2025-08-07 I Inquiry I Is Truth brutal? I Trudy Johnston

Appamada

Could It Happen Anywhere? Listen to the rhythm of things that never die. —Mark Nepo, “For a Long Time” Worried about what was to come, I went to the river and listened to the constant song as water met stone, met log, met wall. The endless white hush of it. Song of building up banks. Song of tearing them down. Song of surrender to invisible force. Song of change that is ever the same and not the same. And in the listening, I found refuge—not in the longing to hide, not in the sound— I found refuge in the listening. Refuge in the opening of the senses. In attuning to what is here. Wave and current and eddy and flow and the attentiveness that lives through this woman. And I listened and listened, listened to it all, and was opened by listening. At some point the listener disappeared. What was left was listening itself. For a time, peace found me there. Intention To wonder. To wonder with no plan for where it might lead. No strategy for arrival. No finish line. No pot of gold. No perfect score. No striving for. To wonder. To wonder the way a small child might wonder when seeing a roly poly for the first time— oh, look at all those legs. Look at how it curls! Look how it moves again. Feel how light it is in the palm. Feel how it tickles as it moves. Imagine an awareness that new meeting a life form that old. Can I be that new as I meet this infinite world? To wonder not just with my mind but with my belly. To let every neuron spark. To notice where there is a channel and imagine the great wing of life is scraping it clean so the stream might flow in new ways. To wonder beyond the edge of the known, and in that spaciousness, play. —Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer The listing of Chat GPT response to brutal truths: Here are five core truths about your own psychology that everyone must understand—or risk sabotaging their success, happiness, or relationships: ⸻ 1. You are not your thoughts. Your mind generates a constant stream of thoughts—some true, some false, some helpful, many harmful. If you believe every thought, especially negative self-talk, you’ll: • sabotage goals, • erode self-esteem, • and avoid taking necessary risks. ✅ Learn to observe thoughts without obeying them. This is the root of emotional resilience. ⸻ 2. Your emotions are messengers, not dictators. Feelings like anger, fear, jealousy, or sadness carry signals—but they don’t always point to truth or demand action. Avoiding or overreacting to emotions leads to: • impulsive decisions, • emotional burnout, • or constant anxiety. ✅ Name your emotions, listen to them, and respond—don’t react blindly. ⸻ 3. You have unconscious patterns driving your behavior. Much of your personality and decision-making is shaped by: • childhood experiences, • unresolved trauma, • or defense mechanisms. Ignoring these patterns means you repeat them—even when they hurt you or others. ✅ Self-awareness requires digging into your past, habits, and triggers with honesty. ⸻ 4. Your brain is wired for comfort, not growth. Your mind naturally resists discomfort, uncertainty, or change—even when it’s what you need. This resistance: • kills dreams, • prevents growth, • and reinforces stagnation. ✅ Discomfort is a sign you’re on the edge of transformation. Don’t run from it. ⸻ 5. You are responsible for your reactions—even when others hurt you. Blaming others or circumstances for how you feel or behave keeps you powerless. Psychological maturity means: • owning your choices, • setting boundaries, • and healing, not blaming. ✅ Victimhood might be justified, but it won’t help you thrive. ⸻ Bottom Line: Mastering your psychology is not optional—it’s the difference between drifting through life and designing it. If you don’t do the work, your patterns will run you, and you’ll wonder why life keeps turning out the same.