What would you say?
Why does it matter?
Somehow there is a letter left in us all to write. Yet something stops us doing it.
I am not suggesting you do it. I am just asking if you are aware of it.
Showing posts with label questions. Show all posts
Showing posts with label questions. Show all posts
Nourishing the seeds
I have been reading a book, lent out by a friend of mine, for over the past six months.
Did you always have the three present?
How did you feel when one of them was not present?
Maybe these are not relevant for you and you have different ones.
Either way, the simplicity and clarity works for me.
It's not one of them, you read in one go. It's more of a dip in, dip out book.
It talks about nourishing seeds in your life. Basically doing things that are good for you and give you a positive feeling about life.
The three recommendations in the book are:
1. Be with people who value your opinion
2. Be with people who view the world positively
3. Go somewhere you get recognized.
2. Be with people who view the world positively
3. Go somewhere you get recognized.
Simple and also kind of obvious really.
Yet as I look back on my year, especially professionally, I realize when all three were at play, I was really much happier. And when one of these was not present, I can say I realized the difference. Fundamentally I felt imbalanced and dissatisfied.
So as I go into 2014, I will consciously remember these three points and if not in place, I will change some thing til they are.
Do they resonate with you?
Did you always have the three present?
How did you feel when one of them was not present?
Maybe these are not relevant for you and you have different ones.
Either way, the simplicity and clarity works for me.
Alopecia Survey
I recently filled in a survey.
I actually quite like doing it, well if the questions are short and to the point.
This one was, and I enjoyed doing it.
It was a survey about alopecia and how it affects the human psyche.
As I was completing the survey, I was confonted with issues I was fortunately not battling with, but it was a real eye opener. It made me realise that there are many areas of this disease that I don't understand. I clearly understand "my" disease and "my" reaction, it is obvious that there are many other facets of this condition, of which my awareness is limited.
Here is a portion of the survey that I want to share with you, to give you also some insights.
I actually quite like doing it, well if the questions are short and to the point.
This one was, and I enjoyed doing it.
It was a survey about alopecia and how it affects the human psyche.
As I was completing the survey, I was confonted with issues I was fortunately not battling with, but it was a real eye opener. It made me realise that there are many areas of this disease that I don't understand. I clearly understand "my" disease and "my" reaction, it is obvious that there are many other facets of this condition, of which my awareness is limited.
Here is a portion of the survey that I want to share with you, to give you also some insights.
The aim of this questionnaire is to measure how much your hair problem has affected your life over the last week.
What type of alopecia do you have?
-------------------- So that was it, I am sure I would answer the questions differently each year I have alopecia, as things do change as time passes Yet, this survey was a reminder, that a few years ago, I was not doing as well as I am today! Time is a great healer may be a cliche, but it does prove time and time again to be true. |
A borrowed book
A work colleague recently loaned me a book. I can't say I would have purchased it, but it was a lovely thought, considering we had been talking about how to keep calm during tumultous times. The book talked a lot about what it takes to be happy, how to quieten the mind and the benefit of thinking about others. It was a reasonable read.
One of the nuggets I took away from the book was the following. "The way we think about our teacher has a lot less to do with our teacher than it does with our mind."
Not an easy point to understand at first glance, but the more I thought about it the more I could apply this to all parts of my life. It made more sense to me when I didn't apply the definition of teacher in the traditional schooling sense but rather in its broader sense which is anyone with something to teach.
So thinking of a teacher as someone to help me out when asking directions to a place, someone who is helping me fix something or learn soemthing.
So the moral I drew from this chapter of the book was that if we find ourselves becoming disenchanted with our teacher, perhaps it's not the teacher that needs to be changed - perhaps it is our mind.
When the pupil is ready, the teacher will appear.
Lots of thoughts, need some time to order them and unjumble them.................
One of the nuggets I took away from the book was the following. "The way we think about our teacher has a lot less to do with our teacher than it does with our mind."
Not an easy point to understand at first glance, but the more I thought about it the more I could apply this to all parts of my life. It made more sense to me when I didn't apply the definition of teacher in the traditional schooling sense but rather in its broader sense which is anyone with something to teach.
