Re: mindfulness question

[Guest guest]

I'm the same. But the other day I was cycling and I went quite naturally into an

open focus state which was really lovely. This lasted for about 10 minutes and I

felt like a child again and all renewed. I then started thinking about how this

had happened and I became lost in all that thought again. After I realise what

was happening I re-focused my attention on an open focus state but it was

difficult to achieve. I had to stop focusing and just let things be, but this

was an effort too and it would shatter the open focus state. I knew it was

possible to do though because I had achieved it just previously.

For some of us who are particulary tense, or have been tense a long time, any

attention to breath, or surroundings, or whatever, will cause us to become even

more tense and so the opposite occurs. The answer seems to be to use the most

gentlest atention possible and allowing the mind to wander to some degree but

then bringing a small amount of attention back. If I let myself get frustrated

with my lack of success, then the whole process becomes just a another

'mindless' painful process.

I shall try some more mindfulnes (or open focus) over the next few weeks in the

most extreme gentle form and see if I can find a window out out of this. My

physical tension is killing me, and I know my ACT work is only partially working

because of it.

Kaivey

>

> Hi all,

>

> I don't normally post on this group, but lately I have really been trying to

> practice mindfulness and have been running into a lot of problems with every

> attempt. I tend to work a lot on the values/committed action side of things

> with my therapist and tend to avoid or change the subject when it comes to

> mindfulness most of the time. She tends to let me take my own directions

> with therapy. I don't really know why the concept of mindfulness scares me

> so much, but it does.

>

> Well, this week, I've been trying to face the fear and practice.

>

> When I try to be mindful, I always get stuck in doing it right. I know that

> it's just another thing to be mindful of, and that you should shift your

> attention gently back to the present, but I find myself incapable of being

> gentle with myself in any kind of meditation or mindfulness practice. If I

> am trying to tell myself not to worry about doing it right, I am telling

> myself again and again, " STOP worrying about doing it right. STOP stop stop

> worrying. Get back on track. NOTICE something! " When I try to notice

> something, I am always trying too hard to notice something. It seems like no

> matter what I try, I am trying too hard. No matter what exercise I am doing,

> I am stuck in doing it right, or stuck trying to tell myself not to try so

> hard.

>

> I have no idea how to step back from this at all. I know I am grasping this

> all far too tightly but I don't know how to drop the rope. Even attempts to

> drop the rope become *excessive *attempts. I am so frustrated.

>

>

>