Brummet's Conscious Blog

-- Pet Grief Poem -- Today I'd like to share with you a poem that Dave's dad Frank Nick Brummet wrote when we were grieving our first dog Skylo. Yesterday's post shared the journey we underwent with our grandma dog Skyla. Yes the names are similar. After Skylo passed on nearly 13 years ago, we found Skyla in the paper a few months later - listed as available through the local SPCA. It felt like a sign - the similarity in names... and so she joined our home 12 years ago. This poem, however, is about the previous dog. Weirdly, since poetry has always been my emotional outlet,  I've never been able to write one about the heavy grief from pet loss as it hits me far to deeply. I can tell you it sits on your chest like an elephant's foot, each breath burns deep in the chest and the world becomes fuzzy and grey while your focus is on grief. It fades somewhat with time, but the pain resurfaces at the most unexpected times. Skylo's passing was shocking - as he darted aft...

 -- Loss --  It has been along sad journey for us in the repeated loss of parents. My biological dad passed away when I was about 18 or 19, if memory serves correctly. And Dave's mom passed away when I was 32-33. But this loss did not prepare me for the devastating loss of my mom and her husband when I was 40. These deaths all hit hard, in different ways - so much that the pain haunted me when we discovered dave's dad (the last parent) was going to die. I knew the pain was coming, the grief, the exhaustion, the legalities and meetings and official circles that come with being in the executor realm, again. With each parent, Dave and I were the closest kin (location wise) and so we did a lot of support activities for each parent and their individual needs. With small bouts of peace between the illness and death, we somehow kept our sanity. Then this one hit. Well it hit hard. We were already at the end of our reserves and now, after his passing, the crazy haze of busynes...

-- Journey to Health, final portion --   So, as you can see from the previous posts I did a series of small articles listing activities that are commonly recommended by experts to those that are struggling with challenges in life, you know - those moments when we are feeling a bit "lost in the dark", feeling our way "like a blind man". If you are at all like me, I tend to bottle up what I am feeling. I disintegrate it, put it back together, disintegrate it again... for weeks, months, years. Sometimes having a good friend to just spill it out to can help you sort out the confusing feelings, determine what it is you are really looking at and what it means and what it definitely doesn't mean. Then you might also get some helpful advice as to what to do about it, or through simply talking about it you discover the words to explain what you are feeling. Sometimes it is hard to chain a bunch of words in the right way, especially if you are confused about what...

-- Journey to Health, Part 5 --  Getting involved is my opening topic today - whether it is through online posts, and communications online, notes on bulletin boards, volunteering, recycling, donating or just cleaning litter from around your own neighbourhood. Whatever it is, do it regularly. I find that going online to places like Facebook quite rewarding because it gives me the opportunity to share posts that inspire conscious thought, encourage positive actions and thought. It gives me a valuable opportunity to share posts that support charitable organizations, worthy causes, or conscious-living activities. I get to celebrate conscious living projects, green businesses, and share recommended resources. I refuse to respond to negativity online; I do not submit negative comments or posts, and I delete "friends" or "hide" their posts so that I see fewer negative and more positive over time. Getting involved in even the smallest of ways can real...

-- Journey to Health, Part 4 --  Start writing down the things that go round and round in your mind – this needs to be done, don’t forget to do this or that… and in doing so the next time the mind decides to play that record you can remind it that the item is already on the list and you’ll deal with it at the appropriate time, you don’t have to keep thinking about it anymore because you don’t need the reminder… you have the list(s). … and actually do each thing on the list according to what is most important to get done at the moment. Dig deep and look at how you’d feel if you were told you were going to die – what would you regret, what do you wish you had done, what kind of impact have you had in your life that would have you holding your head high if you were to meet your ancestors, etc.   Take a look at that list of items and decide what you would like to do about it. Remind yourself that each moment is an opportunity for conscious ...

--  Journey to Health, part 3 --  Reduce or eliminate negativity and regrets – news, relationships. Vow to read and view mostly positive things (comedy, open education courses, listen to positive talk radio shows like http://BlogTalkRadio.com/consciousdiscussions archives and sites like Ted.com ) Reach out to people and begin expressing gratitude for some action or feeling they once gave you. Take a moment to list the things you really appreciate about the people around you, this will make the interactions easier for you. Just mention one or two things at a time to them, it is more effectual that way. Go through your personal and business address and contact lists and make a goal to tell each one of them something positive via email, text, mail, in person. Work this into your daily encounters - even if you are complementing a stranger's shoes, their smile, their attitude or service. List at least 5 different things you really feel grateful...

-- Journey to Health, part 2 --  Remember that your activities, your job, the things you are tasked with are not you; they do not define you, they are what you do, not who you are.  Yoga and meditation can help us realize that your mind, your brain, is different from you, the spirit. Visualize the brain as a machine and yourself as the operator of the machine. Realizing this increases awareness that a lot of our life is habit, habitual reactions – and the operator has the opportunity to reprogram the machine to operate in a more desirable fashion. Taking the time for looking after yourself – improving diet, getting exercise that suites your and excites you so you keep going, getting lots of sleep, taking supplements, eating right. These positive habits may take a while to become a natural part of your life, and you may have to try a lot of different things to see what works for you, you may be really into something and move onto something else for a few year...