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Use this when something stings and your mind starts building a fast, heavy story about what it means.
A text goes unanswered. A face changes. A meeting feels off. Before the moment is even finished, Trickster is already writing the headline: "They are pulling away. I ruined it. This proves it."
You do not have to decide what the moment means while your body is in alarm. First, notice the story. Then come back to what is here.
- Pause.
- Ask, "Who is talking right now?"
- If the mind is making a fast, punishing story about you, name it: "Trickster."
- Take one breath. Feel your feet or your seat.
- Ask, "What would Buffalo say?"
- Wait for a simpler sentence: what happened, what needs doing, or "I do not know yet."
The next time you catch yourself predicting a bad ending, say quietly: "That is a story, not the whole truth."
That does not mean you did it wrong. Sometimes the body needs more care than one practice can offer. Drink water. Step outside. Call someone safe. Get support if you need it.
Want to go deeper?
This free practice is one small place to stand.
If you want to learn the Friends' stories, practise with them across real-life hard weather, and build a return path you can keep close, visit The Four Friends Practice Companion.
Frog. Tree. Eagle. Buffalo.
Tales from the Trail, guided practices, reflection tools, and a 30-Day Return Path.
$9.99 · One-time access
If this practice gave you a little more ground beneath your feet, you may want to keep a few more nearby.
Stay with the herd
Use the Whole Buffalo is still taking shape as a book, but the practices are already here for ordinary hard weather. If this language is useful to you, you can join a small early community and receive occasional field notes: new practices, sample material, and first word when the book's ready. No pressure. No performance. Just something steady to return to when the mind starts making the weather worse.
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