#443 Our Self-concepts & Worldviews Must Mature

     Normal human psychological maturation or development is an iterative stepwise process of learning - an evolution of consciousness. We always have a self-concept & a worldview. Regardless how conscious or unaware we may be of these basic personal models of reality - these paradigms - they powerfully guide & shape our lives. Our life experiences in turn gradually modify - and at times, traumatically destroy - the current working paradigms, and so we must gradually erect a more reasonably accurate, more workable model. Then further life experiences gradually or suddenly force further renos, and on it goes, in repeated cycles.
     Life transitions are not rare, but occur constantly. Even normal transitions - eg puberty, menopause, retirement - are variably traumatic. Death of loved ones, though also a "normal" part of life, can be very traumatic - a veritable "shipwreck." How well we manage the constant upgrading of our self-concept & worldview paradigms is of fundamental importance - it determines the quality & direction of our lives. We can accomplish this work intentionally, wisely, mindfully.

     See "Beyond 'Stress Management' - Resilience for Real Life": http://mindfulnessforeveryone.blogspot.ca/2013/07/361-beyond-stress-management-resilience.html
     "Adult Psychosocial Development & Maturation": http://healthyhealers.blogspot.ca/2012/08/adult-psychosocial-development.html
     "Readiness for Change": http://mindfulnessforeveryone.blogspot.ca/2013/11/436-readiness-for-change-is-pivotal.html
     "Stories of Me, Myself, & I": http://www.johnlovas.com/2012/05/stories-of-me-myself-and-i.html 

 

Two Hands   www.dpreview.com

#442 Mindfulness Training & Hardiness

     "the personality trait hardiness (dispositional resilience) is characterized by perceived control over various aspects of life, commitment to one’s endeavors, and a tendency to view stressors as challenges.
     Conceptually, hardiness is broadly characterized as a stable disposition and/or a pattern of attitudes and skills providing the courage to turn stressful circumstances into growth opportunities. Over the years, a series of studies has yielded evidence for the construct validity of hardiness, including its interrelated elements of commitment, control and challenge.

     Commitment describes the tendency to stay involved with people and events rather than retreating into isolation under stress.

     Control refers to the belief that if one struggles and applies effort, s/he may be able to influence outcomes.

     Finally, challenge describes the tendency to view change as natural and as an opportunity for growth.

     Validation studies suggest that this construct is conceptually distinct from other well-known dispositions such as neuroticism, Type A behavioral pattern, negative affect, and optimism.

       Taylor MK et al. Relationships of hardiness to physical and mental health status in military men: a test of mediated effects. J Behav Med 2013; 36(1): 1-9.

     Those familiar with mindfulness will immediately recognize all components of hardiness - which are essential requirements for and natural byproducts of mindfulness training. Most importantly, hardiness can be & is intentionally, continuously cultivated, via patient, life-long mindfulness practices.
     See: http://mindfulnessforeveryone.blogspot.ca/2013/11/436-readiness-for-change-is-pivotal.html

Amateur Sony Shooter   www.dpreview.com

#441 Emotions, Momentum & Mindfulness

     Emotions may or may not initiate, but they do energize & perpetuate activity - motion with momentum - propelling a course of action, a predetermined direction toward a goal.
     Even for noble initiatives, shouldn't we still proceed with full conscious awareness of the process & ever-changing conditions, ready & able to enact any modifications & corrections that invariably become necessary along the way? Isn't hot-headed impatience usually detrimental?
     And if, as is often the case, our initiative turns out to be less than brilliant to start with - shouldn't we have the humility to markedly change or scrap a bad action plan?
     Like ethanol & stress, strong emotions trample good judgment. Persevering consciously, intelligently, with great care, to complete a worthy goal comes from a much deeper, more still, more silent place than the chaotic abode of powerful emotions. Chaotic energy can be effectively tamed, transformed & harnessed in the service of wise mindful behavior.

#440 Effort & Inhibition May Differ in Different Contexts

     "According to attention restoration theory (ART), directed attention is voluntary, central to maintaining focus, controls distractions through inhibitory mechanisms, and requires effort. It is vulnerable to fatigue and becomes less effective with sustained use, leading to reduced ability to focus attention, increased performance errors, and heightened irritability. When directed attention fatigue occurs in response to intense and sustained mental effort, individuals experience a condition commonly referred to as mental fatigue."

       Felsten G. Where to take a study break on the college campus: An attention restoration theory perspective. Journal of Environmental Psychology 2009; 29(1): 160-167.

     Acceptance and displacement differ qualitatively from inhibition. The effort used in meditation to stabilize attention is again qualitatively different from how we normally conceive of effort. If "effort" is not expended on things like "inhibition," maybe "fatigue" is not an issue at all in mindfulness. Mindfulness may even be energizing.
     See: http://mindfulnessforeveryone.blogspot.ca/2013/11/435-right-effort-does-not-take-but.html

Greg Burke   www.dpreview.com

#439 Armored for Life?

