Default Settings

Tortoise photo from a video by National Geographic

          After a fire swept through a forest in Brazil, a group of animal rescuers found a female tortoise who had lost most of her shell. An eclectic team made up of veterinarians, a dental surgeon, a graphic designer, and an artist came up with an innovative idea: make a prosthetic shell with a 3D printer. While the vets took care of their patient, photos were taken of a healthy tortoise shell in order to create a model. Corn-based plastic was used to print out a shell, and a local artist applied non-toxic paint to make it look more authentic. The tortoise now lives with one of the doctors and is doing remarkably well.
          It can be a little unnerving to let go of attitudes and behaviors that have become second nature to us. Like the tortoise, we may feel vulnerable and unprotected. Though our intentions may point us in the right direction, how do we actually change those daily thoughts and emotions that hinder us? How do we prevent them from triggering our old habits? Repetition is what created these patterns, and so we must practice new behaviors to reset what is familiar to us. While emotions aren't shortcomings, our emotionally-tinged thoughts can affect our perspective; such thoughts make our ideas feel solid and real even when they're not. Yet a surge of emotion can act as a signal to pay attention to the sensation that arises rather than the fictional story our mind wants to create. In that open space, we can mindfully choose a skillful response that will benefit our recovery. We won't ever be perfect, but the more we practice, the closer we'll move toward what matters.

For more information on hindrances, see this post.