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Consider these words . . .
meditation, medicine, medic, medication. They all come from the same Latin prefix "medicus" which means to care or to cure. -Victor M Parachin, Sit a Bit "Breath is the link between the mental and physical disciplines. It makes the mind calm, lucid and steady." -Swami Vishnu Devananda
Not only do most people take breath for granted but many people do not breathe properly. Consistent ineffective breathing eventually results in fatigue, stress, anxiety, illness and a wide variety of other health issues. To determine if you are a good breather or a weak breather, take a few moments and pay attention to your breath. As you inhale and exhale sense whether your breathing is shallow and rapid or smooth and steady? Because both body and mind are affected--negatively or positively--by the way we breathe, it's important to do so properly. -Victor M Parachin, Buddhist Wisdom for Beginners Attachment is a major theme in Eastern thought, especially in Buddhism. The Buddha specifically taught that it is attachment that leads to suffering. We suffer not because an unpleasant event has taken place in our lives, but because we add to that event the huge burden of emotions and fantasies: anger, resentment, hostility, entitlement, fear, grief, etc. The Buddha taught that freedom from attachment is the cure for suffering. "For him who is wholly free from craving, there is no grief, much less fear."
-Victor M Parachin, Eastern Wisdom for Western Minds Those who are grieving should think about that truth--attitudes are more important than facts. The fact is that you have lost a loved one to death. The grief is hard, and the journey is lonely. Yet your attitude can triumph over the fact about loss. Adopt the attitude that you will overcome, that you will transform pain into gain, that you will become an enlarged person as a result of this hard experience.
-Victor M Parachin, Healing Grief This Zen proverb of six words is mindfulness in a nutshell: When walking, walk. When eating, eat. It reminds us to do one thing at a time; to do it slowly; to do it deliberately; and to do it completely. This can and ought to be expanded into daily life. Here are some ways:
- When listening to a friend, listen. - When mowing your lawn, mow. - When loading the dishwasher, load. - When sitting with your cat, sit. - When driving, drive. - When working, work. By approaching daily living this way, you'll discover the joy of living like a Zen monk because your daily mindfulness will bring you calm, peace, perspective and tranquility. -Victor M Parachin, Think Like the Buddha Whenever you find it hard to keep going because the challenges are discouraging, think about our planet earth. Mother Earth experiences monsoons, tornadoes, hurricanes, wildfires, earthquakes, volcanoes. Each time any of those strikes, earth experiences destruction. And yet, the earth heals herself over time. Grass returns, flowers bloom, young trees grow. Mother Earth knows how to work in harmony with life's circumstances. Persistently and consistently she finds ways to self-heal.
-Victor M Parachin, Sit a Bit Note from Janet: Victor's birthday is this week and here is a post that explores a Buddhist view of birthdays.
Here are three specifically Buddhist (mindful) ways to celebrate a birthday: First, remember, with appreciation, the woman who gave you birth. Whether your mother was adequate or not is irrelevant. The fact is, she kept you alive and nurtured your growth when you could not do it for yourself. . . . Secondly, do an act of kindness for an animal. On special days, Buddhists worldwide will go to a market and buy a live creature destined for slaughter--a fish, goat, sheep, turtle, bird--and release it in an appropriate area. . . . Another way to embrace animal compassion on a birthday is by making a significant donation to an animal shelter. Thirdly, create a more mindful birthday by contributing a gift of money to a needy individual or civic organization. By so doing, a birthday isn't just "all about me" but also about others. -Victor M Parachin, Buddhist Wisdom for Beginners It's all too easy to discount our efforts and minimize our effectiveness on the planet because most of us are not creating global change--negotiating peace treaties, ending wars, discovering new vaccines, etc. Yet, the Buddha wisely reminds people not to overlook tiny good actions. Our small acts can, indeed, make a big difference. A tiny seed can, in time, produce a huge tree. A small act of compassion can relieve a great distress. The journey that covers an enormous landscape always begins with the first step. The Buddha taught, "Do not overlook tiny good actions, thinking they are of no benefit; even tiny drops of water in the end will fill a huge vessel."
-Victor M Parachin, Eastern Wisdom for Western Minds Minister and psychologist Ann Kaiser Stearns has interviewed and studied survivors from all sorts of tragedies--people whose lives were shattered by disease, death, chronic pain, and being prisoners of war. In her book Coming Back: Rebuilding Lives after Crisis and Loss, she cites the following as attitudes crucial for overcoming adversity:
- I will not be defeated - I will vividly examine the future - I will take advantage of available opportunities - I will not assume the victim posture - I will accept life's challenges - I can do it if I set my mind to it - I have to be willing to expand - I will find a way to get what I want - I am consciously deciding to be in the company of good people Study this list carefully. Make these your attitudes as you manage mourning. And when facing discouragement or even despair over your circumstances, keep in mind the truth that attitudes are more important than facts. -Victor M Parachin, Healing Grief |
Victor M. Parachin ... aVedic educator, yoga instructor, Buddhist meditation teacher and author of a dozen books. Buy his books at amazon or your local bookstore. Sadly, Victor passed away in August 2025, but his blog continues. Janet Parachin, his partner of 45 years, shares quotes from his books and articles each week. Archives
February 2026
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