So thinking of a teacher as someone to help me out when asking directions to a place, someone who is helping me fix something or learn soemthing.
So the moral I drew from this chapter of the book was that if we find ourselves becoming disenchanted with our teacher, perhaps it's not the teacher that needs to be changed - perhaps it is our mind.
When the pupil is ready, the teacher will appear.
Lots of thoughts, need some time to order them and unjumble them.................
A simple question
I heard it recently on the radio and I really liked it.
It was a question to the audience.
It went like this.
What would you do, if you were not afraid?
I am still thinking about it.
Do you know what you would do?
Why not go and ask a colleague or a friend and strike up a good conversation. Let me know what surfaces.
I think mine would be going to work without my hair on!
It was a question to the audience.
It went like this.
What would you do, if you were not afraid?
I am still thinking about it.
Do you know what you would do?
Why not go and ask a colleague or a friend and strike up a good conversation. Let me know what surfaces.
I think mine would be going to work without my hair on!
Do I moisturise?
"Do you moisture your head?" was the question.
I love questions, so bring them on.
The answer is "Yes I do"
I need three times more moisturiser than most. Did you know how much moisture a head needs? Seriously I need hands full of the stuff. Without it my head is a mess. Dry, flaky and the skin is all tight.
So after showering, I lather it on my body, like I imagine some of you do, and then to finish with, I add an extra squirt for the head.
After that, I feel like a million dollars!
One thing I cant do though, is put my wig on straightaway, I need a few minutes for all that moisturizer to soak in. Makes sense when you think about it.
Anyway there's my answer. Please send in any questions you have. I do enjoy them, as I forget about all the special things I need to do!
Anyway happy moisurizing everyone!
I love questions, so bring them on.
The answer is "Yes I do"
I need three times more moisturiser than most. Did you know how much moisture a head needs? Seriously I need hands full of the stuff. Without it my head is a mess. Dry, flaky and the skin is all tight.
So after showering, I lather it on my body, like I imagine some of you do, and then to finish with, I add an extra squirt for the head.
After that, I feel like a million dollars!
One thing I cant do though, is put my wig on straightaway, I need a few minutes for all that moisturizer to soak in. Makes sense when you think about it.
Anyway there's my answer. Please send in any questions you have. I do enjoy them, as I forget about all the special things I need to do!
Anyway happy moisurizing everyone!
Lessons on looking after a wig
Following my post on my smoky smelling hair, I got a few questions about wig care in general.
So I thought it a good idea, to inform you, my loyal readers, on how to care for your wig. So below please find my top 9 tips for wig care:
1. Wash your hair once a week
2. Use only wig shampoo
3. Use wig conditioner too
4. Let your wig dry naturally - this takes about 8 hours
5. You can use products on your wig eg mousse, but nothing hotter than room temperature
6. You do not brush wigs, you shake them
7. Every now and again, you should place the wig overnight on a foam head, to ensure it keeps its shape
8. Never use a hair dryer
9. When I say wash your hair, I really mean let it soak in cold water with the product for 10 minutes
Did I miss anything. What questions do you have?
I wanted 10 tips and couldnt think of a final one.
Please help me find at least one more.
Please ask a question...........
So I thought it a good idea, to inform you, my loyal readers, on how to care for your wig. So below please find my top 9 tips for wig care:
1. Wash your hair once a week
2. Use only wig shampoo
3. Use wig conditioner too
4. Let your wig dry naturally - this takes about 8 hours
5. You can use products on your wig eg mousse, but nothing hotter than room temperature
6. You do not brush wigs, you shake them
7. Every now and again, you should place the wig overnight on a foam head, to ensure it keeps its shape
8. Never use a hair dryer
9. When I say wash your hair, I really mean let it soak in cold water with the product for 10 minutes
Did I miss anything. What questions do you have?
I wanted 10 tips and couldnt think of a final one.
Please help me find at least one more.
Please ask a question...........
What does my head look like?
It was an odd question, but I guess many people had thought it. I guess the answer to me was obvious, but clearly it is not.
