August 18, 2018

Dr. Murray Banks "How to Live With Yourself until the Psychiatrist Comes"

I used to listen to this 1965 album of my dad's when I was a kid.

Certainly dated, especially medically, but humanistic, wise and hilarious, Dr. Murray Banks rapid fires outstanding Borscht Belt jokes to illustrate principles of "mental hygiene." A lot of it describes roughly what we would call mindfulness, resilience, and work-life balance and even some recognizable parts of cognitive behavioral therapy, with the focus less on why and more on action.

It's a remarkably entertaining and encouraging talk: "If you work with fear and hatred in your heart you will be exhausted in ten minutes."

3 Comments:

Blogger VMM said...

Thanks, I enjoyed this.

August 18, 2018 at 6:14 PM  
Blogger JAB said...

I hadn't heard it in 40 years. The comic timing/delivery alone is impressive.

August 18, 2018 at 6:26 PM  
Blogger The Other Front said...

I don't believe in role models (apart from Shaun Livingston and Mahmoud Adbul-Rauf) but before she passed Joko Beck had kind words for Steve Hagen at Dharma Field Zen Center in Minneapolis. Here is one of his:

"We're never called on to do what hurts. We just do what hurts out of ignorance and habit. Once we see what we're doing, we can stop."

(links)

August 19, 2018 at 6:57 PM  

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