# What's your Zen Mantra? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 22, 2003, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-zen-mantra/170218 "2003-04-22T02:50:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Orual](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/779978/32.png) [@Orual](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orual)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2003, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-zen-mantra/170218/41 "2003-04-22T18:44:05Z")
From _The Princess Bride_: “Life is pain. Anyone who says otherwise is selling something.” Although it frequently is replaced by the Hockey Song[sup]TM[/sup]: nah-naah-nah-nahnah HEY! nahnah nah nah, nah-naah-nah-nahnah HEY! etc. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2003, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-zen-mantra/170218/42 "2003-04-22T18:52:19Z")
It used to be “The mind is a muscle that can move the world.” I stole it from Firestarter by King. Now it is more simple, just a mindless repetition of “Joy, health, success” (Sometimes I substitute wealth for health.) ---
**Author:** ![verbenabeast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/c4cdca/32.png) [@verbenabeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/verbenabeast)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2003, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-zen-mantra/170218/43 "2003-04-22T19:20:09Z")
Hmmm… none zen, really but mine are… “I am become Death, Destroyer of Worlds. And all those that hear my voice SHALL tremble!” – -- – Paraphrased slightly from the Baghavad Gita “It coulda been a LOT worse…The Devil coulda made poor ol’ Uncle Versy tote HIM!” — --- — Jerry Clower. It basically reminds me to look for the bright side. It can always be worse than it is, even if the Devil toted off Uncle Versy. and finally when something bad is about to happen, I go with the old British Navy prayer: “Dear Lord, make us Truly Grateful for what we are about to receive.” Usually prayed immediately before receiving a broadside. well… I guess my signature would qualify as a mantra of sorts too… ---
**Author:** ![DaToad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@DaToad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DaToad)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2003, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-zen-mantra/170218/44 "2003-04-22T19:35:12Z")
I’ve got two that I try to live by: What – me worry? and Don’t quibble about the small change. I’m not always successful, but mostly so. ---
**Author:** ![Lissla\_Lissar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8491ac/32.png) [@Lissla\_Lissar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lissla_Lissar)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2003, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-zen-mantra/170218/45 "2003-04-22T19:37:42Z")
My needing-to-calm-down mantra is as far into _Ulysses_ by Tennyson as I need to calm down, usually recited to myself very fast. I think I used it at some point during my wedding ceremony so I wouldn’t cry. _“It little profits that an idle king/By this still hearth, among these barren crags…”_ Also the Jesus prayer, for serious illness or other sudden problems. I’m not sure what the two in conjunction say about me. Maybe my sig will become a mantra, too. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![coyasicanbe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bcef8e/32.png) [@coyasicanbe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/coyasicanbe)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2003, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-zen-mantra/170218/46 "2003-04-22T19:45:43Z")
Usually recited at about mile 10 of a half-marathon: “Get on up!” “Get on up!” Now say it in a James Brown voice: “Get on up!” “Get on up!” Usually gets me to the finish line. ---
**Author:** ![FaerieBeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e95f7d/32.png) [@FaerieBeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FaerieBeth)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2003, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-zen-mantra/170218/47 "2003-04-23T02:06:29Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Gassendi \* > \*\*I must not fear. Fear is the mind killer. \*\* Fear is the little death that causes total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me, And when it has gone past, I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone, there will be nothing. Only I will remain. I know, I know…I am a total freako, but I **do** say this. It’s usually helpful to remind me that, in the greater scheme of things, whatever it is I am worrying about or fussing over will turn out okay. I’m just one person, and there is only so much I can do. What good is fear?stress?insecurity? FaerieBeth, the weirdo sci-fi fantasy chick ---
**Author:** ![FranticMad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c68b51/32.png) [@FranticMad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FranticMad)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2003, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-zen-mantra/170218/48 "2003-04-23T03:14:27Z")
“This is fucked.” (a friend’s mantra, for the many years i’ve know him. i think he’s unhappy right now, for some reason.) ---
**Author:** ![Dogface](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9d8465/32.png) [@Dogface](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dogface)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2003, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-zen-mantra/170218/49 "2003-04-23T06:15:17Z")
Beer beer beer beer beer beer beer beer beer beer beer beer. ---