So here is my answer, for those of you who have also wondered. What does my head look like?
My head is quite simply, perfectly formed and shiny. There are no blemishes, beauty spots nor scars. There is not one strand of hair, not one.
It is like a stone you find on the washed out beach. A stone that has been washed over by the tide hundreds of times. Each time, washing away any bumps, smoothening out the surface leaving a soft yet hard exterior.
It is curvy and shiny. It's warm to touch and has a layer of natural oils protecting the shell.
It is mine. It is part of my look. It is what I have been given and I have learned to love it.
Quite simply it's beautiful.
Were you angry?
At the pool side last week, a fellow mum approached me. She was wondering how I was coping with my my treatment. Quickly I understood and assured her that I did not have cancer, just alopecia. As it transpired, she had just got the all clear from breast cancer after a double mastectomy and was beginning to resume normal life. She was just reaching out as a friend to others who were going through the same thing. Clearly I was not, but she was kind and friendly so we began chatting.
She was very curious about my condition and asked a lot of questions. I really don’t mind this, in fact in many ways I enjoy the angles people approach it. This time, she asked a question, I have never been asked before. She asked if I was angry.
Angry I thought. No I was never angry. I am not angry. Or was I? Am I?
I mean, I am familiar with the (Kubler Ross) change curve. You know the one where you go through the 5 stages of change:
Denial
Anger
Bargaining
Depression
Acceptance
You experience all the emotions, some places you stay longer than others, other places you go back and fro until you move on to the next phase. And as someone who works in an environment, where managing change is an everyday requirement, I am familiar with the stages and the need to go through each and every one of them.
So looking at the kind lady's question critically, I would have needed to go through the emotion of anger before I could get to acceptance.
But I could not remember ever being angry. The only time I came close was with the shop assistant in my first ever wig shop I ventured in to. She did not have a bone of empathy in her body, infact she clearly did not have a clue at all about hairloss. She quite factually and rather bluntly told me that if I wished to wear a wig I would need to shave off any of my remaining hair, before I could wear one. I nearly screamed “Shave it off, I am doing all I can to hang on to the final strands and you want me to shave it off. Are you mad woman??"
Yes I was angry that day.
And by the way, you were wrong, dear wig shop assistant. You dont need to be bald to wear a wig.
Yes I was angry that day. But other than that, I don’t remember being angry. Maybe I was, but have chosen to forget about it or maybe I was angry but buried it.
So yet another reflective question. I was pleased she asked it, it once again caused me to think back on the beginnings of my condition and realize what a long long way I have come. Thank you kind lady, come talk to me again next Sunday at the pool side!
She was very curious about my condition and asked a lot of questions. I really don’t mind this, in fact in many ways I enjoy the angles people approach it. This time, she asked a question, I have never been asked before. She asked if I was angry.
Angry I thought. No I was never angry. I am not angry. Or was I? Am I?
I mean, I am familiar with the (Kubler Ross) change curve. You know the one where you go through the 5 stages of change:
Denial
Anger
Bargaining
Depression
Acceptance
You experience all the emotions, some places you stay longer than others, other places you go back and fro until you move on to the next phase. And as someone who works in an environment, where managing change is an everyday requirement, I am familiar with the stages and the need to go through each and every one of them.
So looking at the kind lady's question critically, I would have needed to go through the emotion of anger before I could get to acceptance.
But I could not remember ever being angry. The only time I came close was with the shop assistant in my first ever wig shop I ventured in to. She did not have a bone of empathy in her body, infact she clearly did not have a clue at all about hairloss. She quite factually and rather bluntly told me that if I wished to wear a wig I would need to shave off any of my remaining hair, before I could wear one. I nearly screamed “Shave it off, I am doing all I can to hang on to the final strands and you want me to shave it off. Are you mad woman??"
Yes I was angry that day.
And by the way, you were wrong, dear wig shop assistant. You dont need to be bald to wear a wig.
Yes I was angry that day. But other than that, I don’t remember being angry. Maybe I was, but have chosen to forget about it or maybe I was angry but buried it.
