Monster Baby #72 Waking Up to the Gifts

What gifts do mindfulness and improv bring to your season of light?

It’s the season of giving and Ted and Lisa are musing on the life-shifting gifts of their shared practice.

They start the episode with an invitation for responses and then take a few moments for a warm-up game of “Three Things.” (4:11) The pair introduces the topic and Lisa explains the practice of Naikan as communicated by Patricia Ryan Madson (8:13). Lisa notices how improv teaches both gratitude and sincerity (14:58) and Ted acknowledges his own judgmental (rather than grateful) side. (22:39). Both Ted and Lisa explore how improv helps us explore our hidden sides (24:34) and how mindfulness and improv help us find possibility and goodness, even in difficult situations—but without resorting to “everything happens for a reason.” (29:06) Ted notes that changing our default patterns takes work (32:53) and Lisa reads from Patricia’s book Improv Wisdom for further insight about the filters we tend to use for our experience (34:34).  Ted wonders if choosing a positivity lens means we’re not seeing what’s really true (37:09) and the pair loops around to concluding that seeing gifts uplifts us, feeds our creativity, and deepens our connection to others (41:42). The usual Outro and a heartfelt thanks from Lisa and Ted closes the episode (46:38).

If there’s something in the episode that brings you particular joy—or raises a question—feel free to write us at info@monsterbabypodcast.com.

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Maybe you’d like to put some “presence” under your holiday tree? If so, consider giving Ted’s Monster-Baby-inspired book, Playful Mindfulness, and sharing the joy and wisdom of these two worlds in tandem. To order, please visit www.playfulmindfulness.info. (Ask nicely and Ted will surely sign a copy for you!)

 

 

 

 

San Francisco improvisors Ted DesMaisons and Lisa Rowland explore the beautiful, surprising and unruly intersections between mindfulness and improvisation as they seek to befriend that oft-hidden and sometimes scary part of all of us that can lead to a life well-lived.

 

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