Re: Compassion with Anxiety

[Guest guest]

There's always the thought that you might not be able to find an " appropriately anxious enough thought" in the alloted time... and that might be a natural starting place until something better pops into mind.. -beverley-markb8415 wrote: Hi I am new here, i've been looking around here for a while. Not solong ago I read the post from Mr Forsyth with in it an exercise called'Compassion with Anxiety'. While the intention of the exercise madesense, I found that

doing the exercise is very hard. First of all 'breath in anxiety' I don't know how to do that. When you have GADit's not realy like you can make up an anxious thought, it's not likehaving a phobia or something, actualy most of the time the mind isvery dull because of the disconnected feelings of unreality I oftenhave. but before I could make up any anxious thought it was time tobreath out again. But I should breath out good stuff like love enjoyfulness, I don't realy know how to do that either, I just breathout air. Not to sound offending towards the exercise, I realy liked itand I have read stuff about tonglen. Its just that it sounds a bitvague at some points. Is it possible to give examples of breathing outjoyfulness and breathing in anxiety?Ofcourse this is all very new to me so its wrong to expect that itwill work out perfectly at the very first try. But I can realy usesome sugestions for doing this exercise.

ThanksMark,,Holland

[Guest guest]

Hi Mark -- It's ok to be where you are with this practice. It is a practice that builds on other exercises that we describe in our book and others have flushed out too (like in GOYMIYL). IMHO, the first and perhaps most difficult part is to just be with what your having anyway -- really just be with it, own it. I could be off, but from what you say below, it sounds like you have lots of experience breathing with anxiety, and it could be that you really don't like that very much. Nobody, at least that I know, really likes that discomfort. The practice though might help you get some space so that you are no longer drowning in it, or totally consumed by it. The Tonglen is a way to connect with the pain and the capacity we all have to extend vitality, even when we hurt. That is hard to do, for the urge and impulse we often feel first is to harden and shut down.

It might be good to ease into this one with some more defusion and mindful acceptance practice on the front end. Watch that you willingness is switched on when you start and see over time if you can keep that switch on throughout the practice.

Hope some of this helps. I think it is great that you are showing the courage to do something new. -j

P. Forsyth, Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Psychology

University at Albany, SUNY

Department of Psychology, SS369

1400 Washington Avenue

Albany, NY 12222

Ph:

Fax:

Email: forsyth@...

Web Sites:

www.albany.edu/~forsyth

www.acceptanceandmindfulness.com

www.act-for-anxiety-disorders.com

www.contextualpsychology.org

Compassion with Anxiety

Hi I am new here, i've been looking around here for a while. Not so

long ago I read the post from Mr Forsyth with in it an exercise called

'Compassion with Anxiety'. While the intention of the exercise made

sense, I found that doing the exercise is very hard. First of all

'breath in anxiety' I don't know how to do that. When you have GAD

it's not realy like you can make up an anxious thought, it's not like

having a phobia or something, actualy most of the time the mind is

very dull because of the disconnected feelings of unreality I often

have. but before I could make up any anxious thought it was time to

breath out again. But I should breath out good stuff like love en

joyfulness, I don't realy know how to do that either, I just breath

out air. Not to sound offending towards the exercise, I realy liked it

and I have read stuff about tonglen. Its just that it sounds a bit

vague at some points. Is it possible to give examples of breathing out

joyfulness and breathing in anxiety?

Ofcourse this is all very new to me so its wrong to expect that it

will work out perfectly at the very first try. But I can realy use

some sugestions for doing this exercise. Thanks

Mark,,

Holland

[Guest guest]

>

> Hi Mark -- It's ok to be where you are with this practice.

>> I just breath out air.

>> Not to sound offending towards the exercise, I realy liked it

>> and I have read stuff about tonglen. Its just that it sounds a bit

>> vague at some points. Is it possible to give examples of breathing out

>> joyfulness and breathing in anxiety?

> Mark,,

Hi Mark

I hadnt come across this exercise till it was mentioned here, so I

just had a go in my own way.

Basically I started by getting in touch with my pain, just as physical

sensations in my body on the inbreath, then breathing out thinking

about smiling. Not sure whether I WAS actually smiling, and sometimes

if I was pretty certain I wasnt, I thought about the smile you see on

buddha statues. Back to pain on inbreath, smile on outbreath. etc.