So yet another reflective question. I was pleased she asked it, it once again caused me to think back on the beginnings of my condition and realize what a long long way I have come. Thank you kind lady, come talk to me again next Sunday at the pool side!
Replies to your comments!
Dear fabulous readers,
I love your comments, I look forward to each and every one of them. They spur me on to new subjects and they offer me insights into how my stories impact others. I love love love receiving comments and each time I see "comment awaiting moderation", I get really excited. It's like being a child again and receiving a wrapped gift, with fancy bows and ribbons. I can't wait to rip off the paper and see what's inside. I am never disappointed. The comments are fabulous and give me a huge sense of purpose.
I may not reply to the comments all the time, but know that I care about each one.
That said I owe you all a few answers. So what was it they were all doing on my recent blog. Well some of you got it right. Reading the trilogy shades of grey of course! The world went mad for it.
Then there is the comment on the energy givers and takers from reader Baked Bean! Good point. Another reader talked about keeping their house clean in case of midnight drama, that made me chuckle! I most definitely don't share that one!!
I love the fact the one of you confessed to ugly underwear and its importance in our lives. Hilarious. The fact that there could possibly be average Olympians really made me stop and think. Surely not possible. Not forgetting the popular Tupperware blog, this was clearly something many of you identified with. As a result, I have received numerous emails with links to lemons and how to organize my cupboards and I have received emails of encouragement for my role as a mother! Thank you.
Know that I look forward to writing, but look even more forward to finding comments! Keep them coming and if you are sitting on the fence and have not yet made the plunge to post your thoughts, go on, give it a try.
Yours beautifully, BBB xx
I love your comments, I look forward to each and every one of them. They spur me on to new subjects and they offer me insights into how my stories impact others. I love love love receiving comments and each time I see "comment awaiting moderation", I get really excited. It's like being a child again and receiving a wrapped gift, with fancy bows and ribbons. I can't wait to rip off the paper and see what's inside. I am never disappointed. The comments are fabulous and give me a huge sense of purpose.
I may not reply to the comments all the time, but know that I care about each one.
That said I owe you all a few answers. So what was it they were all doing on my recent blog. Well some of you got it right. Reading the trilogy shades of grey of course! The world went mad for it.
Then there is the comment on the energy givers and takers from reader Baked Bean! Good point. Another reader talked about keeping their house clean in case of midnight drama, that made me chuckle! I most definitely don't share that one!!
I love the fact the one of you confessed to ugly underwear and its importance in our lives. Hilarious. The fact that there could possibly be average Olympians really made me stop and think. Surely not possible. Not forgetting the popular Tupperware blog, this was clearly something many of you identified with. As a result, I have received numerous emails with links to lemons and how to organize my cupboards and I have received emails of encouragement for my role as a mother! Thank you.
Know that I look forward to writing, but look even more forward to finding comments! Keep them coming and if you are sitting on the fence and have not yet made the plunge to post your thoughts, go on, give it a try.
Yours beautifully, BBB xx
Having enough time
Dear Katy,
Thank you for your comment on my post "Being an average mother". You have triggered me to write "Time management according to BBB". I am not saying I have time management cracked and that it all goes as planned, but I do have a philosophy that works for me.
I believe I have enough time to do everything. OK let me qualify that. I believe I have enough time to do what is important, and to me that can only be three things. The list of what I want to do is however longer than three. So in order to whittle my list down from 30 to 3, I begin categorizing and prioritizing using a bucket system.
Bucket one: Critical things, things that just need to be done or that I desperately want to do.
Bucket two: Important things, things that should no longer be put off and will most likely provide a better quality of life all around.
Bucket three: Things I would really like to do
Bucket four: Things I would really like to do at some point in time.
My list changes all the time. It depends on the environment at the given moment including health, work demands and time of year. Some items may also fall off because they get done eg learn to make sushi. That said I believe none of this environment stuff really matters. What actually matters is consciously choosing where to spend my time and committing to take the action. That's it.
Simple recipe right?
