Fully Present by Susan L. Smalley, PhD and Diana Winston
The Science, Art and Practice of Mindfulness.
I began reading this book initially to help my children but as it’s turned out it was also quite helpful to me too. For the moment I don’t really have the time to squeeze meditation into my current life style, but it’s certainly given me quite a lot of material to think about and lots of tips to use with the children to help them move less painfully into their teenage years.
The book is an easy read and peppered with instances of unhelpful thought processes and examples of how to alter them. I imagine that many parents of autistic children have already mastered many of these techniques but around here we needed a refresher course on how to tackle negativity and defeatism. In the high octane world of autism and Alzheimer’s I need all the tricks and tips I can get. When I read the ordinary, everyday kinds of negative concerns of other people, I found it quite reassuring, but I expect that’s just a spectrum thing.
To give you a flavor of the book, the authors retell a story which I also found here
Two Wolves
An old Cherokee told his grandson that a battle that goes on inside each us.
The battle is between two ‘wolves’.
One ‘wolf’ is Evil. It has anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.
The other ‘wolf’ is Good. It has joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith.”
The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather: “Which wolf wins?”
The old Cherokee simply replied, “The one you feed.”
Everybody seems to have stressful lives these days and many of the mind strategies should help us all keep a bit more grounded. In many ways it reminded me of a catechism although obviously more modern and secular. Maybe mindfulness, emotional intelligence and spirituality have become the new religion.
As the authors quote Henry James:-
“Three things in human life are important. The first is to be kind. The second is to be kind. And the third is to be kind.”
And you can buy it at Amazon and elsewhere.
January 24th, 2011 at 12:14 am
this sounds just what i need – more for me than for my son!
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January 24th, 2011 at 7:06 am
Very wise words. I think we are definitely in need of a refresher course around these parts too. Thanks for the post.
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January 24th, 2011 at 8:48 am
I could definitely do with a refresher. Now if I could just find the focus to be present enough to read. . . .ok, maybe it is more of a remedial course than a refresher, LOL.
January 26th, 2011 at 1:40 pm
Wow. Good stuff! Thanks for sharing. You ARE the book reviewer these days!
PS (CommentLuv says it no longer works here.)
January 26th, 2011 at 2:15 pm
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January 30th, 2011 at 2:14 am
Tricks and tips – always useful! Sounds interesting
February 1st, 2011 at 1:54 pm
Now this book sounds very interesting! I haven’t read a really good book on autism in a very long time!
February 7th, 2011 at 3:10 am
It’s definitely something that all parents could do with at times. I have a lot of reference books on autism but nothing that can honestly help us live in the real world. There are too many strategies on coping, do’t and don’t's, how-to books which don’t the average autistic.
CJ xx
March 3rd, 2011 at 11:45 pm
There is a Buddhist at work who meditates every day. He is one of the calmest people I know. I really should learn how to meditate but I’m not sure I could sit still that long without nodding off!
March 8th, 2011 at 3:35 am
The other day I saw an interesting book. Hungarian languages, so I do not know how much information can be valuable to you. The book elaborates on the lives of children with autism. The best part is that everyone reads. Not only the parents and organizations, but also the ordinary people. theme of the book briefly. The book of autistic people and their environment is social, parents, families, civic organizations, institutions. Mélyedtek social scientists of the following questions: What role of autism in the case of domestic civil movements have become increasingly visible on the difficulties people with autism?
If you are interested, here’s a link to the cover. The title of the book: Invisible.
www. konyv-konyvek. hu/ book_images/ 14b/ 999640814b.jpg
March 20th, 2011 at 3:25 pm
love it
must get the book