The books we covered in this episode:

— Zen Flesh, Zen Bones compiled by Paul Reps

— Those of the Forest by Wallace Byron Grange

— The Mayo Clinic Guide to Stress-free Living by Dr. Amit Sood

— A Northwoods Companion (We coverd Fall and Winter but there is also a Spring and Summer) by John Bates

— The Continuum Concept by Jean Liedloff

Here are this episode’s Action Points:

Consider Your Reactions, Especially Toward People — From Zen Flesh, Zen Bones. Remember that our ingrained, culturally-trained reactions to people (even someone who steals from us!) aren’t always the most appropriate reactions. Can we catch ourselves when we’re having an anger-based reaction and instead turn it to a compassion-based response?

Remembering There Are Non-human Perspectives — From Those of the Forest. We share this world with a huge variety of species of plants and animals. They all see the world in different ways. Remembering this can slip us out of our usual human perspective and ask us to take a broader view of life.

Reconsider Your First Mental/Emotional Reaction — From The Mayo Clinic Guide to Stress-Free Living. Research has shown us that our first reaction to a stimulus is often an “autopilot” reaction based on past experiences. If we bring consciousness to our reactions to events, we can pause and ask if there is another way we might approach a situation. Sometimes this can open surprising doors!

Getting Local — From A Northwoods Companion. In a world where Amazon can provide anything with free two-day shipping, we can forget the power of “shopping local”. From local artists to local farms to the local bookstore, there is a sense of connection that happens when we begin to spend locally.

Challenge Your Cultural Concepts — From The Continuum Concept. We can get lost in our cultural beliefs. For most people of any given culture, they consider their cultural norms to be “right”. Yet a hundred years from now, we might consider many of our current norms to be backward, insane, or unthinkable. What happens if we can step out of our cultural mind for a moment and ask if there are other ways to approach life?

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