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k123
118 Posts |
 Posted - Oct 26 2012 : 08:02:28 AM
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All,
Just wanted to share some things that I have found helpful alongside normal practice. One of these is called Focusing and is a method of using "felt sense" to improve one's relationship to the physical body and feelings. It was developed by Gene Gendlin and there are some good books if you search. For me it has been really helpful in bypassing the analytical thinking and becoming more connected with my body. I don't have an asana practice and can end up out of touch with the physical reality of things.
Another system I have found immensely useful is IFS, or Internal Family Systems. This is based on an explanation that sees the different parts and energies of a person, encourages disidentification with them, and aims to respect and honour them. The idea is to stay in Self and to relate from there and it has very strong spiritual aspects to it. For someone like me, who has a lot of conflicting energies and conditioning, it is really great. It allows anger, resistance, fear and so on, just to be there in silence. I find that it really helps my practice, as I can tend to either clamp down on unwanted parts, or to try and transcend them. This doesn't work of course.
I do not use these every day, or even every week, but I find they go well with my DM and other AYP practices, especially when things are a bit sticky
Other things I have done are the Presence Process, Voice dialogue and anything really that seems to aid knowing ones self. I would be really interested to hear if others use any of these, or find other things useful. I have read mention of the Presence Process here I think. |
Edited by - k123 on Oct 26 2012 08:03:52 AM |
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mr_anderson
USA
734 Posts |
Posted - Oct 26 2012 : 09:49:49 AM
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Hi k123,
Thanks for sharing! Prior to AYP, from 2005 onward I focused intensely on 'body awareness' and 'present moment awareness' type practices. Did a great job of gradually bringing me out into the present moment, resulting in the cessation of getting lost in thought.
Then in around 2008 I did the Presence Process for the first time. Did it again in 2010, and then again at the start of 2012. This permanently ended the tendency to get lost in strong emotions. The amount of emotional detritus that was cleared up is incredible, it's like I became a completely different person.
AYP and formal meditation were practices I followed since around 2007, becoming twice daily with AYP in 2009.
TPP (presence process) is great!
love,
josh |
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k123
118 Posts |
Posted - Oct 26 2012 : 10:49:04 AM
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Hi Josh,
Thanks for the reply. Am really interested in your experience of tpp. How did it go for you? You mention it clearing detritus. I did two rounds and found it very helpful.
Love k123 |
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mr_anderson
USA
734 Posts |
Posted - Oct 26 2012 : 1:49:33 PM
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The first round was hell. I had to constantly seek a toilet cubicle at work, so I had space to cry. Heat running through my whole body, weeping constantly, depression, rage, despair. But I came out of it an entirely different person, and the entire manifestation of reality seemed to change around me. No longer was I being run by fear. I had become so much stronger. The growth continued until the next round, as I gradually just became so much calmer in the face of life.
The next round was harsh, but nowhere near as bad. Emotionally I transformed somewhere along the way. I went from being so governed by strong negative emotional reactions, to practically never having any.
Seriously, what I call 'suffering' today is nothing like what 'suffering' meant to me 5 years ago. Suffering today is getting irritable, noticing it and allowing it to be, before laughing about it 5 minutes later as it dissolves.
I remember getting so angry, anxious and upset and having very strong negative emotional reactions. That is completely gone. TPP taught me to never project my emotions onto a person or a situation and say he/she/that caused me to feel that way. Instead I learned to see that emotions always come from how you interpret situations, therefore your own negative emotions are your responsibility, not to be blamed on other people, or seen as being inherently caused by a situation.
My heart opened so much through TPP, it's unbelievable. I started to have feelings of universal love for all beings, and the heart opened up beyond fear and self-interest.
What's even more interesting is the way interactions with strangers have changed: I meet all people with an open heart, people at my video store, on the street, at restaurants, on the subway - and somehow people intuitively sense this and respond to it. I find myself vibing with total strangers in a really nice way all the time.
It often feels to me that wherever I go I'm at home, and amongst friends. Because there's nothing anyone can really do to me, the identification with fear is gone, so I don't care. If someone wants to rob me on the street, I'll give him everything I have willingly. Why not, who cares.
Obviously this fluctuates, it's not just an endless, unrealistic rosy picture. Sometimes the heart is very open, and there's love flowing into the world. But just as often, I like to just be completely un-noticed, anonymous, wallflower. I'm still a shy person, I don't naturally talk a whole lot. For me I think I'd sometimes prefer to communicate by just looking into peoples eyes for long periods, without speaking.
The only anxiety I have left is sometimes social anxiety which just makes me clam up and go even more quiet than usual. Only happens when I'm meeting a large group of people and I don't know anyone. I'm much happier in one on one communications with people who really know how to connect. I don't why this still happens, but it's definitely got better with time.
The third round of TPP was around the time awakening experiences started to happen, and I think it's served its purpose now. |
Edited by - mr_anderson on Oct 26 2012 1:50:58 PM |
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k123
118 Posts |
Posted - Oct 26 2012 : 5:19:47 PM
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Thank you for replying in such detail.
I was fascinated by the process you went through. When you say you did three rounds, do you mean you repeated TPP three times each time? My experience was not as intense as yours when I did it, although it was fairly difficult in parts.
It sounds very cathartic and purifying and I really like your description of how your heart opened. That, of course, is one of my major aims, and it is happening gradually. DM and SBP help a lot. I used to really suffer some years ago, compared with now, when really the worst reaction to my feelings is a bit of irritation with people close to me from time to time. This is mainly my husband, as he is closest. I still have strong feelings and reactions sometimes, but can often just notice and allow them, even welcome them with an open heart, which seems to really transform them.
You speak about TPP helping with self-responsibility and that is another aim of mine, but it is not easy. I have been reading Real Love, which Shanti mentioned, and that seems to be very much about recognising the real source of one's feelings and not blaming others for them. So easy to blame others.
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IFS, Focusing and other things
