TEACH US TO SIT STILL

Enjoying the moment

The happiest people I have met recently were nurses in a hospital.

While I was visiting a patient, a male nurse told me that he really loved his job.

Nurses have to wipe old men's bottoms, but this does not prevent the nurses being happy.

It's got something to do with being unselfish.

Buddha encouraged people to be happy.

People in Buddhist-influenced countries are generally happier than most.

Tim Parks has written 'Teach Us to Sit Still'.

Tim Parks had chronic aches and pains.

It was eventually suggested to him that this had something to do with his 'mind' creating 'tensions'.

He spent ten days with Buddhists.

They made reference to getting rid of 'selfishness'.

Parks realised that he had put a lot of effort into pursuing fame, and not spent enough time with family and friends.

Tim Parks got rid of his aches and pains.

Enjoying the moment

"Teach Us to Sit Still", according to the review in The Observer is "a lovely, well-told story, an investigation into the relationship between mind and body, and a joy to read for anyone with hypochondriac tendencies."

Parks came to realise that, as a writer, he was thinking a lot about the 'past' and the 'future', and this was causing tensions.

Parks learns to relax, sit still and stop worrying.

Enjoying the moment.