Re: How to NOT turn breathing into control strategy?

[Guest guest]

Hey Merlin, just to let you know I read your message but have forgotten to

respond to it. My mind is telling me you did great with that exercise: good

awareness!

As for whether you should expect that bonus or not always remember this:

" Feel your feelings, think your thoughts. "

Allow yourself to think what your mind wants to think. If your mind expects a

bonus each time, allow it to think that and defuse that thought. If it says you

shouldn't be doing the breathing exercise to calm your emotions, allow it to

think that and defuse that thought.

If your mind has any doubts, you could use the metaphor of the Chinese Finger

Trap. Or you could use the experiential exercise of not thinking a thought (ex.,

yellow jeep, pink elephant, etc.) for a certain amount of time. You'll likely

see the futility of avoiding thoughts.

Finally, what matters most is your actions.

C.

> > >

> > > I just met this very gifted karate master who told me that " I notice your

ki (life energy) is storming and clouding your mind. Your energy is supposed to

stay in your lower abdomen instead of being up in your head " . So he taught me a

basic abdominal breathing technique (similar to singers' vocal training) to help

me center my attention in the lower abdomen.

> > >

> > > It works.

> > >

> > > The problem is, not long after that, every time anxiety strikes I

immediately expect that the breathing technique repels the anxiety. It does, but

then the duration of relief gets shorter and shorter. The mind keeps asking

questions like, " What if the anxiety still returns after this and this method

proves to be useless in the end? " And sure enough, the anxiety crept back in

again ...

> > >

> > > Surely enough, I learned to defuse from that thought. But then I would

really love to combine that breathing technique with ACT instead of getting

trapped in using it as a control strategy.

> > >

> > > Any help, fellows?

> > >

> > > Merlin

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> > >

> >

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