Difficulty doing physicalizing exercise

May 23, 2006

Many of the mindful/defusing exercises have worked extraordinarily

well for me .

But I m having difficulty doing the physicalizing exercise on page

137...i.e., giving a concrete shape, color, weight etc to a feeling

(like fear etc) regarding my targeted avoidance.

Does anyone have any physicalize examples/success stories re: this

evercise????

Some examples might give my imagination a foothold for this exercise.

Thanks

May 24, 2006

We often say " I'm feeling anxious. " And we are often aware of our thoughts ...

but many times we do not look 'inside' the body and ask ourselves .... " How do I

KNOW I am feeling anxious? "

For those of us who panic, the body can feel like an unsafe place that we want

to quickly jump out of. But if we are willing to go deep inside and really

explore our physical sensations (as we do in the first part of the tin-can

monster exersize where we isolate and befriend them each one by one). When we

DO this work we can experience the fear/panic as a combination of physical

sensations ... some are unpleasant but some are just strange ... and we may even

find that some parts of our body are even settled right in the middle of this

thought " I am feeling anxious. "

If going inside seems like a very large leap when you are having a painful

private experience ... then try it when you are more settled. " I am feeling

happy. " you might notice ... then ask yourself -- How do I KNOW I am feeling

happy inside my body right now? Are my shoulders soft? My cheeks high? What

does my stomach feel like?

After you practice with the 'felt sense' on real sensations in the present

moment. You can sit and imagine a time when you were fearful (or whatever your

target is) and really get that image/memory in your mind's eye. Ask youself

" How do I KNOW I was feeling ________? " And see what was going on inside your

physical body.

The difference between a sensation and an emition is that the former has a locus

inside the body.

After you have practiced with noticing the body during 'good' feelings and

imagining the felt sense during your target .... the next time you experience

your target you will be more able to notice first hand the individual body

sensations that comprise the whole experience.

Good luck, and let us know what you learn.

~Em

>

> Many of the mindful/defusing exercises have worked extraordinarily

> well for me .

>

> But I m having difficulty doing the physicalizing exercise on page

> 137...i.e., giving a concrete shape, color, weight etc to a feeling

> (like fear etc) regarding my targeted avoidance.

>

> Does anyone have any physicalize examples/success stories re: this

> evercise????

>

> Some examples might give my imagination a foothold for this exercise.

> Thanks

>

May 24, 2006

The problem I have with that exercise is that I have a veryVERY difficult time knowing what I'm feeling on a physical sense -- even whenI'm in the midst of feeling something intensely. I've always felt detachedfrom and out of touch with my physical body (I have a good idea why based on myhistory but that's besides the point). So in thatparticular exercise to try to imagine what my body is feeling when I'm not evenactually in that mode feels almost impossible. In fact that exercise isone I ended up skipping over because it was too frustrating -- when I foundmyself trying to imagine what I would be feeling if I was able to feel it then Igave up because that doesn't feel true or honest. Does anyone else havethis problem and had any success with getting into the physicalsensations? I do practice yoga and sitting meditation and in fact latelyhave really been trying to focus more on the physical sensations in an effort toget more in touch. I tried a body scan meditation a few times, butfound it frustrating to the point of being almost excruciating (where are mytoes?! I have no toes!!!). Someone please tell me I'm not the only onewith this problem -- it feels so basic and silly to not be able to figure outwhat you're feeling.

From: ACT_for_the_Public [mailto:ACT_for_the_Public ] On Behalf OfearthmtherSent: Wednesday, May 24, 2006 6:41 AMTo:ACT_for_the_Public Subject: Re:Difficulty doing physicalizing exercise

We often say "I'm feeling anxious." And we are often aware ofour thoughts ... but many times we do not look 'inside' the body and askourselves .... "How do I KNOW I am feeling anxious?"For those of uswho panic, the body can feel like an unsafe place that we want to quickly jumpout of. But if we are willing to go deep inside and really explore ourphysical sensations (as we do in the first part of the tin-can monsterexersize where we isolate and befriend them each one by one). When we DOthis work we can experience the fear/panic as a combination of physicalsensations ... some are unpleasant but some are just strange ... and we mayeven find that some parts of our body are even settled right in the middle ofthis thought "I am feeling anxious."If going inside seems like a verylarge leap when you are having a painful private experience ... then try itwhen you are more settled. "I am feeling happy." you might notice ...then ask yourself -- How do I KNOW I am feeling happy inside my body rightnow? Are my shoulders soft? My cheeks high? What does mystomach feel like? After you practice with the 'felt sense' onreal sensations in the present moment. You can sit and imagine a timewhen you were fearful (or whatever your target is) and really get thatimage/memory in your mind's eye. Ask youself "How do I KNOW I wasfeeling ________?" And see what was going on inside your physicalbody.The difference between a sensation and an emition is that theformer has a locus inside the body.After you have practiced withnoticing the body during 'good' feelings and imagining the felt sense duringyour target .... the next time you experience your target you will be moreable to notice first hand the individual body sensations that comprise thewhole experience.Good luck, and let us know what youlearn.~Em>> > Many of the mindful/defusing exercises have worked extraordinarily> well forme .> > But I m having difficulty doing the physicalizingexercise on page> 137...i.e., giving a concrete shape, color, weightetc to a feeling> (like fear etc) regarding my targetedavoidance.> > Does anyone have any physicalizeexamples/success stories re: this> evercise????>> Some examples might give my imagination a footholdfor this exercise. > Thanks>

