Honesty

     “At the outset the focus was, in true medical tradition, on the patients. What was wrong with them? What was this ‘unhappiness’ within them and how could it be defined, captured, and nailed into a scientific classification? I soon realized that the phenomenon coexisted in the doctor and in the doctor-patient relationship.
     What about the unhappy doctor? Only after a while in general practice did I vaguely begin to feel that I was dealing with something more than physical and mental illness, something that was part of my and the patients' existence. I found there was no ‘cure’ in the frame of reference in which I had been trained or was working.
     My negative feelings centered, broadly speaking, on a negative premonition (heartsink), irritation, anger, and frustration. These reactions were not necessarily all present at each consultation and were of varying intensities and subtleties, ranging from mild impatience to intense dislike.”
     Ellis CG. Chronic unhappiness. Investigating the phenomenon in family practice. Can Fam Physician 1996; 42: 645-51.

       Mindfulness practice is “not a mental struggle – it is not about thinking differently; rather it comes from getting out of our heads and into our bodies – that is, into the physical experience of the present moment.”
     “With whatever arises, whether it’s pleasing or not, try to remember that all we can do is experience and work with whatever our life is, right now. No matter what life is and no matter how we feel about it, all that matters in practice is whether we can honestly acknowledge what is going on, and then stay present with the physical experience of that moment. This is the way we come to experience true appreciation for our lives.”                       Ezra Bayda

     “… practice sharing the fullness of your being, your best self, your enthusiasm, your vitality, your spirit, your trust, your openness, above all, your presence. Share it with yourself, with your family, with the world.”
     Kabat-Zinn J. “Full catastrophe living. Using the wisdom of your body and mind to face stress, pain and illness”. Dell Publishing, NY, 1990.