I then just expanded the amount from there.

I am reluctant to say more than that because I get the impression that

its probably a personal thing, and what makes it meaningful for me

might be something you have no particular feelings about. HOpe this helps

good luck

j

[Guest guest]

Thank you people for your kind reactions to my post. They are realy

helpfull and it remembers me of the fact that it is fine to just be.

With defusion it's easier to let the thoughts about doing the exercise

'the right way' pass and be more with my own experience.

Also I am realy interested in the new ACT book on anxiety. is it going

to be translated to dutch? (just like GOYMIYL).

Anyway thanks for your help and sugestions! Maybe its all a lot less

complex than it seems at first.

M

[Guest guest]

Hi Mark – The ideas are simple, but the practice and skill

development can be tough. One reason that the work can be touch is

this: the simple ideas cut against the gain of just about everything we’ve

learned to do (at least in the west) about and though our pain. We all

have years of practice with struggling with our mind and bodies. So, I

think patience and kindness with doing something different is key. Just

do your best and see what your experience tells you over time.

Just to clarify. The new ACT for Anxiety workbook is out

on Amazon. It was originally called “The ACT on Anxiety Workbook.”

The new title is “The Mindfulness and Acceptance Workbook for

Anxiety: A Guide to Breaking Free From Anxiety, Phobias, and Worry Using

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy.”

Wishing everyone a vital new year! -j

P. Forsyth, Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Psychology

Director of Clinical Training

Director, Anxiety Disorders Research Program

University at Albany, SUNY

Department of Psychology

Social Science 369

1400 Washington Avenue

Albany, NY 12222

Ph:

Fax:

email: forsyth@...

Web

www.albany.edu/~forsyth

www.acceptanceandmindfulness.com

www.contextualpsychology.org

Undergraduates interested in a research position in my lab can

apply at: www.albany.edu/~forsyth/undergradra.html

From:

ACT_for_the_Public [mailto:ACT_for_the_Public ] On

Behalf Of Mark

Sent: Wednesday, January 02, 2008 4:39 AM

To: ACT_for_the_Public

Subject: Re: Compassion with Anxiety

Thank you people for your kind reactions to my

post. They are realy

helpfull and it remembers me of the fact that it is fine to just be.

With defusion it's easier to let the thoughts about doing the exercise

'the right way' pass and be more with my own experience.

Also I am realy interested in the new ACT book on anxiety. is it going

to be translated to dutch? (just like GOYMIYL).

Anyway thanks for your help and sugestions! Maybe its all a lot less

complex than it seems at first.

M

[Guest guest]

Hi, is the I have found the new anxiety workbook. Is it also going to

be translated to dutch? a lot of ACT books are translated so i am

hoping this one will also be translated. Would help me a lot!

Thanks,

And also, all the best for 2008!

M

>

> Hi Mark - The ideas are simple, but the practice and skill

development

> can be tough. One reason that the work can be touch is this: the

> simple ideas cut against the gain of just about everything we've

learned

> to do (at least in the west) about and though our pain. We all have

> years of practice with struggling with our mind and bodies. So, I

think

> patience and kindness with doing something different is key. Just

do

> your best and see what your experience tells you over time.

>

>

>

> Just to clarify. The new ACT for Anxiety workbook is out on

Amazon. It

> was originally called " The ACT on Anxiety Workbook. " The new title

is

> " The Mindfulness and Acceptance Workbook for Anxiety: A Guide to

> Breaking Free From Anxiety, Phobias, and Worry Using Acceptance and

> Commitment Therapy. "

>

>

>

> Wishing everyone a vital new year! -j

>

>

>

>

>

> P. Forsyth, Ph.D.

>

> Associate Professor of Psychology

>

> Director of Clinical Training

>

> Director, Anxiety Disorders Research Program

>

> University at Albany, SUNY

>

> Department of Psychology

>

> Social Science 369

>

> 1400 Washington Avenue

>

> Albany, NY 12222

>

> Ph:

>

> Fax:

>

> email: forsyth@...

