Re: ACT Therapy Experience

[Guest guest]

good, i think

mindfulness and awareness are the same thing essentially

i don't know about "no substance to interaction"...what does it mean?

maybe there is less heaviness in terms of a conceptual overlay when you are interacting

yes, to be present/aware, creates space for choice

if you feel like an object, maybe it is not quite it? i generally feel more alive...or a more subtle feeling. but, i often don't notice any special feeling except after i am lost and then return home...then, i notice it. maybe at first it's not easy to experience that. at first, i seemed to overfocus when trying to be mindful. so, i realized, oh, see without trying to see. i noticed my own habit and corrected for it.

valuing is right...very essential, or else how can one stay on track? i was too "spiritual" when i began. eventually, i realized, even zen monks, masters of awareness, they rehearse their valued directions every morning and evening! they have quite a direction. all day long they are fulfilling it in some form.

jason

To: ACT_for_the_Public Sent: Wed, May 26, 2010 3:49:10 AMSubject: ACT Therapy Experience

I am new to the concepts in ACT and am desperately trying to get my head around it. I have been trying to pick it apart but I always come back to the old adage, `it is not possible to understand the part without knowing how it works within the sum of all parts'.This is how I'm currently experiencing ACT, did anyone experience anything similar in the early part of their treatment? How close or how far from these concepts am I?MINDFULNESS and BEING IN THE PRESENT leaves me feeling like an object, exactly as a table or chair exists in its molecular form, so do I. I see myself interacting with other objects. But there is no substance to the interaction. AWARENESS adds the dimension of choice and introduces the motivational aspect. When I am aware of the reactions of my own molecular being, (the bodily sensations, thoughts, emotions and behaviours) I can choose how I respond.VALUES is the icing on the cake. Learning how

to follow what is truly important to you is critical for sustaining a view to the future. (It serves a purpose to keep hopelessness at bay).Lou

[Guest guest]

I'm not sure what you meant by some of your comments, but I'd like to try to

share my experiences anyway.

To me mindfulness is about being present in my body and mind. I have a terrible

habit of thinking, thinking, thinking, thinking to distract myself from physical

and emotional pain and never letting my mind rest and just be. Mindfulness is

teaching me how to be.

Is it possible that your mind's desire to pull apart the pieces of ACT is a way

to distract from just being? That's something I can easily relate to.

>

>

> I am new to the concepts in ACT and am desperately trying to get my head

around it. I have been trying to pick it apart but I always come back to the old

adage, `it is not possible to understand the part without knowing how it works

within the sum of all parts'.

>

> This is how I'm currently experiencing ACT, did anyone experience anything

similar in the early part of their treatment? How close or how far from these

concepts am I?

>

> MINDFULNESS and BEING IN THE PRESENT leaves me feeling like an object, exactly

as a table or chair exists in its molecular form, so do I. I see myself

interacting with other objects. But there is no substance to the interaction.

>

> AWARENESS adds the dimension of choice and introduces the motivational aspect.

When I am aware of the reactions of my own molecular being, (the bodily

sensations, thoughts, emotions and behaviours) I can choose how I respond.

>

> VALUES is the icing on the cake. Learning how to follow what is truly

important to you is critical for sustaining a view to the future. (It serves a

purpose to keep hopelessness at bay).

>

> Lou

>

[Guest guest]

Being willing is what counts. Even if it for a few seconds. No one would ever

ask for 24/7. The trick is to set an amount of time you are willing to feel your

feelings, and stick to it. Even if it is only a few seconds at a time.

Greg

> > >

> > >

> > > I am new to the concepts in ACT and am desperately trying to get my head

around it. I have been trying to pick it apart but I always come back to the old

adage, `it is not possible to understand the part without knowing how it works

within the sum of all parts'.

> > >

> > > This is how I'm currently experiencing ACT, did anyone experience anything

similar in the early part of their treatment? How close or how far from these

concepts am I?

> > >

> > > MINDFULNESS and BEING IN THE PRESENT leaves me feeling like an object,

exactly as a table or chair exists in its molecular form, so do I. I see myself

interacting with other objects. But there is no substance to the interaction.

> > >

> > > AWARENESS adds the dimension of choice and introduces the motivational

aspect. When I am aware of the reactions of my own molecular being, (the bodily

sensations, thoughts, emotions and behaviours) I can choose how I respond.

> > >

> > > VALUES is the icing on the cake. Learning how to follow what is truly

important to you is critical for sustaining a view to the future. (It serves a

purpose to keep hopelessness at bay).

> > >

> > > Lou

> > >

> >

>