About

Manic Meltdown

My relaunch of Manic Meltdown is underway, and in the process, I found myself drawn to the image of the Buddha – a symbol of serenity that has always brought me peace.

At first glance, this choice seemed contradictory. After all, Buddhist teachings emphasize stillness, mindfulness, and detachment, standing in stark contrast to the frenzy of a “manic meltdown.” But then, the deeper meaning revealed itself.

A “manic meltdown” isn’t just about chaos – it’s about dissolving that chaos. When we strip away the mania of modern life – the relentless stress, the endless to-do lists, the constant pressure to do rather than be – what remains is our true essence. Beneath the noise, there is a quiet, unchanging core: our Buddha nature. This is the part of us that is calm, clear, and free, no matter what storms rage around us.

Of course, recognizing this truth is much easier than embodying it. The journey from frenzy to stillness is not a straight path, and I don’t claim to have mastered it.

Manic Meltdown is not a Buddhist space – it’s an eclectic mix of insights, inspirations, interests, recommendations, and personal reflections from my own whirlwind mind. But along the way, I’ll share what I’ve learned, including the wisdom of Buddhism, which has been a guiding light in my own struggles with modern madness.

One of my favorite teachers, Pema Chödrön, a Buddhist nun from Nova Scotia, offers a perfect reminder:

“You are the sky. Everything else – it’s just the weather.”

No matter how turbulent life gets, our deepest self remains vast and undisturbed. The goal isn’t to eliminate the storm but to remember that we are not the storm. We are the space that holds it.

My name is Deborah – welcome back to Manic Meltdown – a place where chaos meets clarity, where the madness of life is melted down to reveal the stillness beneath. Let’s explore this journey together.

Buddha image by nomo/michael hoefner, http://www.zwo5.de – Self-photographed, CC BY 3.0, Link