Noting our thoughts

Thoughts are little dictators

Notice them before we act upon them

A bigger space inside us gives us the choice not to act on them

Whatever occurs in the mind can be  freed if you have let go of grasping or clinging

You can stay curious  because the mind is free of clinging

The hindrances are the mental prisoners that freeze our awareness

Doubt

Aversion

Clinging

Restlessness

Indifference

We all need witnessing of ourselves

We need to be the gentle/witness guide

Not the judging criticising guide to our mind and bodies

Acknowledging and allowing unhelpful thoughts and feelings to dissolve and witness the dissolve with patience

To witness the judging guide and the ‘if only mind’ as increasing suffering and confusion

The Three wise Monkeys and Meditation

Hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil.

A 17th century Japanese Tendai Buddhist philosophy that has survived to this day in the form of words and the image of the Three Monkeys.

The wisdom is embedded in the Buddhist teachings and practice of meditation and can help explain  the reasons behind the ever growing practice of meditation.

Mindfulness or meditation is a transcended reality

By coming to we turn off the main cognition centre of the brain the frontal cortex

Turn off the brain sound like a good idea?

We learn to withstand whatever our mind does thru stillness and acceptance of what we see,hear and think: our past and future “if only minds”. The clinging and aversion spectrum.

Meditation according to Joseph Goldtein, one of the founding members of the Insight Meditation Institute in Barre, MA.,has two primary purposes:to witness impermanence in the from of the everchanging thinking mind and the dissolution of a solid self who clings and wants and rejects stories in their own heads that arent real. Secondly, in realising that these stories are creating a false self,a too solid self, it then has to find other solid objects or beings to be in conflict with and so creates suffering.

We grow a bigger heart by sitting in openess and bravery towards what is, and we find strength and liberation in seeing that most of our thinking is made up stories.

Stories that try to allay our fears but only deepen them.

Mindfulness is an act of courage.It is a practice and a discipline.A discipline that sees our busy distracted monkey minds developing a soul that becomes wise.A wisdom of the three wise monkeys.See no evil hear, no evil think no evil.

‍

‍

The Wise one

CBT or Cognitive Behaviour Therapy is an increasingly practiced talk therapy that focuses on changing mental habits and behaviour that are unhelpful.

Its methods for practice by the client are straight forward, easily understood and relatively quick in the changes that follow.

Clients who are experiencing distress through negative emotions and behaviour are encouraged to  strategise with particular skills to change thought patterns and therefore change emotions and their actions.It is outcome orientated, practical and popular.

So here’s a typical example of how you would manage a 6 wk CBT program:

1.You become your  own witness to the negative thoughts and subsequent  emotions and actions that happen to you.

2.You check for evidence, accuracy and value of each thought or mindset might have.

3.You will plan how you rewrite your script in a social setting if this is where your more distressing emotions arise.

4.Or if your issues are to do with personal self worth then you need to write down alternative  comments to your current self talk:finding a more unconditional positive regard for yourself inside with gentle  patience and forgiveness.

Peoples thoughts are usually just made up of stories and peoples reactions are nearly always personal perceptions distorted or real.

Negative thinking and moods are fears, and protecting your personal need to somehow feel more  powerful: but the feeling is short-lived. Positive thinking is more functional and long lasting for all of us.

The most transforming aspect of this method is to rely on the ‘witness approach’

The checking out if your “just made up story’ or comments are really true?

The witness or the ‘meat in the sandwich’ is always the wise one who can say “nope “Ive just made that up.’ The witness or the wise one then can do anything it wishes with those thoughts.

It can check whether it has adversely affected the body or whether the emotions raised are unhelpful, and constricting or are the subsequent and sometimes intense emotions now going to influence behaviour and actions?

This is where CBT may suit you as a tool.

It is the wise interceptor that can ask deeper truer questions about yourself and your ability to make changes!

‍

Source:

Cognitive Behaviour Therapy.
Australian Institute of Professional Counsellors .Second Edition, September 2022

‍

‍

‍

Soul Repair embraces Person Centred Therapy

Further to this week’s launch our mindful conversation introduces you to the psychotherapeutic technique, known as Person Centred Therapy.

Based on the work of Carl Roger’s in the 1960’s; person-centred methods are based on three fundamental ideas underpinning counselling. They are, firstly, to respect that we are all have the potential to grow physically and psychologically. Secondly, we all have the right or free will; to make choices about how we grow. Thirdly, our reality is constructed on our own unique experience and as such there are always two realities always to acknowledge, yours, and your world.

In the counselling room these three ideas are embraced through genuine, attentive listening, compassionate reflection and a reliable and non-judgemental commitment to your journey. (Introduction to Counselling theory CDC6. AIPC. 2022)

Person centred therapy is known as an indirect approach, meaning the counsellor does nor prescribe nor steer the client towards any particular ways or means about how to live their life.

However, from empathic listening and non-judgemental regard, the client will most likely travel a more fully functional and empathic person showing positive regard for their world and their relationships. (CDC6-Casemore. 2011. AIPC). To this end, person centred therapy is used in many health settings and human services more widely. It is fundamental to Soul Repair’s counselling style.

Many of psychology’s current theory and methods align with traditional Buddhist philosophy also. This is a long area of study for me and sometimes client’s concerns can be viewed through this wise science of the mind.

Raskin, N. J., Rogers, C. R., & Witty, M. C. (2019). Client-centered therapy. In D. Wedding &

R. J. Corsini (Eds.), Current psychotherapies (11th ed.) (pp. 101-156). Brooks/Col

‍