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

Meditation, Mindfulness & Insight2 Start with the goal in mind! Negative Circumstances Personal History Complexes Expectations Woe is Me Anxiety Reactivity Awareness Objective Observer Equanimity The Goal: Equanimity - Balance, Calmness and Clarity in spite of circumstances. Thoughts Dramatization Regrets Fears Negative Actions More Problems Understanding Insight Mindfulness In the moment State of Mind

Meditation, Mindfulness & Insight3 Intellectual Rational 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

Meditation, Mindfulness & Insight4 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?

Meditation, Mindfulness & Insight5 Those who know, Do Not Speak Those who speak, Do Not Know

Meditation, Mindfulness & Insight6 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.

Meditation, Mindfulness & Insight7 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.

Meditation, Mindfulness & Insight8 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…

Meditation, Mindfulness & Insight9 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

Meditation, Mindfulness & Insight10 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

Meditation, Mindfulness & Insight11 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 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.

Meditation, Mindfulness & Insight12 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

Meditation, Mindfulness & Insight13 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?

Meditation, Mindfulness & Insight14 Cognitive Therapy Thoughts 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.

Meditation, Mindfulness & Insight15 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

Meditation, Mindfulness & Insight16 Analytical Psychology Rule 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.

Meditation, Mindfulness & Insight17 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.”

Meditation, Mindfulness & Insight18 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.

Meditation, Mindfulness & Insight19 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.

Meditation, Mindfulness & Insight20 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

Meditation, Mindfulness & Insight21 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 am Told or I will be Overwhelmed. Historic Event Complex Creates a complex Projection - Boss and Spouse are authority figures Like my dad and I can’t talk to them either Cause of Passive Aggressive Behavior.

Meditation, Mindfulness & Insight22 Projections Mother or father says “You are the apple Of my eye, I will nurture you forever” Girlfriend Or 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 of me for the rest of my life.

Meditation, Mindfulness & Insight23 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

Meditation, Mindfulness & Insight24 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

Meditation, Mindfulness & Insight25 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?

Meditation, Mindfulness & Insight26 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

Meditation, Mindfulness & Insight27 Alexander the Great And 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!

Meditation, Mindfulness & Insight28 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

Meditation, Mindfulness & Insight29 “When mommy meditates she doesn’t get angry” Daughter of a sangha member

Meditation, Mindfulness & Insight30 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.