James Wogan LCSW

Tag: Mindfulness

  • Crabs in Bucket, reinterpreted

    Crabs in a bucket: Marvin (Diné / Navajo) reflected on “Crabs in a Bucket.” An elder in Seattle shared commonly told admonishment that crabs pull each other down, if one tries to climb out of a pot or bucket, other crabs pull it back down. The lesson, be cautious of who is around you.

    In nature, however, Crabs actually cooperate, climb on each other, help each other, live in community in order to survive. Their nature is cooperation. The bucket, the elder said, is a Western construct. The bucket is Western society, materialism, individuality. When pulled away from their natural environment, of course crabs behave differently.

    A beautiful Native-American re-interpretation of a story commonly told to children; don’t trust or be pulled down by those around you.  This stands is stark contrast to Crabs’ true nature, to lift each other up.  

    Adam Grant (Wharton) added, “We assume this is how crabs behave in a bucket bc this is what we’ve been told. Researchers showed, however, they don’t actually pull each other down. ….Test the hypothesis.” 

    Native wisdom.

  • Be aware to be authentic

    Mindfulness, in-the-moment awareness, and being “present,” goes hand-in-hand with being authentic, mental health and wellness. See link to article in Flipboard magazine SEL.

    https://www.inverse.com/mind-body/scientists-explain-the-cognitive-techniques-to-use-if-you-want-to-feel-present

  • Japanese Mindfulness – Ichi-go Ichi-ē

    Japanese Mindfulness – Ichi-go Ichi-ē

    Ichi-go Ichi-ē. Ichi-go ichi ē. “One meeting, one chance.” This moment is precious. Even if we read this exact same post tomorrow, at the same time, in the same place, on the same phone, we can’t recreate an identical encounter with each other that is happening right now.

    “We shall arrive at the place we started, and know the place for the first time.”

    – T.S. Elliot, The Four Quartets

    It takes artists years to draw a perfect circle. The process teaches us that there’s no such thing as “perfect.” The “flaws” make each of our circles unique. Life goes in circles.