Good morning!

Really glad you are feeling well today (((((((ss)))))))). Sorry that both you and SunSun lost things you had posted though. That is strange. And annoying!!

I'd love to see a photo of your garden when the spring is here (or perhaps an old photo), if you felt like sharing that (((((((ss))))))))) I love gardens, though I am not very good at gardening and I don't have much of a green thumb. I do really love plants and flowering trees and anything to do with nature. And I love being outside. I hope the spring comes soon for you!! ((((((((((ss)))))))))))))))

I am feeling noticeably calmer at the moment. Anything approaching calmness is a precious gift that I treasure. Listening to the Pema Chodron CD is definitely adding to my sense of calm.

Going back to the Rick Hanson book "Buddha's Brain" that I mentioned before, he talks about the importance of "taking in the good" and "amplifying" it. He explains that our brains are hardwired to focus on the negative (this is because it was imperative for our ancestors to be on the look out for threats in order to survive).

In his book he seeks to teach us ways in which we can strengthen the pathways in our brain that generate good feelings. One way to do this is to pay close attention to the positive experiences we have (our tendency is often to dismiss our achievements and overlook the good things). So when we experience something pleasant, however simple, the idea is to try and stay with that pleasant experience for a few minutes, without being distracted. He encourages us to bask in the feeling and to really let them sink in to us.

I haven't explained it very well! But anyhow, I've been trying to do this today and yesterday about feeling calm. I've really been focusing on how it feels in my body to feel calm and I'm trying to weave that pleasant experience deep into the fabric of my brain (Hanson's words, not mine!!)