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May 24, 2006

I have had troubles with this as well. Yesterday I tried doing

the " tin-can monster " exercise and this helped me understand the

physicalization a bit more. On page 141 of the book, it says to focus

on a bodily sensation: " Notice where the sensation begins and ends.

Notice exactly where it is in your body. If you could make a

sculpture of this sensation and put it into your body, what would it

look like. "

For some reason, this made sense to me. I could imagine my negative

feeling as a jagged piece of metal sculpture, stuck in my chest!

The book goes on a bit later and says: " Create an imaginary

sculpture that is 100 percent identical to the sensation and place it

where the sensation was, so that everywhere the sensation used to be,

you now have the identical situation that you created. They are

identical -- but this one you created " (page 142).

This was useful to me because I was able to experience the original

feeling SIMPLY AS A SENSATION --which made it easier to accept the

sensation without the need to get rid of it.

I hope this is helpful to you.

>

> Many of the mindful/defusing exercises have worked extraordinarily

> well for me .

>

> But I m having difficulty doing the physicalizing exercise on page

> 137...i.e., giving a concrete shape, color, weight etc to a feeling

> (like fear etc) regarding my targeted avoidance.

>

> Does anyone have any physicalize examples/success stories re: this

> evercise????

>

> Some examples might give my imagination a foothold for this

exercise.

> Thanks

>

May 24, 2006

What I see here is a frustration in not knowing, or not feeling

something. Why can't it be OK not to know. If that is what you are

experiencing then that is what you experiencing. Just experience that

you have a difficult time knowing what you are feeling physically. If

it's frustrating, then experience the frustration.

This should be about experiencing what you are feeling, thinking,

doing, right now, in the present. No judgements, no what I should be

doing, feeling, thinking. The book is a great tool, but just because

it says to do something doesn't mean you will be able to do it. And

that is OK. If you can't do it just experience what that is like.

Same goes for your toes.

Greg

> >

> > Many of the mindful/defusing exercises have worked

> extraordinarily

> > well for me .

> >

> > But I m having difficulty doing the physicalizing exercise

on

> page

> > 137...i.e., giving a concrete shape, color, weight etc to a

> feeling

> > (like fear etc) regarding my targeted avoidance.

> >

> > Does anyone have any physicalize examples/success stories

re:

> this

> > evercise????

> >

> > Some examples might give my imagination a foothold for

this

> exercise.

> > Thanks

> >

>

May 24, 2006

> The problem I have with that exercise is that I have a very VERY

> difficult time knowing what I'm feeling on a physical sense -- even

> when I'm in the midst of feeling something intensely.

<snip>

> Someone please tell me I'm not the only one with this problem -- it

> feels so basic and silly to not be able to figure out what you're

> feeling.

Not to throw another book at you, but you might have a look at " Full

Catastrophe Living: Using the Wisdom of Your Body and Mind to Face

Stress, Pain, and Illness, " by Jon Kabat-Zinn, one of the early

pioneers of mindfulness exercises in this country.

In particular I would suggest visiting Kabat-Zinn's Web site -

www.mindfulnesstapes.com/series1.html - and buying the CD set that

includes a guided body scan. I own this myself, only on cassette

(that's how many years ago I bought it!).

Here's what I think you'll like: Kabat-Zinn explicitly gives you

permission during the guided scan to feel whatever your body is

feeling - including nothing at all. What you feel (or don't feel) is

what you feel - and it is right to be feeling that way right now.

It's a good way to learn that although it may seem very important to

our mind to feel something other than what it defines as " absence " or

" numbness " in various parts of our body, it's the process of paying

attention that matters - not the outcome of any specific sensation.

May 24, 2006

Thanks for all the great suggestions. Btw, I haveread Full Catastrophe Living and I know I should get that tape and work on itAND (not "but") I have so much resistance (there's that r-word again) to doingthat -- I'm such a type A that laying there and feeling nothing feels liketorture to me. I also suspect there's plenty under that "nothingness" thatI'm resisting. Also, I should clarify I did manage to do the exercise oncewhen I was in the midst of anxiety and it was very powerful. Especiallythe part when I had to pick up the monstrous creature and put it lovingly backin because who else would want it (I think that was the part that got me -- I'msuch a lover of sick or old or misbehaved animals that no one else wouldwant). The part that felt impossible to me was trying to draw up a targetthat I wasn't feeling at the moment and then go inside and feel it.

