I am sometimes asked by some readers to explain the meaning behind the title of my third Dalai Lama’s Cat book, The Power of Meow. Just as the second title, The Art of Purring is a play on The Art of Happiness – a book closely associated with His Holiness – this third title is a similarly feline allusion to a little-known tome by Eckhart Tolle,
Oh, HHC, you have sure got it right! I think we tend to live in the "narrative mode" most of the time. It is a habit, I think. We make these stories up in our heads, never checking and asking..." is it true?". I think if we work to stay in the "direct mode", paying attention to what we are seeing, hearing, tasting, we can analyze what we are hearing immediately, and determine whether it is true or not.
It's like, I am looking outside ... it is sunny, the radio said it would be hot, I think " nah I am not leaving the a/c only to roast outside, I don't think I need to take the dog for walk." None based on truth, just the story in our head. Had we ACTUALLY gone out , perhaps it wouldn't have been as hot as the radio said, as our thoughts told us, it was actually quite pleasant this early in the morning, with a nice breeze. Had we not been in "direct mode" and paid attention to what really was, we would never have enjoyed such a nice walk with the dog!
More things to be mindful of! Thanks, HHC! Oh, and I will offer my cat to come out with us on the walk next time! 🙏❤🙏
Oh, HHC, you have sure got it right! I think we tend to live in the "narrative mode" most of the time. It is a habit, I think. We make these stories up in our heads, never checking and asking..." is it true?". I think if we work to stay in the "direct mode", paying attention to what we are seeing, hearing, tasting, we can analyze what we are hearing immediately, and determine whether it is true or not.
It's like, I am looking outside ... it is sunny, the radio said it would be hot, I think " nah I am not leaving the a/c only to roast outside, I don't think I need to take the dog for walk." None based on truth, just the story in our head. Had we ACTUALLY gone out , perhaps it wouldn't have been as hot as the radio said, as our thoughts told us, it was actually quite pleasant this early in the morning, with a nice breeze. Had we not been in "direct mode" and paid attention to what really was, we would never have enjoyed such a nice walk with the dog!
More things to be mindful of! Thanks, HHC! Oh, and I will offer my cat to come out with us on the walk next time! 🙏❤🙏