So my list generally looks something like this:
Exercise frequently
Sleep 8 hours
Play with the kids
Talk to my husband
Do family activities
Go above and beyond at work
Read novels
Learn new things
Maintain relationship with friends that I don't see
Go out with friends who live near by
Visit new places
Contribute to society
Have a clean and organized house
Have nice clothes
Cook healthy food
Listen to music
Write my blog
Watch television
Relax/meditate
Maintain a nice garden
Homework/ learning with the kids
Commit to a sporting event or team sport
Host parties
Visit family
Learn a language
It could of course go on, but this generally covers most of what I like to do in my life. So onto the next bit. Prioritization. Here, I need to take a long hard look at the activities and decide what is negotiable and what isn't. At this point the bucket four and most of bucket three usually gets a strike through. When the list is a little shorter, say less than 10, deciding what you control, what you can combine and what you are willing to delegate or outsource comes next.
Getting someone else to do your tasks may incur costs which may not be affordable at first glance, yet if the list of what is critical is long than three then paying someone else has to be considered. That said, if money is a real consideration and if you don't have the budget, and you can't find someone who will do it free for you, then something has to come of the list.
Also combing a non-negotiable with a lesser priority is a good trick, eg Can you spend time with your kids whilst exercising? Can you contribute to society with your partner?
This exercise is not easy. Tough choices have to be made. But my philosophy is make these decisions consciously. If you don't make these tough decisions, they will be made for you. Without your control and not by you.
So take my short list. Well sleeping 8 hours, this can't be delegated and it's critical to me, so that's a keeper for my top three. Eating healthy food, definitely important, but luckily husband is willing to take that one on.
Learning french, well that's easy, that's off the list. What about kids homework, this is a tough one, I would love to do this, but I have to be brutally honest, with the hours I work, I would truly have to want to do this to chose it. So this is one I would be willing to outsource. And this is how it goes, on and on. Each item requiring honest and tough choices.
So right now my top three are:
Sleeping
Writing blog
Swimming (and I get to do that with my family!)
That doesn't mean I don't call my friends or go out for dinner with my husband and it certainly doesn't mean I don't watch TV, but what it does mean is that I do these things with less discipline and more spontaneous when I have a spare moment, but the other three I do religiously and with discipline.
So to come back to your comment Katy, I dont find the time to do everything, but I do find the time to do three things. And right now one of these is writing my blog, as it's important to me at this time. That said in a few months, this may change and doing the garden may rise to the top. Unlikely scenario but possible. Who knows. I just know right now I have made choices and these things will be done. The rest well, maybe or maybe not.
So what are your tips?
Thank you for your comment on my post "Being an average mother". You have triggered me to write "Time management according to BBB". I am not saying I have time management cracked and that it all goes as planned, but I do have a philosophy that works for me.
I believe I have enough time to do everything. OK let me qualify that. I believe I have enough time to do what is important, and to me that can only be three things. The list of what I want to do is however longer than three. So in order to whittle my list down from 30 to 3, I begin categorizing and prioritizing using a bucket system.
Bucket one: Critical things, things that just need to be done or that I desperately want to do.
Bucket two: Important things, things that should no longer be put off and will most likely provide a better quality of life all around.
Bucket three: Things I would really like to do
Bucket four: Things I would really like to do at some point in time.
My list changes all the time. It depends on the environment at the given moment including health, work demands and time of year. Some items may also fall off because they get done eg learn to make sushi. That said I believe none of this environment stuff really matters. What actually matters is consciously choosing where to spend my time and committing to take the action. That's it.
Simple recipe right?
So my list generally looks something like this:
Exercise frequently
Sleep 8 hours
Play with the kids
Talk to my husband
Do family activities
Go above and beyond at work
Read novels
Learn new things
Maintain relationship with friends that I don't see
Go out with friends who live near by
Visit new places
Contribute to society
Have a clean and organized house
Have nice clothes
Cook healthy food
Listen to music
Write my blog
Watch television
Relax/meditate
Maintain a nice garden
Homework/ learning with the kids
Commit to a sporting event or team sport
Host parties
Visit family
Learn a language
It could of course go on, but this generally covers most of what I like to do in my life. So onto the next bit. Prioritization. Here, I need to take a long hard look at the activities and decide what is negotiable and what isn't. At this point the bucket four and most of bucket three usually gets a strike through. When the list is a little shorter, say less than 10, deciding what you control, what you can combine and what you are willing to delegate or outsource comes next.
