Re: Re: Mindfulness (added an inspiring poem)

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Lovely words Helena, sometimes just "getting it" without any action is incredible as you say. Really hoping you can find some peace michieux, take good care.In a workbook called "Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Workbook" there is a lovely poem. I include it hoping it will inspire others as it inspired meWilling to experience alonenessI discover connection everywhere;Turning to face my fear,I meet the warrior who lives within;Opening to my loss,I gain the embrace of the universe;Surrendering into emptiness,I find fullness without end.Each condition I flee from pursues me,Each condition I welcome transform me,And becomes itself transformedInto its radiant jewel-like essence.I bow to

the once who has made it so,Who as crafted this Master Game;To play it is purest delight-To honor its forms,true devotion- Paine Welwood, "Unconditional" (1998,21)______________________Signature: Mrs Em Equanimity This is my personal blog where I record my experience applying Acceptance Commitment Therapy to my anxiety and agoraphobia in particular, and my life in general. Feel free to browse. http://eyeofthehurricane-act.blogspot.com/--- El dom, 28/8/11,

hbbr Asunto: Re: Re: MindfulnessPara: "ACT for the Public" <ACT_for_the_Public >Fecha: domingo, 28 de agosto, 2011 11:49

You may feel like a fraud, but you are not one.

Something is keeping you engaged in this list. Something is drawing you in, whispering in your ear, that ACT may be worthwhile to pursue.

When you are feeling your finest (e.g., in the morning, if you are a morning person like I am), read 's words again. Let them sink in, slowly but surely. Look at what he is saying and know he speaks the truth, from his heart and from experience. Eventually, you will get it. Whether or not you choose to translate that into action - whether or not you will find the strength to go down that mountain of avoidance and then find another mountain to climb that will open a whole new world to you - is up to you.

I know you have the guts and the intellect to do it. Will you go for it? I am cheering you on.

Helena

To: "ACT for the Public" <ACT_for_the_Public >Sent: Saturday, August 27, 2011 4:44:37 PMSubject: Re: Mindfulness

I feel like such an utter fraud.I want to die. But not like this (looking at Wikipedia "best suicide method").I want to live, but not like this.It's a win for the least text. I can hardly compute what you wrote. But the wiki page is fucking worse when what I want is fucking simple.For now I trust you because somewhere, sometime you wrote something that gave me a little bit of hope.It's not your fault.Thanks.> > >> > > Bruce,> > >> > > Here's what I think is going on: when you say you are "always> > > mindful of my anxiety and depression," what this suggests> > > to me is that what you are really "mindful" of, in the sense>

> > that you are noticing it and buying into it, is your ongoing> > > evaluation of uncomfortable thoughts and emotions as being> > > not only uncomfortable, but "bad." And there are probably> > > all sorts of other judgments wrapped up in there that you are> > > not necessarily explicitly aware of, but that are likewise> > > evaluations.> > >> > > In other words, feeling uncomfortable is "always on your mind"> > > in the sense that you are very aware that you feel uncomfortable,> > > and you are totally bonding with this sense of "it's bad." You> > > are stuck in the judging / evaluating frame of mind that we> > > all are capable of and that, absent learning any new skills,> > > we continue to trust as somehow representing what is "real"> > > and "important."> >

>> > > That's not what is meant by mindfulness. But I have the feeling> > > that being told about mindfulness directly will not be very> > > helpful for you. You have probably read about it, either in> > > books or on this list, a zillion times already. Whatever I> > > write here is going to go straight to that judging/evaluating> > > mechanism that you have entrusted with your life, and it is> > > going to get judged and evaluated all over again.> > >> > > Over and over and over. Round and round and round.> > >> > > I know what it's like. Believe me. I get on that little> > > gerbil wheel made of evaluations a LOT. I was on it yesterday> > > and early today till I remembered (again) that my experience> > > is my experience, nothing more or less.> > >>

> > Here's what I would suggest: If you haven't already, start> > > a meditation practice centered around something like watching> > > your breath, or counting from 1 to 10 with your breath, etc.> > > You can find good instructions in a basic Zen or Vispanna book,> > > or in "Get Out of Your Mind" for that matter. I would do it> > > for about 10 minutes a day at first, and I would keep at it> > > for several weeks at a minimum.> > >> > > Try and do it not to "get rid of those uncomfortable thoughts> > > and feelings" or to "get it right" or anything like that. The> > > instructions for counting your breath, for example, are just> > > to count from 1 to 10 with each inhale - 1 on the first inhale,> > > 2 on the first exhale, on up to 10, and then start over. Keep> > > your eyes open

if you like. If a thought shows up, let it -> > > don't follow after it and don't push it away either; just let> > > it show up, and then return your attention to the next breath> > > and the next number. If you find you have gotten sucked into> > > following a thought, no problem: once you notice this, gently> > > place your attention back on your breath and the count.> > >> > > The idea is that by having a neutral focus that you can put> > > your attention on, and by making that what you are "doing,"> > > you can start experiencing other stuff as it comes and goes> > > without needing to follow it. You have something else to follow> > > instead of your evaluations: the count and the breath. Out of> > > that may slowly emerge a different experience. Let whatever> > > emerges do so,

without any expectations. And if you find you> > > have an expectation, that's OK too - expectations are also> > > thoughts, and so you can let the thought of an expectation> > > come as it is and then return your attention gently to the> > > count and the breath.> > >> > > Over and over and over. But this is a different "over and> > > over" than getting trapped in your evaluations and thinking> > > that those evaluations represent "mindfulness." This over> > > and over is learning something new.> > >> > > I really suggest you do this for a few weeks, or something> > > like it. Your habitual thoughts may say it's a waste of time> > > and that you already know what will happen. You can put those> > > sorts of thoughts in charge if you like. I often put all kinds> >

> of thoughts in charge of my life until eventually I notice> > > that's what I'm doing and return control to myself.> > >> > > If you do mindfulness meditation for a few weeks - or even> > > for a week - let us know what happens. Or if you have already> > > tried a meditation practice and your experience wasn't> > > successful, let us know that too and maybe someone will have> > > a suggestion about how to try again with more success.> > >> > > Good luck,> > > Randy> > >> > > >>