**Author:** ![soulmurk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b782af/32.png) [@soulmurk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/soulmurk)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2003, 6:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-zen-mantra/170218/50 "2003-04-23T06:57:14Z")
Taken from a Modest Mouse song: “I don’t feel and I feel fine.” ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Kumquat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4491bb/32.png) [@Gary\_Kumquat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Kumquat)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2003, 8:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-zen-mantra/170218/51 "2003-04-23T08:06:06Z")
“Move it, fat boy” - aimed at myself only, though I’m not fat. It’s a personal mantra to ward off procrastination and idleness. ---
**Author:** ![MetalDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecb155/32.png) [@MetalDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MetalDog)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2003, 9:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-zen-mantra/170218/52 "2003-04-23T09:54:54Z")
Depending on circumstance: When I need help just getting through the day “Give me this day my daily bread.” When I’m procrastinating “Do it! Do it! Do it!” When things suck “Nothing lasts forever.” or “In a year, you’re not going to give a damn about this.” ---
**Author:** ![Tristan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tristan/32/18058_2.png) [@Tristan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tristan)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2003, 10:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-zen-mantra/170218/53 "2003-04-23T10:20:18Z")
Well, when I’m really trying to get myself psyched up for something, I usually dig up the old SuperEgo. “You are an unstoppable force. Fuck them if they try to stop you. I leave nothing but death in my wake.” Usually followed by growling and slapping myself a bit. When it’s not that serious, a quick “Fuck it, let’s go” works really well for me. ---
**Author:** ![Jervoise](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d2c977/32.png) [@Jervoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jervoise)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2003, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-zen-mantra/170218/54 "2003-04-23T14:33:27Z")
When I’m feeling either very happy or very sad: “I’m fucking lucky!” Because it’s true. When I’m happy, it reminds me to be grateful for what I have and not to take good things for granted. When I’m sad, it tells me that things could be a _lot_ worse. > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by coyasicanbe \* > \*\*Now say it in a James Brown voice: > > “Get on up!” > “Get on up!”\*\* I like this. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![waddamaroon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/41988e/32.png) [@waddamaroon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/waddamaroon)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2003, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-zen-mantra/170218/55 "2003-04-23T17:53:10Z")
“Miss Emma, Miss Emma, get your big leg offa me…” Asleep at the Wheel always helps. **Arisu:** That song actually has a name. It’s “Rock and Roll, pt. 2” by Gary Glitter. I have it on a Ronco compilation album I bought about 26-27 years ago. Whodathunkit?😃 ---
**Author:** ![waddamaroon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/41988e/32.png) [@waddamaroon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/waddamaroon)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2003, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-zen-mantra/170218/56 "2003-04-23T17:56:58Z")
Not Ronco, it was K-Tel.:smack: Waddamaroon!!! ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2003, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-zen-mantra/170218/57 "2003-04-23T20:26:43Z")
“We either make ourselves miserable, or we make ourselves strong. The amount of work is the same.” Carlos Castaneda ---
**Author:** ![Zenham](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a5b964/32.png) [@Zenham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zenham)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2003, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-zen-mantra/170218/58 "2003-04-23T20:51:12Z")
I also realize I tend to do ‘countdowns’ a lot… to myself… ie. “10…9…8…” Hrm. Wish this thread wasn’t leading me to the conclusion that all those people who have told me I was weird throughout my life were right… ---
**Author:** ![rockle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/73ab20/32.png) [@rockle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rockle)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2003, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-zen-mantra/170218/59 "2003-04-23T20:53:18Z")
I tend to use the following mantras interchangeably: ~ “Don’tpanicdon’tpanicdon’tpanic!!” ~ “What’s this fish doing in my ear?” ~ “I seem to be having tremendous difficulty with my life-style.” Obviously, Douglas Adams has been a big influence on me. But when things get really bad and I really need to recenter myself, I tell the following joke to anyone who will listen: ~ Q: Why did the monkey fall out of the tree? ~ A: Because he was dead! Just typing that makes me crack myself up. I think that is simply the best f’ing joke in the world. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-zen-mantra/170218.md?page=2)