Don't Blame It All on Mercury...

 

It’s that time again. If you hang out in circles of friends like mine, everyone is talking about Mercury retrograde. If you haven’t heard about it in the last few days, chances are you will, as its current cycle is in effect until July 2.

My simple understanding of the phenomenon is that during this time, a reduction in speed of the planet Mercury’s typical orbit around the sun leads it to appear to travel backwards relative to its normal course. All planets go through this apparent motion, during which their spheres of influence are thought to be affected. Because Mercury rules communication and coordination, it is believed that its retrograde period leads to ensuing havoc here on our planet, and we are advised to take precautions like being extra clear in communications (and postponing any deep or weighty conversations), delaying the start of new projects or signing contracts, and avoiding major travel. In our digital age, issues with our devices and channels of communication – computers, phones, Internet service providers, etc. – also get attributed to Mercury’s movement.

Once a concept mostly relegated to discussions amongst astrologers, it’s been my experience that awareness of Mercury retrograde has blossomed over the last decade with the rise of social media. It has even garnered coverage in mainstream news outlets, complete with advice for surviving this seemingly harrowing time.

In my own experience, what Mercury retrograde has meant is a near constant stream of friends (and random strangers, like the guy in the line at Whole Foods this morning) attributing various difficulties in their lives to this planetary occurrence.  Basically, it seems that for a lot of people, anything that goes wrong during the three- week retrograde cycle gets blamed on Mercury.

I like to believe that we live in one giant inter-connected web of energy spanning the entire universe, so although I may not understand all the mechanics of retrograde movement, I do believe that the influence of a planet can have effects that ripple outward in all directions. However, my experience of watching Mercury become a scapegoat for car breakdowns, fiery breakups and e-mail malfunctions often bothers me, as we seem to use this astrological event to avoid looking at the circumstances of our lives, and our own contributions to the types of mishaps that become more prevalent when Mercury steps on its brakes. We are only two days in to Mercury’s current retrograde cycle, and already I’ve seen at least three friends blame it for various troubles via my Facebook feed this morning.

In Ayurveda (the Indian science of life and healing), a guiding principle is the notion that “like increases like,” meaning that if an element is present in an environment, adding more of that element leads to a greater preponderance of that element. Too much “likeness” is the cause of imbalances and disease in the body and mind. I think this concept can be applied to all aspects of our lives, particularly in regards to how we hold space for harmony and chaos.

My experience has shown me that when chaos is present, more chaos typically ensues. We all know people who are drama queens (or kings) who embody this truth. It is my personal belief that many of the people who find their lives in shambles because of Mercury retrograde already were experiencing some degree of chaos in regards to communication and coordination prior to the beginning of the retrograde period. And too often, rather than looking at the root cause, such people direct venom and anger to Mercury for a day or two, maybe even weeks, without ever stopping to look at the conditions present prior to Mercury going retrograde that might have led to that particular disruption.

If you’re someone who is prone to blaming Mercury for all that goes wrong during retrograde, perhaps before sharing your next vitriolic Facebook post demonizing the planet, you can take a moment to pause and examine the deeper causes of whatever event has transpired. How have you been personally responsible for what happened? What could you have done differently?

I believe that through this process of deep looking, we can often find ways that we have been out of integrity in our communications, perhaps not speaking our mind openly or obscuring the truth to achieve various agendas, as well as ways we may have neglected to maintain impeccable coordination in our affairs with others.

I’m not asking you to discount the effect that Mercury may have in whatever has happened. But, I would encourage you to see how you fit into the equation, and more importantly, to identify steps you can take to avoid future mishaps, whether Mercury is moving slowly or not.

The Trouble with a Silver Medal Finish...and What We Can Learn From It

In the 1960s, Avis Rent-a-Car famously coined the slogan “Avis is only No.2 in rent a cars. So we try harder,” and unleashed a campaign to tout how their runner-up status meant they would work harder to win the hearts of customers. The ad campaign has become legendary in the marketing world, but it turns out being #2 also has a shadowy side, as found by social psychologists who studied the reactions of silver and bronze medalists in the 1992 Summer Olympics (click here to see the PDF article from the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology).  While the study measured several outcomes, the basic finding was this: Silver medalists were most pre-occupied with the shortcomings of their performances and what they didn’t achieve, while bronze medalists found themselves in a profound place of gratitude for making it to the podium. In the end, athletes who are #3 find themselves visibly more happy (as demonstrated by facial expressions and interview feedback) than the second-place finishers.

When I heard about this study today on NPR during a piece about the Sochi games, I was instantly intrigued. As a former social psychologist (my primary focus during short-lived doctoral studies prior to my foray into food), I just love the creativity that went into this study and the profound light it sheds into our preponderance towards “counterfactual thinking,” i.e., getting fixated on what “might have been.”

As a Buddhist practitioner and student/teacher of meditation, I think the findings of this study make an emphatic case for why gratitude is such an essential practice for finding contentment, whether in athletic competition or any other arena of life. It also makes the case for why working to tame the comparing mind is an essential part of any sincere spiritual practice.

In spiritual circles, we would call counterfactual thinking something like “not being in the present moment”. Call it what you like, we give a lot of energy to it, ruminating about the past and outcomes that didn’t go our way or “should have” gone another way.