From: ACT_for_the_Public [mailto:ACT_for_the_Public ] On Behalf Ofusable_thoughtSent: Wednesday, May 24, 2006 10:10AMTo: ACT_for_the_Public Subject: Re: Difficulty doing physicalizingexercise

> The problem I have with that exercise is that I have a veryVERY> difficult time knowing what I'm feeling on a physical sense --even> when I'm in the midst of feeling somethingintensely.<snip>> Someone please tell me I'm not the only onewith this problem -- it> feels so basic and silly to not be able tofigure out what you're> feeling.Not to throw another book atyou, but you might have a look at "FullCatastrophe Living: Using theWisdom of Your Body and Mind to FaceStress, Pain, and Illness," by JonKabat-Zinn, one of the earlypioneers of mindfulness exercises in thiscountry. In particular I would suggest visiting Kabat-Zinn's Web site-www.mindfulnesstapes.com/series1.html - and buying the CD setthatincludes a guided body scan. I own this myself, only oncassette(that's how many years ago I bought it!).Here's what Ithink you'll like: Kabat-Zinn explicitly gives youpermission during theguided scan to feel whatever your body isfeeling - including nothing atall. What you feel (or don't feel) iswhat you feel - and it is right to befeeling that way right now. It's a good way to learn that although itmay seem very important toour mind to feel something other than what itdefines as "absence" or"numbness" in various parts of our body, it's theprocess of payingattention that matters - not the outcome of any specificsensation.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

The information contained in this email may be confidential and/or legally privileged. It has been sent for the sole use of the intended recipient(s). If the reader of this message is not an intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any unauthorized review, use, disclosure, dissemination, distribution, or copying of this communication, or any of its contents, is strictly prohibited. If you have received this communication in error, please contact the sender by reply email and destroy all copies of the original message. To contact our email administrator directly, send to postmaster@...

Thank you.

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May 24, 2006

Thank you all who responded to my post for help. Your thoughtful

sharing has given me a much better grasp of the exercise.

I can meditate and stay in the present relatively easy, because they

are for the most-part " comfortabe " practices to me.

The difficult part for me, is fully experiencing uncomfortable

feelings and doings (i.e.living life). Physicalizing was the first

exercise in Dr book that challenged me in that area...and I

wanted to give it my best shot.

So again, thanks for the the boost

May 25, 2006

“feeling nothing is torture”

suggests to me that feeling nothing is feeling something…

If it were really “nothing”

or “no thing” then you wouldn’t notice it at all, and

it certainly wouldn’t be torture to contact or physicalize if it were

really ”no thing” as there would be nothing/no thing to contact…or

perhaps this nothing is really something?

Try physicalizing with feeling nothing…what

shape would nothing have? How large is nothing? What color is

nothing? Does nothing move or stay still? How does it move?

Does it have a temperature, i.e., is it hot or cold? Does nothing have a texture

or odor? Is nothing damp or dry or neither? Does it have a

sound? If so, is it loud or soft, constant or intermittent? What

other features does nothing have?

In my experience as an ACT therapist and

as someone who applies ACT to myself physicalizing almost always leads to

contacting feeling in a new way and to something interesting and useful.

And if you find that you cannot or will

not physicalize the feeling you are having (whether you describe it as

something or as nothing), then try to physicalize the feeling of not wanting to

physicalize the feeling…

Patty

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From: ACT_for_the_Public [mailto:ACT_for_the_Public ] On Behalf Of Folk, Irene

Sent: Wednesday, May 24, 2006 1:00

PM

To: ACT_for_the_Public

Subject: RE:

Re: Difficulty doing physicalizing exercise

Thanks for all the great

suggestions. Btw, I have read Full Catastrophe Living and I know I should

get that tape and work on it AND (not " but " ) I have so much

resistance (there's that r-word again) to doing that -- I'm such a type A that laying

there and feeling nothing feels like torture to me. I also suspect

there's plenty under that " nothingness " that I'm resisting.

Also, I should clarify I did manage to do the exercise once when I was in the

midst of anxiety and it was very powerful. Especially the part when I had

to pick up the monstrous creature and put it lovingly back in because who else

would want it (I think that was the part that got me -- I'm such a lover of

sick or old or misbehaved animals that no one else would want). The part that

felt impossible to me was trying to draw up a target that I wasn't feeling at

the moment and then go inside and feel it.

From: ACT_for_the_Public [mailto:ACT_for_the_Public ] On Behalf Of usable_thought

Sent: Wednesday, May 24, 2006

10:10 AM

To: ACT_for_the_Public

Subject: Re:

Difficulty doing physicalizing exercise

> The problem I have

with that exercise is that I have a very VERY