Week 4: Navigating the Inner Landscape
Week 4 proved to be both fascinating and intense as we delved into the realm of challenging negative thoughts and addressing the ingrained habits we’ve accumulated since childhood.
Our exploration extended to various forms of self-talk, recognizing that these inner dialogues, often unnoticed, may have been shaping our perspectives for years. Rooted in childhood beliefs, these self-talk patterns become entrenched habits that influence our daily lives.
Common Themes for Self-Talk:
- Overgeneralising: Tendency to draw broad conclusions of failure, perpetuating a cycle of self-doubt.
- Catastrophising: Imagining the worst outcome in any situation, creating a self-fulfilling prophecy.
- Musts and Shoulds: Adopting beliefs imposed during childhood without questioning their validity.
- Personalising: Comparing ourselves to others, often fueled by social media, without realizing everyone faces struggles.
Technique Used:
When feeling overwhelmed by negative thoughts, I’ve adopted the practice of analysing the source of these thoughts. A key technique employed is “thought stopping,” gently reminding myself that these thoughts do not define reality. While it requires time and practice, it eventually transforms into a new habit, bringing tranquility and ease to the mind.
Putting this technique into action during a challenging start to the new decade significantly alleviated pain, allowing me to refocus on personal work and goals. Though moments of mental turbulence still occur, I’ve become adept at restoring balance more swiftly.
Homework:
- Mindfulness Practice: Engaging in guided mindfulness meditations and deepening personal practice to comprehend the intricacies of how the mind functions. The journey has proven to be beautiful, intense, and profoundly interesting, resulting in increased happiness and inner peace.
- Breathing Space Meditation: Implementing this technique whenever needed, even in routine settings like sitting at a desk or commuting. Finding stillness in any environment becomes an opportune moment to breathe.
- Negative Self-Talk Log (ABCD): Despite its discomfort, this exercise involves logging negative events, deepening understanding of emotions, and devising strategies to overcome them. It provides greater control and insight into challenging situations.
- Noticing Your Thoughts/Naming the Story: An impactful practice involves observing thoughts and rationalizing them, fostering a clearer mindset.
- Five Tibetans Practice: Particularly beneficial for those with sedentary jobs, this practice enhances well-being and lightness through movement.
- Gratitude Log: Making gratitude a daily habit by recognising positive aspects of each day, fostering a sense of appreciation for one’s current circumstances.
As we conclude today’s post, I hope you found it insightful, sparking your curiosity to explore more about Cognitive Meditation. Feel free to reach out or share your thoughts and experiences in the comments—I would love to hear from you!
Namaste.