These reminders are typically thoughts we avoid until they confront us in a wave of misfortune. They make us think of a time we lost a loved one or lost a job, or the fact that we too are only here for an impermanent amount of time. These aren’t usually the pleasantries that we like to mentally dwell in.
But these are truths of life that once accepted would help us live life more fully. When you wake up stressed about your to-do list and what projects have to get done at work that day, reciting these in the morning will help you remember that those things aren’t worth all of that stress. When you are frustrated with your partner or your family member these reminders help you consider the value of that person in your life and that the fight is probably not worth it. They also highlight one of the most overlooked gratitudes: our health, without which our list of desires falls to just that one thing.
Part of the common suffering in our society today is from addiction to temporary dopamine surges and superficial joys. The lack of ability to sit with discomfort is making everyone fat, depressed, and unable to complete a thought or critically think.
Reminding ourselves of these truths more frequently will help us all remember what is worth stressing about and what is worth sacrificing for. When we acknowledge that we are fragile humans, it helps reveal what is truly important and what will bring us lasting joy, instead of just a good video on TikTok or a new piece of clothing.
Try writing out these remembrances somewhere you will see them in the morning this week. Take a minute in the mornings to read over them and see how it affects your day. If you hate it after a week, you can toss them out. But give it a week and see if it affects how you look at the world and how you approach your day. Maybe in these daily reminders, you can find more depth and joy in your life. And if we aren’t all seeking more depth and joy then what are we even here for?
If you found some value in this, please share it with a friend you think would enjoy it! And let me know if you’d like to be added to get TGIM.
This week, my podcast recommendation is from 10% Happier with Dan Harris, “A Buddhist Recipe for Handling Turmoil with Kaira Jewel Lingo.”
With that, don’t wait for it to be a wonderful week, go create it. Your actions create your reality so take the actions necessary to make it great. Go outside and get some fresh air, do a fall cleaning, spend some time with friends, give up alcohol for a week, and pick up the book that has been sitting on your nightstand.
Until next time,
Shannon
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