Tuesday, September 3, 2013

Mind Training

As I have stated before on this blog, I am very interested in happiness.   I watch documentaries on it.  It fascinates me.  People can be happy in a variety of circumstances, including some that are pretty harsh.


I found this youtube Ted Talks video of Mattieu Ricard, a Tibetan Monk who discussed the habits of happiness.   He talks about meditation as mind training.   How, usually if we experience anger or obsession our mind goes back and back to whatever event and then the emotion keeps coming back and back again.    He talks about training our mind to the point where that emotion may still come back, but it leaves no trace, like a bird crossing the sky.

For me, DBT skills work this way.   I used to see my emotions as fact.   If I felt bad, then things were bad.   If I felt bad, sometimes I would feel guilty for my 'negative' feelings and push them aside in the hopes that they would just go away on their own.    And of course, they didn't.   They just grew larger.   

DBT has taught me that emotions are not facts.   They are emotions.   Most emotions will pass away in a few seconds if we do not feed them.   


I am just a beginner in using mindfulness or meditation to change my brain.    I certainly cannot meditate for long periods of time.   I don't fully understand all of the science in this youtube video.  But I do believe that this kind of 'zen' stuff can really change your life, and change it for the better.   I believe this because I see the evidence of it within myself.   I can handle things better.    I can deal with my illness better.   I feel more content with life overall.   I know that I can handle life.   I do not feel as afraid of life.  Watch this video and see what you think.   Do you think mind training might work for you?

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