Second: sayings sound trite because they’re pithy and oversaid. And, yet, they usually hold kernels of truth that, if you’re eyes are open to them, you can see and really “get” when you need to.

In recent travails, one that’s been helpful to me – and which though not outwardly spiritual has some very spiritual truth to it is: You can’t go around it; you’ve got to go through it.

Another is a Buddhist aphorism that I’ve heard: Eat what’s on your plate.

Both mean about the same thing to me: Whether it’s the dark woods of the soul in front of you or a bunch of unappealing day-old spinach (also known as divorce, or self-doubt, or a break up, ior a broken shoulder…), it’s yours and you can’t get away with ignoring it or making light of it. Sit with it. And it will become lighter.

Unless, of course, you’re Dick Cheney!

The danger is in simply repeating them –kind of like the Republicans are doing with all thier anti-Obama rhetoric — becuase repeating them doesn’t make them true.

If meditating on the idea that “in this moment I have everything I need” causes me to consider all I have and need and to recognize that what’s “missing” is unimportant or a false ideal, or that my approach to finding what’s missing is flawed, that’s probably good. If it’s just a self-centered mantra that leads to more complaining and / or denial of a real problem…well, that’s no good.