My Mansion reading today: Sit Like A Mountain: Sitting quietly, quietly breathing in and out, we develop strength, concentration, and clarity. So sit like a mountain. No wind can blow the mountain down.” – Thich That Hahn.
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I talked to several Mansion aides recently, and they told me that the staff needs help running bingo games. The residents, I am told, get intensely competitive, even sometimes to the point of throwing things and yelling at the winners and each other.
(Above, Ellen from Memory Care; below, Art, who says little but loves anything related to cars.
When I asked where the problem was, members of my meditation class were cited as the worst sports at losing. After teaching three years of meditation and calming breathing, I was startled. The three mentioned were among my class’s quietest and most enthusiastic meditators (none were present today.)
They love the breathing exercises and the meditations themselves. But it’s unfair to blame them for their behavior. In my class, they are lovely and calm. But it’s a difficult time, and Bingo takes on great importance to people who need a win.
One of the Bingo managers came to me today and asked if I could speak with the unruly meditation class members and give them tools other than shouting and throwing things to work with. I said I would take this up next week when everyone was present. Today was a shopping day at Walmart, and the problem was that people were absent.
This will be an exciting challenge, as the aides believe the ones who get angry get help themselves. They said they’d welcome any help. I’m going to do some research and come up with some ideas.
Art after meditating.
Every week, an aide walks Art from meditation class to the cafeteria, and he needs clarification if he walks alone. Art is a sweet and kind man.
