Re: Buying into specific thoughts & emotions

[Guest guest]

Hey Adam, that makes perfect sense to me Infact it's one of my big

issues with ACT. Since starting ACT I've not so much noticed many

positive thoughts or feelings due to focusing on defusion a lot and

observing negative thoughts/feelings, and when occasionally I get the

positives I tend to ignore or discount them.

But I want to have positive emotions and thoughts (cos they are very

rare for me), not to defend against the negatives, but to experience

some happiness for once.

I'm sure somewhere in the book it says " if buying this thought isn't

in the service of your interests, stop buying it " which kind of

implies that it's ok to buy 'useful' thoughts that serve you.

-PC

>

> Hi,

>

> I have a question I'd like to put out there for discussion.

>

> ACT teaches us about the observing self and to use defusion

> techniques to give us a more objective look at our thoughts,

> emotions, urges etc without believing or disbelieving them.

>

> I've been practicing these techniques quite a bit and find it is

> helping to ensure I don't get " carried away " with certain feelings

> and to remain focused on the present situation.

>

> I'm wondering though, if ACT says it is " okay " to buy into some

> thoughts/emotions and not others. For example, if I'm feeling

happy,

> is it ok to just let go and completely absorb this feeling or

should

> we observe it and allow it to be there, as we would do with some

> negative emotions & thoughts?

>

> In other words, is it going against ACT philosophy to buy into any

of

> our emotions? Or are we free to pick and choose which ones we'd

like

> to fully experience without impeding our sense of mindfulness in

the

> long run?

>

> Foor for thought

>

> P.S. Sorry if this makes no sense, I am quite new to this stuff!

>

> Adam

>

[Guest guest]

I'm just getting started with ACT, and I'm noticing that I'm

certainly paying more credence to things like defusion and acceptance

than is probably warranted. That of course is great mind fuel; " did I

defuse properly? should I be accepting that, or being actively

compassionate to it? was that defusion or was that avoidance? Is

this a feeling or a thought or ... "

Sigh!

I guess it's just part of the natural learning curve. I think it's a

common newbie mistake in any discipline to get overly focused on the

basics...like in swimming after a certain amount of practice, it's

time to shift your focus on what your individual arms and legs are

doing, and focus on getting from A to B.

I'm guessing it's similar with ACT - once you've practiced the

techniques in isolation, it's time to shift focus from practicing the

basics, and make your primary focus your values, and just remember to

use the skills you've learned along the way.

> >

> > Hi,

> >

> > I have a question I'd like to put out there for discussion.

> >

> > ACT teaches us about the observing self and to use defusion

> > techniques to give us a more objective look at our thoughts,

> > emotions, urges etc without believing or disbelieving them.

> >

> > I've been practicing these techniques quite a bit and find it is

> > helping to ensure I don't get " carried away " with certain

feelings

> > and to remain focused on the present situation.

> >

> > I'm wondering though, if ACT says it is " okay " to buy into some

> > thoughts/emotions and not others. For example, if I'm feeling

> happy,

> > is it ok to just let go and completely absorb this feeling or

> should

> > we observe it and allow it to be there, as we would do with some

> > negative emotions & thoughts?

> >

> > In other words, is it going against ACT philosophy to buy into

any

> of

> > our emotions? Or are we free to pick and choose which ones we'd

> like

> > to fully experience without impeding our sense of mindfulness in

> the

> > long run?

> >

> > Foor for thought

> >

> > P.S. Sorry if this makes no sense, I am quite new to this stuff!