>

>

>

> Web

>

> www.albany.edu/~forsyth

>

> www.acceptanceandmindfulness.com

>

> www.contextualpsychology.org

>

>

>

> Undergraduates interested in a research position in my lab can

apply at:

> www.albany.edu/~forsyth/undergradra.html

>

> From: ACT_for_the_Public

> [mailto:ACT_for_the_Public ] On Behalf Of Mark

> Sent: Wednesday, January 02, 2008 4:39 AM

> To: ACT_for_the_Public

> Subject: Re: Compassion with Anxiety

>

>

>

> Thank you people for your kind reactions to my post. They are realy

> helpfull and it remembers me of the fact that it is fine to just be.

> With defusion it's easier to let the thoughts about doing the

exercise

> 'the right way' pass and be more with my own experience.

> Also I am realy interested in the new ACT book on anxiety. is it

going

> to be translated to dutch? (just like GOYMIYL).

> Anyway thanks for your help and sugestions! Maybe its all a lot less

> complex than it seems at first.

>

> M

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Mark – I just checked in with the publisher about planned

translations. Sounds like they hope to see the book translated into Dutch,

German, Korean, but it is too early to tell. As you know, the book just came

out and so it takes a while for foreign publishers to show interest. Hope this

helps! -j

P. Forsyth, Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Psychology

Director of Clinical Training

Director, Anxiety Disorders Research Program

University at Albany, SUNY

Department of Psychology

Social Science 369

1400 Washington Avenue

Albany, NY 12222

Ph:

Fax:

email: forsyth@...

Web

www.albany.edu/~forsyth

www.acceptanceandmindfulness.com

www.contextualpsychology.org

Undergraduates interested in a research position in my lab can

apply at: www.albany.edu/~forsyth/undergradra.html

From: ACT_for_the_Public

[mailto:ACT_for_the_Public ] On Behalf Of Mark

Sent: Monday, January 07, 2008 11:22 AM

To: ACT_for_the_Public

Subject: Re: Compassion with Anxiety

Hi, is the I have found the new anxiety

workbook. Is it also going to

be translated to dutch? a lot of ACT books are translated so i am

hoping this one will also be translated. Would help me a lot!

Thanks,

And also, all the best for 2008!

M

>

> Hi Mark - The ideas are simple, but the practice and skill

development

> can be tough. One reason that the work can be touch is this: the

> simple ideas cut against the gain of just about everything we've

learned

> to do (at least in the west) about and though our pain. We all have

> years of practice with struggling with our mind and bodies. So, I

think

> patience and kindness with doing something different is key. Just

do

> your best and see what your experience tells you over time.

>

>

>

> Just to clarify. The new ACT for Anxiety workbook is out on

Amazon. It

> was originally called " The ACT on Anxiety Workbook. " The new

title

is

> " The Mindfulness and Acceptance Workbook for Anxiety: A Guide to

> Breaking Free From Anxiety, Phobias, and Worry Using Acceptance and

> Commitment Therapy. "

>

>

>

> Wishing everyone a vital new year! -j

>

>

>

>

>

> P. Forsyth, Ph.D.

>

> Associate Professor of Psychology

>

> Director of Clinical Training

>

> Director, Anxiety Disorders Research Program

>

> University at Albany, SUNY

>

> Department of Psychology

>

> Social Science 369

>

> 1400 Washington Avenue

>

> Albany, NY 12222

>

> Ph:

>

> Fax:

>

> email: forsyth@...

>

>

>

> Web

>

> www.albany.edu/~forsyth

>

> www.acceptanceandmindfulness.com

>

> www.contextualpsychology.org

>

>

>

> Undergraduates interested in a research position in my lab can

apply at:

> www.albany.edu/~forsyth/undergradra.html

>

> From: ACT_for_the_Public

> [mailto:ACT_for_the_Public ]

On Behalf Of Mark

> Sent: Wednesday, January 02, 2008 4:39 AM

> To: ACT_for_the_Public

> Subject: Re: Compassion with Anxiety

>

>

>

> Thank you people for your kind reactions to my post. They are realy

> helpfull and it remembers me of the fact that it is fine to just be.

> With defusion it's easier to let the thoughts about doing the

exercise

> 'the right way' pass and be more with my own experience.

> Also I am realy interested in the new ACT book on anxiety. is it

going

> to be translated to dutch? (just like GOYMIYL).

> Anyway thanks for your help and sugestions! Maybe its all a lot less

> complex than it seems at first.

>

> M

>