Getting someone else to do your tasks may incur costs which may not be affordable at first glance, yet if the list of what is critical is long than three then paying someone else has to be considered. That said, if money is a real consideration and if you don't have the budget, and you can't find someone who will do it free for you, then something has to come of the list.
Also combing a non-negotiable with a lesser priority is a good trick, eg Can you spend time with your kids whilst exercising? Can you contribute to society with your partner?
This exercise is not easy. Tough choices have to be made. But my philosophy is make these decisions consciously. If you don't make these tough decisions, they will be made for you. Without your control and not by you.
So take my short list. Well sleeping 8 hours, this can't be delegated and it's critical to me, so that's a keeper for my top three. Eating healthy food, definitely important, but luckily husband is willing to take that one on.
Learning french, well that's easy, that's off the list. What about kids homework, this is a tough one, I would love to do this, but I have to be brutally honest, with the hours I work, I would truly have to want to do this to chose it. So this is one I would be willing to outsource. And this is how it goes, on and on. Each item requiring honest and tough choices.
So right now my top three are:
Sleeping
Writing blog
Swimming (and I get to do that with my family!)
That doesn't mean I don't call my friends or go out for dinner with my husband and it certainly doesn't mean I don't watch TV, but what it does mean is that I do these things with less discipline and more spontaneous when I have a spare moment, but the other three I do religiously and with discipline.
So to come back to your comment Katy, I dont find the time to do everything, but I do find the time to do three things. And right now one of these is writing my blog, as it's important to me at this time. That said in a few months, this may change and doing the garden may rise to the top. Unlikely scenario but possible. Who knows. I just know right now I have made choices and these things will be done. The rest well, maybe or maybe not.
So what are your tips?
Which book to read?
Dear Helga Delano,
Thanks for your comment on "The love affair" post. Like you, I love a good book and I am always on the look out for the next gripping novel. Read on as you may find inspiration for your next read!
My strategy of what books to read is very random. And I like that.
I only read books that are recommended by a close friend or borrowed from their personal libraries. I rarely just pick one off the shop shelf and see what its like and I never buy a bestseller, just because it's a hit.
As a consequence, I read very eclectic books. I steer clear of fantasy and sci-fi although I have tried them, but apart from this I read anything. I always ask people to lend me books, as somehow this connects me with them and we enter into a new shared experience.
Right now I have five new books in my bag, I have been traveling for a week, and seemed to have accumulated them from various people, following various conversations.
So what are they..........
1. The Soul of Leadership by Deepak Chopra. A business book with a spiritual twist I am guessing. Given to me by a friend who after a dinner conversation about life, leadership and meaning, said that I may find it interesting.
2. The Other Side of the Bridge by Mary Lawson. A novel about the jealousy and rivalry of brothers set in Ontario, Canada. Given to me by a friend who loves reading a good story as much as I do.
3. The Buddha, Geoff and Me by Edward Canfor-Dumas. A novel about a man having a hard time at work and in love, meeting a Buddhist who begins to change his life. Given to me by a friend who read my blog about Theravadan monks and thought I would enjoy it.
4. Fifty Shades of Grey by EL James. I have no clue what this is about, but I have been told it's addictive and raunchy. Mmmmmm, let's see what's in store here! This I bought myself, following at least three people recommending it to me, as I want to understand why this book was sweeping the world!
5. Travel guide to Nova Scotia. Title says it all.
The problem is that I have not started any of them yet and I am really at a loss on which one to read first.
Help anyone?????
Thanks for your comment on "The love affair" post. Like you, I love a good book and I am always on the look out for the next gripping novel. Read on as you may find inspiration for your next read!
My strategy of what books to read is very random. And I like that.
