Your Rainforest Mind

Book: Your Rainforest Mind Author: Paula Prober

Introduction

• All ecosystems are beautiful, but a rainforest is more complicated, creative, sensitive, fragile, multilayered
• Can give more when allowed to be itself

Language:

• D - I shall be presenting my version, you can decide if it works for you
• L - Effervescent
• P - "not enough" and "too much" at the same time

1. Too much: Intensity, Sensitivity, Empathy

Takeaways

• Reduce the self-imposed pressure to be thorough, [fast] and exacting. Try doing those activities for pleasure
• Compassion and healthy boundaries are compatible; Limit the involvement is others' problems, so that there's more energy to be efficient in the long term
  • It's alright to be careful with your energy and time
• Cheerfullness as a typical RFM coping strategy

Strategies

• Protect yourself when you feel assaulted by noise, smells, emotions, thoughts, chemicals, bad architecture
  • Leave early, step away
  • Wear sunglasses, earplugs, wear hooded sweatshirts
  • Breathe slowly
  • Visualize protection
• Find a creative outlet to be as 'much' as you are
• For sleep:
  • Make a list of things that bother you to pick up tomorrow
  • Calming music
  • PMR, AT; breathing
  • Different combinations of melatonin and/or herbal remedies
  • Dreams can be as fascinating as real life
• Find activities and people that allow you to be intense
  • Debate, chess, running marathons
• T - Make a list of things that relax you
  • Massage
  • Herbal remedies, flower essences
  • Excercise
  • Mindfulness, prayer, yoga, energy touch, tai chi
  • Painting

Resources:

• Internal family systems therapy
• The Highly Sensitive Person: How to Thrive When the World Overwhelms You (Book)
• Healing Through the Dark Emotions: The Wisdom of Grief, Fear, and Despair "Excellent book if you want to do some deep emotional work"

Language:

• L - pungent
• P - while X and Y might be important to many people, you might find them indispensable
• LP - It rubs off on me

2. If you're so smart, why aren't you saving the world

Takeaways

• OQ - "Compassion hurts. When you feel connected to everything, you also feel responsible for everything. You can not turn away. Your destiny is bound to the destinies of others. You must either learn to carry the Universe or be crushed by it. You must grow strong enough to love the world, yet empty enough to sit down at the same table with its worst horrors.

To seek enlightenment is to seek annihilation, rebirth, and the taking up of burdens. You must come prepared to touch and be touched by each and every thing in heaven and hell." -- Andrew Boyd

Language:

• P We dive into the mystery together and swim around in the questions
• L Basking -- lie exposed to warmth and light, typically from the sun, for relaxation and pleasure. synonyms: laze, lie, lounge, relax, sprawl, loll;