> >

> > Adam

> >

>

[Guest guest]

It's very easy and tempting (a nasty combination) to over think ACT concepts. The secret - practice the exercises at every opportunity. The more you practice them the more automatic they will become and the less you will have to think about them. The voice of experience. Bill

To: ACT_for_the_Public From: sexy_rich101@...Date: Thu, 4 Dec 2008 21:38:05 +0000Subject: Re: Buying into specific thoughts & emotions

I'm just getting started with ACT, and I'm noticing that I'm certainly paying more credence to things like defusion and acceptance than is probably warranted. That of course is great mind fuel; "did I defuse properly? should I be accepting that, or being actively compassionate to it? was that defusion or was that avoidance? Is this a feeling or a thought or ..."Sigh! :)I guess it's just part of the natural learning curve. I think it's a common newbie mistake in any discipline to get overly focused on the basics...like in swimming after a certain amount of practice, it's time to shift your focus on what your individual arms and legs are doing, and focus on getting from A to B.I'm guessing it's similar with ACT - once you've practiced the techniques in isolation, it's time to shift focus from practicing the basics, and make your primary focus your values, and just remember to use the skills you've learned along the way.> >> > Hi,> > > > I have a question I'd like to put out there for discussion.> > > > ACT teaches us about the observing self and to use defusion > > techniques to give us a more objective look at our thoughts, > > emotions, urges etc without believing or disbelieving them.> > > > I've been practicing these techniques quite a bit and find it is > > helping to ensure I don't get "carried away" with certain feelings > > and to remain focused on the present situation.> > > > I'm wondering though, if ACT says it is "okay" to buy into some > > thoughts/emotions and not others. For example, if I'm feeling > happy, > > is it ok to just let go and completely absorb this feeling or > should > > we observe it and allow it to be there, as we would do with some > > negative emotions & thoughts?> > > > In other words, is it going against ACT philosophy to buy into any > of > > our emotions? Or are we free to pick and choose which ones we'd > like > > to fully experience without impeding our sense of mindfulness in > the > > long run?> > > > Foor for thought > > > > P.S. Sorry if this makes no sense, I am quite new to this stuff!> > > > Adam> >>

[Guest guest]

I think you're right on with this. I guess the problem is that people

using ACT have low motivation and messed up thinking anyway, so to

follow the exercises in itself is hard. Infact it's a miracle

(considering how messed up my thinking can be) that I managed to

stick with ACT.

I think the values bit is where the real motivation lies. I recently

found a book on 'Behavioural Activation Therapy' for mood problems,

it uses ACT concepts but the focus seems to be more on

values/goals/taking action, which obviously has benefits for your

motivation and mood. So in a way I'm going to work backwards -

thinking about my values and goals for motivation, and then

practising defusion/willingness etc using that motivation.

> Sigh!

>

> I guess it's just part of the natural learning curve. I think it's

a

> common newbie mistake in any discipline to get overly focused on

the

> basics...like in swimming after a certain amount of practice, it's

> time to shift your focus on what your individual arms and legs are

> doing, and focus on getting from A to B.

>

> I'm guessing it's similar with ACT - once you've practiced the

> techniques in isolation, it's time to shift focus from practicing

the

> basics, and make your primary focus your values, and just remember

to

> use the skills you've learned along the way.

>

>

[Guest guest]

it seems to me that a reread of message #4391 from j. forsyth might

help this thread. IMHO, he strives to guide us into the simplicity

of just focusing on the doing of the practise sans fixing ourselves.

i, like others in this group want ACT to work so fervently that

obsessive-compulsive clutching to make it so launches me/us on yet

another fix for our individual dilemnas. in my soto zen practise i

am admonished, taught, guided to sit zazen (meditate...simply

observing whatever my mind projects) but without grasping for any

goal...such as enlightenment, nirvana, happiness, etc.

peace to all.

alscomi

>

> > Sigh!

> >

> > I guess it's just part of the natural learning curve. I think

it's

> a

> > common newbie mistake in any discipline to get overly focused on

> the

> > basics...like in swimming after a certain amount of practice,

it's

> > time to shift your focus on what your individual arms and legs

are

> > doing, and focus on getting from A to B.

> >

> > I'm guessing it's similar with ACT - once you've practiced the

> > techniques in isolation, it's time to shift focus from

practicing

> the

> > basics, and make your primary focus your values, and just

remember

> to

> > use the skills you've learned along the way.

> >

> >

>