     An ideal state of being for helping professionals, particularly when helping people with existential & mental health-related issues, is "therapeutic presence." See: http://healthyhealers.blogspot.ca/2013/11/therapeutic-presence.html
     Clinicians, mentors, coaches, teachers, parents all share the common ideal of motivating people to improve their quality of life - "health promotion." The more they care about doing this, the less "neutral" or "objective" (disinterested in the results of their efforts) they may appear.
     Presenting facts & stats with a take-it-or-leave-it attitude is risk-free for the presenter (though deadly boring).
     Engaging with one's audience as a team with a common goal is risky, yet can nurture a positive, useful, motivating energy - for those with shared goals.
     Intellect by itself is a way of keeping things at a safe, theoretical distance - an effective barrier to engagement. Many of us are heavily protected (armored) from much of life - we live almost exclusively in our heads.
     Engagement is complete mind-heart-body-spirit involvement. The capacity to engage can be developed intentionally through mindfulness practice, which catalyzes a gentle, progressive process of de-armoring. 

     Many of us will remain armored for life, rigidly resisting all suggestions to de-armor as unscientific, impractical, a "sales pitch" etc. See: http://mindfulnessforeveryone.blogspot.ca/2013/01/261-psychological-rigidity-i-will.html This is understandable, but tragic. See: http://healthyhealers.blogspot.ca/2013/08/promoting-healthy-personality.html

gordonpritchard   www.dpreview.com

#438 Invalidating, Validation & Encouragement to Heal

     “Invalidating someone else is not merely disagreeing with something that the other person said. It is a process in which individuals communicate to another that the opinions & emotions of the target are invalid, irrational, selfish, uncaring, stupid, most likely insane, & wrong, wrong, wrong. Invalidators let it be known directly or indirectly that their target’s views & feelings do not count for anything to anybody at any time or in any way. In some families, the invalidation becomes extreme, leading to physical abuse & even murder. However, invalidation can also be accomplished by verbal manipulations that invalidate in ways both subtle & confusing.”
http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/matter-personality/201309/invalidation-in-families-what-are-the-hidden-aspects

     Invalidating is particularly damaging when inflicted by parents and other loved ones on the young. Even as adults, when we share something deeply meaningful & traumatic with a close friend, we need a fellow human being to hear us deeply, to be with us, to resonate with our feelings, to validate our humanity.
     Perhaps worse than being invalidated, one could end up in a dysfunctional support group. Here the strong common bond is a shared type of suffering. One's identity as a sufferer becomes, not just validated, but solidly established "reified." Group-think rejects significant improvement. One's identity & sense of belonging to cult-like groups depends on remaining essentially the same - not healing. (Healthy support groups actively promote wellness & healing.)
     The extreme opposite response will likely come from a meditation teacher, who might respond to our story with the question "WHO is suffering?" This may initially sound callous, puzzling, or weird. However, as we keep practicing - perhaps for many more years - the light might go on, and we suddenly "get it." We are being asked to carefully, critically examine our identity. Is identification with suffering valid? Am I pain - or - do I happen to have pain? There is a critical difference - suffering is inherent in the first, optional / minimal in the second. Furthermore, am I solid & unchanging? Is anything, including pain or suffering, solid, unchanging? See: http://mindfulnessforeveryone.blogspot.ca/2016/05/722-suffering-our-sense-of-self.html
     Of course there are many possible skillful means between the 3 extremes above: several mindfulness-based therapies eg MBCT, solution-focused therapy, motivational interviewing, internal family systems, and hundreds of other specific therapies - which some of us do need & would greatly benefit from.

      Suffering does NOT have to be our final miserable lot in life. Someone who encourages us to keep practicing is providing a great service (no matter how we may react to it at the time). See: http://mindfulnessforeveryone.blogspot.ca/2013/11/436-readiness-for-change-is-pivotal.html

Bindia Gupta   www.dpreview.com

#437 Wholeness includes Everything

     "Wholeness is based on a balance & integration of opposites, not on getting rid of what we don't like. When we feel an inconsistency or conflict between inner experience and outer expression, between persona and shadow, fear and love, life and death, body and mind, or any other pairs of opposites, we experience pain and tension. According to the ancient Hindu scriptures, the Upanishads, wherever there is other there is fear, for fear is born of duality. We can be released from fear only when we recognize the unity of opposites and learn to balance the polarities of emotional experience in a context of healing awareness."

        Vaughn F. The Inward Arc. Healing in Psychotherapy and Spirituality. iUniverse.com Inc, Lincoln NE, 1995, 2000.

Fine young people behind Hope Blooms - see their inspiring story: http://hopeblooms.ca/