In her book Real Happiness, Sharon Salzburg writes Michelangelo was once asked how he would carve an elephant, and he replied “I would take a large piece of stone and take away everything that was not the elephant”. Cultivating attention is something like recognising what is not the elephant – letting go of what is not essential, not helpful. So we let go of what is distracting especially those that kill our wellbeing chewing on it. In daily life, it could mean saying no to what sucks up our energy with no helpful outcomes so that we can spend time on what will grow us.
Growth, Madison Greene
how could I love myself
and hate the memories that have molded me?
my roots are planted deep beneath the earth
but petal by petal I am growing
making peace with my past
it hurts to stretch this much
but I have learned that I was made for more than just unraveling
and look at how far I’ve come, at how much I’ve survived
I’ve learned to love my dark parts even if no one else will
I’ve learned how to walk fearlessly through the fires I face even if they burn me
Guide: Noelle Lim
Image credit: Priscilla du Preez, Unsplash
Kindermind Center 