Thich Nhat Hanh Jewish Roots The Better Way to Live Alone in the ...

mental HEALTHIn the recovery model, we think about individuals—whathelps them and what hinders them in their lives. We talk aboutchoices and empowerment. In the same way that Thay talks aboutour store consciousness with our positive and healthy seeds aswell as our negative and unhealthy seeds, the recovery model seesindividuals as having seeds of strength and seeds of weakness. Inthe old medical model, we might have asked, “Why was the individualso ill? How can we treat and cure his illness?” Now with therecovery model, we ask, “How did the individual sustain herself inthe face of her illness? How can I help support her strengths andhelp her to recognize and water her own seeds of health, growthand well-being?” We now focus on conducting strengths-basedconversations with them instead of routine diagnostic work-ups(though accurate diagnoses are still considered very important).The research that is now emerging in the field of psychologyindicates that mindfulness training is an incredibly effectivetreatment for many people suffering from psychiatric disorderssuch as chronic depression and obsessive compulsive disorder.The treatment does not necessarily make the disorder completelyvanish, but it can empower individuals to manage their symptomseffectively, to discontinue negative cycles of thought and behavior,and to lead more adaptive and contented lives outside of hospitalsand in the community. Furthermore, many individuals with psychiatricdisabilities have benefited from mindfulness training as theylearn to change the relationship they have with the symptoms oftheir illness and to feel a sense of control in their lives.What Mindfulness Looks LikeOver the past year and a half, as I have been mentored by ourconsultant, my own mindfulness practice has deepened immensely.At work, I try not to operate on automatic pilot anymore. I don’tsee events as meaningless. I see the importance of my speechand my actions, and I appreciate that all I have right now is thepresent moment and my own presence in the moment. I spend agreat deal of time in meetings, and my behavior at meetings haschanged. I’ve become more present in the meetings. I recognizethat while there is a lot to do, what I am doing in the moment iswhat I need to be doing right now. I listen deeply to others’ speech,I don’t interrupt others, and I breathe mindfully. I realize that mylist of things to do does not control me. I practice non-attachmentto outcomes happening within a certain arbitrary period of time.I understand that I do not need to balance my time, but to findbalance in my life. I realize that my list of things to do is there toassist me in seeing what needs to be done and what my prioritiesare, but that is all. I feel a sense of acceptance in my work of whatis. Just as in my life, rather than feeling that I need to chase aftera goal, buy something, or accomplish something to feel better, Iam just being in acceptance of what is.At work, I have begun to offer a weekly meditation groupfor members of the hospital staff. For the last couple of months,every Thursday at lunchtime we sit on chairs or on the floor inthe administration building and meditate together for half an hour.Though I have attended meetings in this room for many years, nowthat I meditate there, I am aware of new sounds that I never heardbefore. For example, I am aware of the sound the clock makesas it ticks. We have core members who are present almost everyweek, and we also have people who come and go. The energy ofthe group practice is becoming strong, and after the practice wediscuss our experiences together in a spirit of acceptance, understanding,and lack of judgment.One thing I dream of is a time when these practices will beso much a part of the institution that before a treatment planningmeeting, the treatment team will take some mindful breaths togetherand set an intention for the meeting. This would help eachperson at the meeting to move beyond their own tendency to beon automatic pilot and to truly experience the individual as anindividual, rather than seeing the purpose of the meeting as a taskthat must be accomplished.In my private life, my wife and I have made a new commitmentto meditate together every morning before our young children wakeup as a way to support each other in the practice. We also have hadwonderful opportunities to spend time at Deer Park Monastery inEscondido and to practice breathing, sitting, walking, eating andworking meditation as a family with the support of the monasticSangha. We have come to see the truth for us in the Dharma Seal,“You have arrived, you are home.” We have also recently formed aSangha in our area to offer the practice to our family, co-workers,neighbors, and friends on a weekly basis and to seek support forour Order of Interbeing aspirant training.To some, the changes that have happened at our hospital areremarkable and inspiring. To others, it seems that change is movingat a snail’s pace. Many people within the hospital are strugglingwith the changes and feel angry, resentful, or helpless. Othersare embracing the changes and feel the freshness of the new approachesas they are introduced. For me, some days are full offrustrations as more entrenched problems in the system emerge intothe light of day. “Breathing in, I know I feel frustration. Breathingout, I smile to my frustration and am grateful that I am alive.” Otherdays are exciting as new standards of care for the individuals weserve are implemented. Overall, I can say that mindfulness is nowa part of my daily work life as well as my personal life. Throughmindfulness training we are working to improve our hospital, thetreatment practices, and the quality of life of the individuals weserve, as well as staff, administrators and family members. It hasnot been easy to introduce these ideas into a bureaucratic system,but my work is enormously meaningful to me now in ways that ithas never been before.Bruce L. Hilsberg, True Commitment of the Heart, wasChief of Psychology at Metropolitan State Hospital inNorwalk, California. He and his wife practiced with theOrganic Garden Sangha in Culver City, California andat Deer Park Monastery in Escondido, California.the Mindfulness Bell 31