willingness and wantingness

[Guest guest]

I'm enjoying everyone's thoughts on this. In terms of the anxiety, the guilt,

and all of that: It's all just verbal behavior and it's all equally only as

powerful and influential as we allow it to be.

The definition of mindfulness I subscribe to does not require mindfulness to be

nonjudgmental; it's just being present to WHATEVER is passing through your mind

at the moment. If the word machine is cranking out judgments or guilt or

self-congratulations for being so coolly mindful, then " that too " as Steve

is fond of saying. And that feeling too, and that idea too. Stepping back a

little from each mental manifestation as it arrives so that " I " have the

psychological space (self-as context) to just do what needs to be done.

[Guest guest]

Oh, thanks tons for this...this is very nice, this being present to all that is

passing through.

Reminds me of a time I did the defusion exercise " Leaves on the Stream "

(probably my favorite ACT exercise) with a group and I admitted afterward that I

was wondering where all the leaves were going! There was a collective giggle in

the room, so I think some people could relate to this kind of mind wandering.

Steve (as trainer) asked if I went ahead and included that thought itself, have

that be on a leaf.

I hadn't. I had got caught up in the content, wanted to know where the leaves

were going.

But the question was so very useful.

I really got that there is no right or wrong way and more just about being

present with whatever is passing through, including any thoughts, judgments

about the exercise, how well or poorly I am doing it-- all of that goes on the

leaves!

So, say you notice you've fallen in the stream or maybe you're making the stream

go faster or you are wondering where all the leaves are collecting.. well,

that's fine..you are right where you need to be.

Just go ahead and put that very thing on the leaf: " Making stream move faster " ,

" Falling into stream and not liking that " , " Wanting to know where all the leaves

are going " .

You just keep keep going with that--including whatever thought/ desire/

feeling/judgment the mind is generating.

You are making a space for ALL of it, stepping back just a tad from each mental

manifestation and there is just something very sweet and refreshing when I do

this. It usually feels like I just lost a ton of weight that was bearing down on

me.

My writing without stopping journal entries can have this effect too.

>

> I'm enjoying everyone's thoughts on this. In terms of the anxiety, the guilt,

and all of that: It's all just verbal behavior and it's all equally only as

powerful and influential as we allow it to be.

>

> The definition of mindfulness I subscribe to does not require mindfulness to

be nonjudgmental; it's just being present to WHATEVER is passing through your

mind at the moment. If the word machine is cranking out judgments or guilt or

self-congratulations for being so coolly mindful, then " that too " as Steve

is fond of saying. And that feeling too, and that idea too. Stepping back a

little from each mental manifestation as it arrives so that " I " have the

psychological space (self-as context) to just do what needs to be done.

>