New Website Launched!

By Jonathan S. Kaplan, Ph.D.

 So, a few weeks ago, I discovered that our website had been infected by some kind of internet virus.  In Google searches, the top 3 key words affiliated with our site were "prescription", "mindfulness", and "Nasonex"!  As one who prefers meditation to medication, I knew that I had to do something.  But what?  I combed through the site and could not determine the cause of the problem (such is the fate of having a psychologist like myself as our IT department).  So, I decided it was time to create a whole new site.  Please have a look around and let us know what you think.  And, for those of you seeking affordable deals on allergy medication, I'm afraid you'll have to look elsewhere.  :-)

Modern koan

By Jonathan Kaplan, Ph.D.

One of the characteristics of Zen Buddhism is the use of koans--or riddles--for meditation practice.  Questions such as "What is the sound of one hand clapping?" and "What was your face before you were born?" are used to prompt reflection and a disentanglement from literal, rational thought.  Another popular koan is "If you meet the Buddha in the road, kill him."

Recently, I experienced a modern variation of this traditional koan.  I accidentally taped two recordings of the PBS documentary, The Buddha, last week.  So, I sat down to delete one of the shows from my DVR and I received the following message, asking for confirmation:

"Are you sure that you want to delete The Buddha?"

Gentrification Mindfulness: The Challenge of Unwanted Change

By Irene Javors, LMHC

There is is restaurant/ bar in my Jackson Heights neighborhood that has been around for some 60 years. Everyone knows the place. The food isn't very good but the drinks are great and the bartender knows everyone by first name. When you walk into the place, you feel that you have entered a time warp and you are now in the 1950's. The juke box plays Sinatra and Rosemary Clooney and noone has heard of Lady GaGa or The Black Eyed Peas. On the weekends, the two televisions are tuned onto whatever is the sport of the moment and everyone cheers or boo's the team of choice.

I have spent many days sipping a glass of wine and watching tennis or football with the guys, just hanging out and shooting the breeze.

All of this will vanish after the airing of the Super Bowl on Sunday February 7. The landlord has raised the rent to an astronomical level and there is no way that the owners can pay. After over half a century, The Cavalier is closing due to gentrification. Four other stores and businesses are also closing on that block because of rising rents. These "mom and pop" venues are to be replaced with more "with it," commercial ventures.

Long time residents are angry/sad and feeling helpless in the face of the changes that are taking place in their neighborhood. No one wants these businesses to go but a tsunami wave of change is happening without our consent. What makes all of this so difficult is that we don't know what's going to replace what is being taken away.

From a mindfulness perspective, the passing of The Cavalier is a lesson in impermanence. Nothing is forever and the sooner we learn this reality, the better equipped we are to rise to the challenges of living. This doesn't mean that unwanted change feels good. It means that we learn to be mindful of the preciousness of each moment of our lives. We learn to take nothing for granted. My feelings are in conflict with my mindfulness practice- I cling to what is passing while knowing full well that life is change.

When I was a child and very upset, my mother who knew nothing about Buddhism or mindfulness would say, "this too will pass," as a way to comfort me and direct my attention away from whatever it was that pained me. Indeed, in her intuitive wisdom, she simply stated a major truth, "everything passes."

So, I salute The Cavalier. You have had 60 years of wonderful patrons and lots of love and laughs. Not a bad legacy!