I only read books that are recommended by a close friend or borrowed from their personal libraries. I rarely just pick one off the shop shelf and see what its like and I never buy a bestseller, just because it's a hit.
As a consequence, I read very eclectic books. I steer clear of fantasy and sci-fi although I have tried them, but apart from this I read anything. I always ask people to lend me books, as somehow this connects me with them and we enter into a new shared experience.
Right now I have five new books in my bag, I have been traveling for a week, and seemed to have accumulated them from various people, following various conversations.
So what are they..........
1. The Soul of Leadership by Deepak Chopra. A business book with a spiritual twist I am guessing. Given to me by a friend who after a dinner conversation about life, leadership and meaning, said that I may find it interesting.
2. The Other Side of the Bridge by Mary Lawson. A novel about the jealousy and rivalry of brothers set in Ontario, Canada. Given to me by a friend who loves reading a good story as much as I do.
3. The Buddha, Geoff and Me by Edward Canfor-Dumas. A novel about a man having a hard time at work and in love, meeting a Buddhist who begins to change his life. Given to me by a friend who read my blog about Theravadan monks and thought I would enjoy it.
4. Fifty Shades of Grey by EL James. I have no clue what this is about, but I have been told it's addictive and raunchy. Mmmmmm, let's see what's in store here! This I bought myself, following at least three people recommending it to me, as I want to understand why this book was sweeping the world!
5. Travel guide to Nova Scotia. Title says it all.
The problem is that I have not started any of them yet and I am really at a loss on which one to read first.
Help anyone?????
Why do monks shave their hair?
Dear "Cuttlefisher"
Thank you for your comment on my "Can I ask you a personal question?" post.
I am extremely envious that you have a Theravadan Buddhist monk in your family. I can only begin to imagine family dinner conversations.
However, as envious as I may have been, I was actually even more curious about them and pertinent to my blog, why do they indeed shave their heads.
Luckily with the help of the internet I was able to find some explanations that satisfied my need for information. So I figured I would share what I found out, however I can not confirm that this is indeed true. Was that a good disclaimer or what!
So the first theory I uncovered was around vanity. Shaving the head and even eyebrows is to help the monks lose their vanity associated with hair, as vanity is seen as negative and unproductive.
The second theory suggests that head shaving shows the monks' commitment to the holy life, and that they have gone forth into the homeless life to live amongst a community of monks.
The third and final theory I read is that shaving the head is a symbol to show the removal of all attachments and ego. This is somewhat similar to theory one.
So that summarizes the entirety of my research. So dear Cuttlefisher, if you or your Uncle would like to shed any light onto this subject or indeed correct my theories, I would be more than happy to post your words.
I don't think I am able to draw any real parallels to my own condition, and I do have to confess that Buddhism is a subject that I know little about.
Though what is clear, is that I find Buddhism truly fascinating. Therefore, you can expect a future post on this subject. As it happens, I am currently reading a book about calming the mind, that a colleague kindly left on my desk. This came as a result of a corridor conversation about craziness in the workplace. So expect to hear more about the learnings of that book another time.
Thank you Cuttlefisher for your comment, keep them coming,
Yours beautifully,
BBB
Thank you for your comment on my "Can I ask you a personal question?" post.
I am extremely envious that you have a Theravadan Buddhist monk in your family. I can only begin to imagine family dinner conversations.
However, as envious as I may have been, I was actually even more curious about them and pertinent to my blog, why do they indeed shave their heads.
Luckily with the help of the internet I was able to find some explanations that satisfied my need for information. So I figured I would share what I found out, however I can not confirm that this is indeed true. Was that a good disclaimer or what!
So the first theory I uncovered was around vanity. Shaving the head and even eyebrows is to help the monks lose their vanity associated with hair, as vanity is seen as negative and unproductive.
The second theory suggests that head shaving shows the monks' commitment to the holy life, and that they have gone forth into the homeless life to live amongst a community of monks.
The third and final theory I read is that shaving the head is a symbol to show the removal of all attachments and ego. This is somewhat similar to theory one.
