WORRY

Written By Duane Nelson


2 IDEAS FROM ME

  • Mindfulness prevents future worry from stealing your attention and energy required to live your best life in the present moment.

  • Most worry is recursive, unproductive, and based on habitual fear and uncertainty rather than actual danger. Mindfulness enables you to recognize and escape the wasteful thought loop and gain the freedom to enjoy meaning in the moment.

2 QUOTES FROM SAGES

  • Zen Buddhist Parable: A woman being chased by a tiger runs to the edge of a cliff. In desperation she climbs down a vine hanging on a rock face. As she dangles, she looks down only to see another tiger waiting below. At that moment two mice, one black and one white, begin gnawing at the vine. Just then she notices a ripe wild strawberry growing from the cliff beside her. She reaches out with one hand, plucks the strawberry, and eats it. “How sweet it tasted!”

    • Insight: The tiger above represents the past regrets. The tiger below symbolizes future worry. Mice gnawing at the vine are the passage of time (day and night). The strawberry is the opportunity to enjoy the present moment and savor it through mindfulness.

  • Zen Buddhist Parable: Two monks encountered a beautiful young woman unable to cross a river. The elder monk gently lifted her up, carried her to the other side, and set her down. The younger monk was visibly distraught. Hours later the younger monk said, “Why did you carry that woman across the river? We have vowed to never touch women. The elder monk replied, “Why are you still carrying her? I put her down back at the river.”

1 QUESTION FOR YOU TO EXPLORE

  • Would cultivating mindfulness skills reduce your suffering from unnecessary worry and enhance your life?

Namaste,

Duane Nelson

Duane Nelson

Ultrajourney Insight is an Anacortes Washington-based non-profit organization providing mindfulness & well-being services designed to ignite the adventure of a lifetime. The founder, Duane Nelson, is a writer, speaker, and teacher with four decades of parenting, wilderness, & international technology leadership. His professional insights come from chemical engineering and automation leadership at Philips, Intel, and Amazon. His adventure insights flow from ultramarathons, mountaineering, canyoneering, and adventure racing in Nepal, Alaska, Colorado, Washington, Oregon, Hawaii, Mexico, British Columbia and Alberta.

https://ultrajourneyinsight.org
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CALIBER OF LIFE