Download - Meditation, Mindfulness & Insight1 Introduction Meditation Psychology Session 5 Sitting Meditation

Meditation, Mindfulness & Insight

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Introduction Meditation

PsychologySession 5

Sitting Meditation


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Start with the goal in mind!

NegativeCircumstances

PersonalHistory

ComplexesExpectations

Woe is MeAnxiety

Reactivity

AwarenessObjective Observer

Equanimity

The Goal: Equanimity - Balance, Calmness and Clarity in spite of circumstances.

ThoughtsDramatization

RegretsFears

NegativeActionsMore

Problems

Understanding Insight

MindfulnessIn the moment

State of Mind


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IntellectualRational Approach

Perception is reality Understand how attitudes impact perception Alter your attitudes

Understanding Awareness Mental Discipline

Attitudes Acceptance / Non judgmental Gratitude / humility Compassion Insightful – asking the constructive questions


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Who is wise? They who learn from all beings.

Who is mighty? They who overcome their desires.

Who is wealthy? They who are content with their portion

Who is to be honored? They who honor all beings.

….. Ben Zoma (Sayings of our fathers)

Questions? What do we need to work on to achieve Ben Zoma’s vision

of success? Is this under out control?


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Those who know, Do Not Speak

Those who speak, Do Not Know


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Transcendent Approach

Experiential Meditation to cultivate discipline

Prayers, dedication, sensitivity Daily Life

Moment to moment awareness Insight / understanding

Perception is reality Present moment focus

Bodily Sensations Current Activities

Attitude – fundamental experience of: Acceptance / Non judgmental Gratitude / humility Compassion

Becomes a spontaneous sense of well being / equanimity WITHOUT a rational basis.


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Sitting Meditation Similar to body scan awareness

Breath Body

Additional areas of focus Sounds Thoughts

Broader area of focus – everything at once. Changing the point of focus and scope. Mindfulness requires the same skills.

The discipline to stay focused The intentionality to pick the point / points of focus. Ability to broaden and narrow the area of focus.


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Guided sitting meditation Close your eyes Bell - May all beings… - Erect and dignified posture, … Tense then Relax.., You are in a safe and secure environment, Time for you to nurture yourself - Secure relaxed environment choose a point of focus, nose, belly - Breathe naturally, If your mind wanders gently escort it back to your breath Change the focus of your attention to head, shoulders, etc… Change focus to the body as a whole. Any part of your body. See if you can be sensitive to your whole body at the same time Nothing to do, nothing to become just relax into the awareness

of this moment. Quality of awareness open and non judging Pain – focus on part…


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Guided sitting meditation continued Change focus attention to hearing, Do not judge the

sounds Now change the focus of your attention to thoughts Notice whatever thoughts arise. They are just thoughts. Observe the ebb and flow of thoughts without being

carried away by them. Now broaden the focus of your attention to the body, the

sounds and the thoughts and the breath. All of them at once.

Notice whatever arises. You might hear a sound. You might notice a thought, you might feel a sensation in your leg.

Relax into whatever arises in this moment Keep your eyes closed move your toes, etc. - Bell


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The heart that gives gathers …….Marianne Moore

The best sermons are lived not preached.

Change your thoughts and you change the world….. Norman Vincent Peale


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Goal of this weeks discussion Understand some basic psychology

Improve understanding of ourselves and others Ask the right psychological questions Helps us develop more effective communication

strategies Inspire further study in psychology

Classes at the Jung Center http://www.cgjunghouston.org/

Books “Inner Work” – Robert Johnson C.G. Jung Lexicon - A Primer of Terms and Concepts

(Paperback) by Daryl Sharp (Author) Disclaimer - This is not personal analysis - I am

not a psychologist.


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Why psychology?

Meditation is like aspirin May stop the suffering. You may not deal with the cause.

Psychology / Contemplation Understanding of human nature Dealing with the root of the problem of

anxiety. Insights needed for strategies for human

interactions


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Distortion Examples I failed my math exam

I can never learn math My girlfriend / boyfriend left me

I will never be loved again I made a mistake

I can never do anything right. Someone doesn’t greet you

What did I do wrong? Why don’t they like me?

PERCEPTION is reality. We live in the world of perceptions not in the real world.

Jung’s patient lived on the moon?


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Cognitive TherapyThoughts are not facts!

Thoughts can be Emotion Laden

This is horrible Moralistic

This is bad Interpretive

My life is over Exaggerations

I’ll never get anything write (sic) As we become mindful and aware we will

notice that our own thoughts are not always rational.


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Analytical Psychology Understanding

Why we behave as we do Why others behave as they do Cultivates the knowledge to develop constructive

strategies Theories / Tools

Complexes Projections Active Imagination Dream Analysis

Also known as Depth Psychology Jungian Psychology


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Analytical PsychologyRule number one.

It’s never about what it is about! Why not? -- Complexes

The triggering circumstance brings out deep energy charged ideas and beliefs

Unconscious Dominates our behavior Based on childhood or other past experiences.

