Jump to content
RemedySpot.com

RE: Being Invisible

Rate this topic


Guest guest

Recommended Posts

Hi I like your words about your experiences with "observing self." I have made similar discoveries. I gather that the ACT community's understanding of "observing self" is evolving. Most recently the term "flexible perspective taking" is being used. I've tinkered with a definition I can be comfortable with and come up with "the place from which I can see what needs to be seen and to live a valued life." I like to think of it as taking a step or two (or a hundred!) back from my thinking self.I find that observing self is a very important ACT process to master. It allows meto notice what's going on and decide how best to use the other ACT processes. Sometimes I get so tangled up in what's going on in my head I forget to exercise my observing self. I use physical things to remind me to use my observing self - a rock in my pocket, a little bumble bee sticker on my car dash board. I've also found it helpful to use the physical symptoms of my anxiety to remind me to use my observing self. Often times simply noticing what's going on (or more importantly, noticing that I'm noticing) really helps me let go of whatever I'm struggling with. It helps to say out loud what I've noticed and write it down. I often chuckle when I write or say it as it seems so silly when I hear/see it through my physical senses after believing it in my head.Observing self also helps me realize that I am simply the me I've always been and not the one I've cooked up in my head. Nice work and thanks for posting these helpful words.BillTo: ACT_for_the_Public From: experiential2012@...Date: Fri, 24 Feb 2012 06:10:35 +0000Subject: Being Invisible

Lately my mind has often had me in summary mode, working within the need to tie up loose ends, to compact and order all the lessons. Today I spent time reviewing my changing experience of feeling invisible.

******************

Being invisible feels like people, society, the world, just pass right through you like a ghost. It has the appearance of being absent of soul, a place where the spirit lies almost dormant. Contact with other people becomes an intensely sensational experience because of the need to feel physically real, organic. Where that does not occur, there is left a sensation of emptiness, of existing without being.

This is the birthplace of aloneness, where we feel alone in a crowd or with loved ones. The hustle and bustle continues all around you as you tick-tock the time away performing necessary tasks; all within an atmosphere of alone/empty/worthless.

I found a ladder to climb out of that pit and it came in the form of the `observing self'. I cannot say that I feel whole but no longer do I persistently feel like I'm invisible, a ghost, a shadow or to be without any substance, soul.

I learnt about more functional ways of receiving messages from others and more workable ways of responding. The world/society began to respond differently to me. I launched into a process of engagement with observing non-judgementally and as I stood looking again and again, I began to see myself. Initially it was like an image in a mirror, seeming real but feeling disjointed and abstract, still an illusion (be it having the appearance of looking real). I continued observing and noticed that I was still the same me regardless of the response of others. I began to feel a fullness, kind of and ability to breathe despite the weight on my chest.

There were numerous exercises that I engaged with many times. More recently I have been thinking about a new one where I imagine my physical outline on a white board and it has my name written in it. I move back from the board and mindfully observe the substance less form. I feel myself sitting there physically, organic and full of sensation. I begin to see the difference between the observer and what is being seen/experienced.

*************

It would be great to hear how others have worked with the 'observing self', I'm still travelling with this one.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thank you. BillTo: ACT_for_the_Public From: theresa.linder@...Date: Mon, 27 Feb 2012 08:20:24 -0800Subject: Re: Being Invisible

Re: "Observing self also helps me realize that I am simply the me I've always been and not the one I've cooked up in my head."This is beautiful! I love the process you are unfolding and sharing here Bill. I love that you remain open to learning ACT more, at a deeper level. I also love the idea of simply opening up and looking for, allowing for cues. This seems a practice in itself, one that requires a certain willingness, attention, seriousness for and about your growth, a kind of earnestness that I deeply respect. Yes, it sure gets very noisy and tangled up in here, does it not? To: ACT_for_the_Public <act_for_the_public > Sent: Friday, February 24, 2012 7:51 AM Subject: RE: Being Invisible

Hi I like your words about your experiences with "observing self." I have made similar discoveries. I gather that the ACT community's understanding of "observing self" is evolving. Most recently the term "flexible perspective taking" is being used. I've tinkered with a definition I can be comfortable with and come up with "the place from which I can see what needs to be seen and to live a valued life." I like to think of it as taking a step or two (or a hundred!) back from my thinking self.I find that observing self is a very important ACT process to master. It allows meto notice what's going on and decide how best to use the other ACT processes. Sometimes I get so tangled up in what's going on in my head I forget to exercise my observing self. I use physical things to remind me to use my observing self - a rock in my pocket, a little bumble bee sticker on my car dash board. I've also found it

helpful to use the physical symptoms of my anxiety to remind me to use my observing self. Often times simply noticing what's going on (or more importantly, noticing that I'm noticing) really helps me let go of whatever I'm struggling with. It helps to say out loud what I've noticed and write it down. I often chuckle when I write or say it as it seems so silly when I hear/see it through my physical senses after believing it in my head.Observing self also helps me realize that I am simply the me I've always been and not the one I've cooked up in my head. Nice work and thanks for posting these helpful words.BillTo: ACT_for_the_Public From: experiential2012@...Date: Fri, 24 Feb 2012 06:10:35 +0000Subject: Being

Invisible

Lately my mind has often had me in summary mode, working within the need to tie up loose ends, to compact and order all the lessons. Today I spent time reviewing my changing experience of feeling invisible.

******************

Being invisible feels like people, society, the world, just pass right through you like a ghost. It has the appearance of being absent of soul, a place where the spirit lies almost dormant. Contact with other people becomes an intensely sensational experience because of the need to feel physically real, organic. Where that does not occur, there is left a sensation of emptiness, of existing without being.

This is the birthplace of aloneness, where we feel alone in a crowd or with loved ones. The hustle and bustle continues all around you as you tick-tock the time away performing necessary tasks; all within an atmosphere of alone/empty/worthless.

I found a ladder to climb out of that pit and it came in the form of the `observing self'. I cannot say that I feel whole but no longer do I persistently feel like I'm invisible, a ghost, a shadow or to be without any substance, soul.

I learnt about more functional ways of receiving messages from others and more workable ways of responding. The world/society began to respond differently to me. I launched into a process of engagement with observing non-judgementally and as I stood looking again and again, I began to see myself. Initially it was like an image in a mirror, seeming real but feeling disjointed and abstract, still an illusion (be it having the appearance of looking real). I continued observing and noticed that I was still the same me regardless of the response of others. I began to feel a fullness, kind of and ability to breathe despite the weight on my chest.

There were numerous exercises that I engaged with many times. More recently I have been thinking about a new one where I imagine my physical outline on a white board and it has my name written in it. I move back from the board and mindfully observe the substance less form. I feel myself sitting there physically, organic and full of sensation. I begin to see the difference between the observer and what is being seen/experienced.

*************

It would be great to hear how others have worked with the 'observing self', I'm still travelling with this one.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...