Proactive Mindfulness: Redefining Personal Growth

In this conversation, we talk about ‘Contemplative Thinking’: How it differs from what we usually describe as ‘thinking’, and how it fosters creativity.

Three phases are described:

Pause: Unless we pause, we tend to keep going on the same track with our blinders on. Think about the cartoon situation of the character walking off the edge of the cliff, not realizing they’re no longer on firm ground.

Orienting: We make a deliberate effort to pay attention to our body, not just to thoughts. Not that thoughts are bad… But we’re depriving ourselves of much of our processing ability if we cut off our body.

Getting out of our own way: Instead of trying very hard, as if we were trying to squeeze ideas out of a tube, we gently allow ‘felt sense’ information (e.g. intuition, hunch, insight) to come up from inside.

‘Contemplative Thinking’ occurs naturally. What helps us get better at it is to observe it when it happens, so that we become more aware of it.

In case you want to come back to specific explanations of this process after listening to the podcast as a whole, see:

– Description of the 3 phases: From 18’45” to 20’50”

– How this is not just a shift in intentionality, it is a different body experience that allows fresh thinking: From 21’00” to 25’30”

– How this applies to real life, in real-time: From 25’30” to 34’00”

By the way, this recorded conversation is an instance of creative thinking fostered by an environment that is safe and stimulating. David’s presence and his way of holding the space made it possible for me (Serge) to go further into the concepts than I had before, with a sense of effortlessness, as if I was observing their unfolding and describing it,

David I. Rome is the developer of Mindful Focusing, an integration of Eugene Gendlin’s Felt-Sense Focusing and Buddhist mindfulness-awareness practices (http://www.mindfulfocusing.com). He is the author of Your Body Knows the Answer; Using Your Felt Sense to Solve Problems, Effect Change, and Liberate Creativity (Shambhala Publications, 2014). David currently serves as board president for the Focusing Institute. Earlier in his career, David studied Buddhism and trained in meditation and other contemplative practices with Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche, whom he also served as a private secretary for many years.

Published April 2016. See also conversation on Mindful Focusing.

As you listen to this conversation, we hope you heave as much fun as we had meandering through various topics related to mindfulness and the human condition.

Dwight Hurst is a psychotherapist, writer, and podcaster who lives in Utah. He lives with 3 cool children, one cool wife, and a cool but nervous little dog. Dwight is the host & creator of The Broken Brain podcast and writes psychology articles and strange short stories. Follow him on Twitter @breakabrain or at http://dwighthurst.com

Published February 2016

This conversation is part of an ongoing exploration of stress, resilience, and mindfulness. Here, we talk about stress, how it comes about, and how it can be a gateway for growth. This is part of an invitation to all of us to explore this Mindful Place.

Mette Mouritsen is living in Denmark. She has been working as a medical doctor for 26 years and the past 15 years as a general practitioner. Due to stress she started practising mindfulness, which brought her further on to a psychotherapeutic study. The combination of these studies, together with a daily mindfulness practise and a rather sudden shift in consciousness brought her a further understanding of how body and mind are interconnected, which she uses in her new position as a holistic doctor, public speaker and author. She is the mother of three adult children, enjoys daily meditation, regularly exercise, writing and the many moments of stillness in nature and in everyday life.

Download PDF of Stress: A possibility to unite body, mind and spirit by Mette Mouritsen

Published January 2016

What next? An invitation for all of us to explore this Mindful Place:

Says Mette:

“It is really a deepfelt wish to create a space for applied mindfulness. A kind of compassionate “playground” mostly for adults and eventually teens. It could as well be named authentic relating, It is about presence. To be present within while being in contact without. A way to strengthen our ability to sense our selves, to know our limitation and go beyond them in full awareness. And utilise the strength in the common field of compassionate awareness.”

“The intention is to return to all that is here and now, each time we are caught by the stories we are retelling and recalling. It is a way to become more presence in life, and in our many relations in daily living, right there where we easily may loose the balance. It is a possibility to connect and be inspired, in stead of using our safe and well known avoiding strategy.”

“This place could also offer different awareness training like, painting, yoga, singing, music, silent nature walk, besides mindfulness. All what possibly could support our many different ways in becoming more aware. Then the group meetings will be the place to apply our mindful way of being. Like bringing the being into the doing, before walking out into the ‘bigger world’ ”.

Mette Mouritsen

Greg Madison, PhD, is an existential psychologist and psychotherapist