In my personal experience, the strongest antidote to counterfactual thinking is gratitude. When we practice gratitude, we have no choice but to abandon our notions of what might have been in favor of finding the jewel amongst what is. Instead of fretting over the person who never called us for a second date, we remember what we appreciated about the first date. Rather than obsessing over the things that could have done to keep a job after being fired, we find appreciation for the opportunity to find a new job more aligned with our life’s purpose. For a silver medalist, it’s the reminder that just being at the Olympics is a gift (and placing better than all but one participant is a tremendous honor!).

Even if life’s murkiest situations, gratitude can always be found. My teacher, Thich Nhat Hanh, offers the simple aphorism, “No Mud, No Lotus.” From the depths of the darkness, there is always possibility for a ray of light to shine through. That car accident we caused? Maybe it’s a reminder to be more mindful while driving next time. Finding gratitude amidst challenge is certainly not easy, and our brain’s hard-wiring makes it such that this is not our default reaction in situations where we feel let down. Hence, why I mentioned gratitude as a practice earlier. The more we actively cultivate gratitude – whether consciously as a response to a disappointing event, or through daily rituals like gratitude journals, Facebook gratitude challenges, etc. – the more engrained it becomes. We truly begin to re-wire our brains and tip the scale of our reactions to come from this place.

I’m a true believer that contentment and happiness are the natural outcomes from practicing gratitude. When we are able to accept what is, and appreciate it, we stop “arguing with reality,” as Byron Katie puts it. The more we are friendly with reality exactly as it unfolds, the more content we are. It really is that simple.

Rooted in a place of gratitude, we have greater resistance to getting caught up in the thoughts of the comparing mind. Our predilections towards envy are so strong that it is considered one of the five kleshas (poisons) of Mahayana Buddhism, and is one of the key obstacles that keeps us from experiencing happiness in any given moment. When we truly are grateful, there is no need to compare our performances, bodies, incomes, etc. to those of the people around us. They are ultimately inconsequential when we come to rest amidst the innumerable blessings of our own lives.  

It's unfortunate that the Olympics (like many other aspects of life) directly feed our patterns of comparing and ranking. If you find yourself in a situation (in a sport, at work, etc.) where your performance is ranked, take this information for what it is – but don’t let it define who you are, or take it as an indicator of what you might possibly contribute to the world. And if you find yourself as #2, don't try harder simply for the sake of becoming #1, or get wrapped up in what you could have done differently to be on top. Act sincerely and always give your best, without attachment to outcomes.  To do this, whatever the circumstance, is always a gold-medal finish in my book.

Keep your Root Veggies Longer!

You've just gotten home from the farmer's market with a big bunch of leafy carrots, or a bundle of beets with leafy tops. What do you do next? If you're like most people, you throw the whole bunch of carrots, turnips, beets, etc. right into the refrigerator, with tops attached. And most likely, unless you use the root part of the vegetables within a day or two, you'll notice they begin to go limp by the time you're ready to use them. Perhaps you don't even end up using the whole batch because they simply become lifeless before a week is up. If this sounds familiar, read on.

Years ago, I was taught by a farmer that the best way to keep root vegetables is to immediately remove the green tops as soon as you get home. If you think about it, a carrot with greens attached is still living, in that the greens are pulling water - and prana (life energy) - out of the root. So, the longer you keep greens attached, the more life gets sucked out of the root.

After separating roots and greens, store both separately in the refrigerator in sealed bags/containers for maximum life.

If you're someone who typically discards the greens, I'd recommend finding new uses to incorporate them into your meals and produce less waste. Keep in mind that the flavor of the greens is often similar to how the root tastes - beet greens have a slight sweetness, turnip greens are spicy, etc. Some of my favorite uses for root veggie greens include:

- Sauteeing with coconut oil and a pinch of salt for a quick side dish

- Juicing

- Making pestos or sauces

- Throw a handful into veggie stock

- Chopping them finely for garnishes

Do you have a favorite use for greens? Share below!

I hope this tip is helpful, and long live your root veggies!

A Holiday Meditation

The holidays are supposed to be "the most wonderful time of the year," but for so many people, they instead are a time of stress and overindulgence. While we tend to over-consume in every way possible - from party foods to buying gifts we feel social pressure to give, many of us are left feeling rather empty by the time the new year rolls around.

Along with this emptiness, we often get caught up on what is lacking in our lives - whether it's money to buy special gifts, time to accomplish everything on our to-do lists, the right partner to celebrate with, etc. These feelings of deprivation can send us into the depths of depression at a time when we feel so much social pressure to be cheerful, which can then lead to further spirals of self-judgement and inner criticism.

The following meditation is inspired by a practice offered by Rick Hanson, who wrote the book Buddha's Brain, which is a fabulous introduction to the research neuroscientists have conducted on the effects of meditation and other contemplative arts. This meditation specifically builds up areas of our brain that are responsible for helping us feel safe, secure and that we have enough. Done daily, this meditation is like preventative medicine against the poisonous thoughts of lack, jealousy and greed.

In the recording below, we practice for about 10 minutes (beginning by connecting to the breath, and then proceeding through three sets of instructions), but know that you can do this meditation in less than two minutes on your own (spending about 30 seconds with each of the instructions). The more you practice, the more you build up your natural defenses to social pressures telling you that you must acquire new or be something different to find happiness and meaning in your life. Start today...whether you practice just once, or on an on-going basis, the results are noticeable and profound in my experience.

Click here to listen to the meditation (right-click to save file to your computer).