Complexes are not necessarily good or bad, it depends on what they cause you to do!

Example – An insult You response depends on your own feelings of self

worth.


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Example of a complex Independence

Complex “To be a man I must be independent. I can take care of

myself.” History

Father says – “I was independent since I was 12 years old.”

Self enhancing behavior Works hard at school so he too can be independent.

Self defeating behavior if you become incapacitated

Driving your car when you are legally blind. Getting angry with caregivers – “I don’t need your help.”


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Example of a Complex

Being Valued Complex

“I want to be valued and appreciated.” History

Parents said – “Don’t send a boy to do a man’s job.” “You will never amount to anything.”

Self Enhancing Behavior Work hard - “I’ll show them” Anticipate problems

Self Defeating Behavior Constant fear of failure Feel diminished if you are not perfect. Must prove yourself right in every argument.


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Being Valued Complex Universal - Who doesn’t want to be valued? How should we treat others?

Sometimes the kindest thing you can do is listen with compassion and validate their feelings.

How do we respond when others diminish us Understanding that they are often wounded and

are trying to make themselves feel good. Evaluate our strategies

Sometimes to get approval we chase people away by strategies such as always stealing the spotlight.


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Complexes Good

Complexes can drive us to our greatest accomplishments

Bad Complexes can fill us with fear

and anxiety Meditation

Awareness / wise old man within

Helps free us from the anxiety of fear.

Allows us to take more constructive action.

Insight – violin strings


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Projections

Father says“Shut up and do

What you are told.”

Boss or

Spouse

My thoughts and opinions

are not valued, I must be quiet

and do what I amTold or I will beOverwhelmed.

Historic Event Complex

Creates a complex

Projection - Boss and Spouse are authority figuresLike my dad and I can’t talk to them either

Cause of Passive Aggressive Behavior.


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Projections

Mother or father says

“You are the appleOf my eye, I will

nurture you forever”

GirlfriendOr

Boyfriend

Prince or Princess Complex

I was meant to be nurtured and

cared for

Historic Event Complex

Creates a complex

Projection – This woman / man will take care ofme for the rest of my life.


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Projections Expectations of others behaviors or actions

based on historic figures in your life. Positive or negative historic events still distort

our perception and create inhibiting expectations

Issues Unrealistic expectations of self and others. Making communication decisions based upon your

historic relationships. These projections are unconscious

Both mindfulness and psychological awareness are needed to change these projections


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Approaches dealing with thoughts

Meditation / mindfulness approach Thoughts are just thoughts Let them dissolve by themselves Focus on the moment

Cognitive therapy Write down the thoughts Evaluate their validity Observe thought and behavior patterns

Analytical Psychology Complexes and the historical origin of your strategies and

expectations. Have you felt like this in the past? Has a complex or a projection been triggered

What’s common? Are your instinctive responses serving you well? Awareness Insight


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Complexes - summary Emotionally Charged

Based on personal history Causes are unconscious

Consciousness blames the triggering event Impairs your cognitive abilities

Woman astronaut who went to attack her competition

The important questions Is the level of energy appropriate for this

situation? Are our reactions self defeating or self enhancing? Where have I experienced this emotion before?


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Anger Anger is human and natural

There can be legitimate causes for your anger Don’t be angry at yourself for getting angry

Concerns with Anger (even if you are “right”) Magnification – tendency to exaggerate the impact Physiologically

Adrenalin, sleeplessness, aging and heart rate Reactivity

Bad Decisions create more problems Don’t Suppress it

If you don’t deal with it now it will come back! Do Breathe into your emotions

Focus on your breath, relax you


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Alexander the GreatAnd the Yogi

"I have mastered anger. Anger is my slave. See, how easily you gave way to anger. You are a slave of anger, and, therefore, a slave of my slave!


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Dealing with anger One part

Meditation - Diaphragmatic breathing – Helps physiologically Using Insight - Don’t ignore it - Understand it - Dig into it.

Helpful Questions: Clarification – Could this be caused by some

misunderstanding? Would a dialogue be helpful? Logic – Are my reactions self enhancing or self defeating? Cognitive therapy – Are my thoughts factual? Analytical Psychology – Has a complex been triggered? –

Have I felt like this before? – What is this really about? Acceptance – Will being angry help the situation? Compassion – We all have clay feet, would forgiveness serve

me better than anger? Developing insight diffuses the anger

Just stepping back and questioning your reactions change the dynamics


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“When mommy meditates she doesn’t get angry” Daughter of a sangha member


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Worry / Anger Book! Every time you either worry or get angry write

it down in a book. Each day allocate 5 minutes to read your list. See if your perspective has changed.

Did you magnify the situation? Did you worry about something that never

happened? Did time heal the wound?

Many people find that time shows most worries are unfounded and most anger exaggerated.

Download - Meditation, Mindfulness & Insight1 Introduction Meditation Psychology Session 5 Sitting Meditation

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