Fantastic session — very helpful (as Joan B always is) — but should the title be Descent and Renewal?
Thanks Tami. I’m grateful for your work.

Comment by Barbara — August 10, 2012 @ 9:36 pm

Deep within there is a stirring and an appreciation of your sharing. Your journey resonates with my journey as I follow my heart and my vision comes into existence. I thank you for your capacity for honesty, compassion and love that radiates across the airways. You are my night time appreciation today as you have enriched my life. Blessings, Sarah.

Comment by Sarah Bird — August 11, 2012 @ 4:57 am

One thing I love about Joan’s talk with you is that she lets us know what authors and mentors have helped her form the words to explain what she knows. The funny thing is that the list of authors and mentors who have taught me what I have learned so far is completely different than her list, yet the knowledge is pretty much the same; not that I live that wisdom very well yet or would be able to explain it as well as you or your parade of shining spirits you gift us with.
One tidbit that I bet I’ll be able to use some day is the linking of gratefulness with bringing about a life of great fullness.
Thanks for another gem.

Comment by Rich — August 11, 2012 @ 11:32 am

Wow, this conversation deeply touched my heart! It covered so many aspects of a woman’s journey. I do experience some of the symptoms of feeling burnt. Women are natural nurturers but the challenge is when we give so much of our energy, how do we make the time to replenish it? We feel guilty when we even take a half a day off to do almost ‘nothing’, which is what I do. I embrace the solitude and in that solitude I allow myself to feel all that pent up stressful negativity that has built up in me during during the course of the week. Don’t know when exactly it happens but that yucky energy does leave. The beauty of listening to this conversation is that it uplifted my energy by a big jump. So unbelievable! A very interesting subject that Joan brought up is the we carry a little (or more than a little) of childhood narcissism in our adulthood. I would love to explore that aspect in me. This is such amazing grace to receive these Insights of the Edge conversations every week, free of charge. The conversations feed my soul and entire being. Joan, your honesty and openness from the heart is to me ‘love in action’. It’s a question I ask myself a lot – what is love? Deep down I know that it is completely unconditional and it is very compassionate. There are many different dimensions to it. I don’t know, but I think there are different types of love. Maybe we are here on earth to express it. Just that, only to express it. We just don’t know how to as yet but we are beginning to play and discover it. God bless you both and yes, – I love you both!

Comment by Salma — August 11, 2012 @ 6:51 pm

I appreciate it how Joan Borysenko shares with us, through her life, that no amount of psychological or spiritual practice is a certain innoculation against burn out and human suffering, this includes being a highly skilled and experienced psychologist, and a director of a mindfulness clinic. It is interesting how similar the words human and humility are. I love how she is willing to present herself as she is as opposed to trying to create some false front persona based on what people want to see. Way to go girl!
Burn out might show itself as a lack of physical and emotional energy, an inability to connect well with others, and inefficacy. It seems to be realted to some basic human motivations like for achievenment, power, control, and affilation. Joan mentioned how it affects so many people care providers. I also heard on the news today that finally even the military is starting to take their high suicide rates seriously. Another sign of possible burn out is when we do not take good care of our body; like if we don’t go for medical checkups, dental checkups, or exercise or eat well.
I have not mentioned for a little while that naive romantics might do well to not read my posts. In my mind it is not a question of if we are going to fall. The question is how long we will stay down on the canvas after we fall and fall again and so on. It is resilience that helps us to get up yet one more time. I plan to share a little of what she said on this grace soon.

Comment by Stanley — August 17, 2012 @ 10:32 am

I do not view it as a beautiful gesture to leave this post in a scorched tone. I would also like to share some of what Joan Borysenko says about resilience. She tells us that some people face difficult life circumstances and go on to become productive people. Some people go on to have very difficult lives after that.
Resilience is an important skill in getting on. Joan tells us that it helps to be realistic. When we are realistic we can most accurately and skillfully react to relative reality the way it actually is. She says that the worst thing is to be optimistic. Acting on over optimism can tend to expose us to being slammed hard. She used an example of if we are sailing and the wind is against us. It might not help much to be in denial or to think the wind will change when it won’t. It is better to learn how to adjust our sails and tack into the wind. She also mentioned the importance of having the ability to create a meaning that is growth inducing, creativity, social support, and humor.
One of the few statements that I tend to disagree with Ken Wilber on is when he says “Hurts more bothers you less”. In my view hurting and being bothered are part of being a caring human being. A better statement might be hurts more, bothers more and have the strength or resilience to deal with it and go on with the mission. Thanks Joan

Comment by Stanley — August 18, 2012 @ 9:13 am