So that summarizes the entirety of my research. So dear Cuttlefisher, if you or your Uncle would like to shed any light onto this subject or indeed correct my theories, I would be more than happy to post your words.
I don't think I am able to draw any real parallels to my own condition, and I do have to confess that Buddhism is a subject that I know little about.
Though what is clear, is that I find Buddhism truly fascinating. Therefore, you can expect a future post on this subject. As it happens, I am currently reading a book about calming the mind, that a colleague kindly left on my desk. This came as a result of a corridor conversation about craziness in the workplace. So expect to hear more about the learnings of that book another time.
Thank you Cuttlefisher for your comment, keep them coming,
Yours beautifully,
BBB
Investing time in living with alopecia
Dear Mr Nosey,
Thanks for your comment on my "Here we go again" post.
I am not sure I can answer your questions, but I can give you some insights into the answers. Quite honestly and very bizarrely I know very little about this condition. I don't know how common it is, and I don't know the reason why it occurs either. This may sound odd to many people but the reason I don't know is that I don't really care.
This condition is about me and not about them, and for whatever reason when my doctors told me that there is no known cause or cure, I accepted that and moved on. Even writing this it seems strange and rather uneducated of me to behave this way, but my instinct told me not to waste time over analyzing the situation, but rather to invest time in living with it.
What I do remember very well from my visits to the Doctors and Dermatologists, is that the condition of alopecia is "medically benign" and this is a wonderful thing. This means that apart from the hair loss, there would no other medical or physical impact on my health. Multiple tests also proved this, thus in many ways I was happy enough for a seemingly clear bill of health!
Now that said I am aware of some facts and I am happy to share with you what I know. For example a surprisingly high 3-6% of women aged under 30 experience alopecia, however there are varying degrees of the condition. It ranges from complete body hairloss to patches of baldness on the head. Some times it is temporary and sometimes it is permanent.
There are many theories on what causes alopecia and of course lots of research, but to my knowledge nothing is conclusive. Often a significant life event is the trigger of this auto immune disease, however a lot of research suggests a genetic disposition is the biggest driver. In my case neither a shock nor known family history tie into the occurrence of my alopecia, thus honestly I don't know.
As to famous people, I will come back to that at a later time. There are many known celebrities with the condition around the world and their stories are fascinating, as said, more another time. Mr. Nosey, thank you for your questions, keep them coming, through them we all learn, me especially. Yours beautifully BBB.
Thanks for your comment on my "Here we go again" post.
I am not sure I can answer your questions, but I can give you some insights into the answers. Quite honestly and very bizarrely I know very little about this condition. I don't know how common it is, and I don't know the reason why it occurs either. This may sound odd to many people but the reason I don't know is that I don't really care.
This condition is about me and not about them, and for whatever reason when my doctors told me that there is no known cause or cure, I accepted that and moved on. Even writing this it seems strange and rather uneducated of me to behave this way, but my instinct told me not to waste time over analyzing the situation, but rather to invest time in living with it.
What I do remember very well from my visits to the Doctors and Dermatologists, is that the condition of alopecia is "medically benign" and this is a wonderful thing. This means that apart from the hair loss, there would no other medical or physical impact on my health. Multiple tests also proved this, thus in many ways I was happy enough for a seemingly clear bill of health!
Now that said I am aware of some facts and I am happy to share with you what I know. For example a surprisingly high 3-6% of women aged under 30 experience alopecia, however there are varying degrees of the condition. It ranges from complete body hairloss to patches of baldness on the head. Some times it is temporary and sometimes it is permanent.
There are many theories on what causes alopecia and of course lots of research, but to my knowledge nothing is conclusive. Often a significant life event is the trigger of this auto immune disease, however a lot of research suggests a genetic disposition is the biggest driver. In my case neither a shock nor known family history tie into the occurrence of my alopecia, thus honestly I don't know.
As to famous people, I will come back to that at a later time. There are many known celebrities with the condition around the world and their stories are fascinating, as said, more another time. Mr. Nosey, thank you for your questions, keep them coming, through them we all learn, me especially. Yours beautifully BBB.
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