Inner Strength

March 3, 2017

safety

Judith Bobbe, LCSW

http://www.personal-discovery-chicago.com/meditation-and-mindfulness-practices/

 

“Cultivating attitudes of friendliness, compassion, happiness and non-judgment…protect our mind from the subtle contaminations of animosity, jealousy and self-righteousness.” Pandit Rajmani Tigunait, The Secret of the Yoga Sutras

Thoughts flow within our minds. Tadpoles swim out of their eggs and flowers open to the sun. Dynamic forces of nature are in us and around us, the entire web of life has no boundaries.

We are made of the same spiritual and material elements as everything else in the universe. When we feel love, we are at home and at one with the world. Pure existence is undeniably beautiful.

Animals and plants grow, live and die according to the invisible laws of nature which determine their patterns, structure and inherent qualities. They are not inhibited by themselves. The life force simply emerges, naturally.

Humans are different in that we live inside of minds which are trained to be very judgmental. Judgments create walls. Every thought we have which is judgmental towards ourselves prohibits growth, and the emergence of our talents, spontaneity and creativity. While children are naturally extremely creative,  many adults have trouble developing their creativity and believe they are not creative at all. Training changes the human mind.

We judge ourselves in order to protect ourselves from being seen as not good enough. Are we good enough, normal enough? Are we too abnormal, too different? Will we be valued and appreciated by the world or will we judged and excluded?

Will be be approved of, or will will be rejected?

are we safe? …are we safe to be ourselves?

We try to protect ourselves from the worlds judgments by judging ourselves, and by trying to be perfect. Fear keeps us aligned with our judgments.

Self judgment is a prison. It can take the form of depression, anxiety, or in addictions.

For people trying to change, it becomes apparent that the inside has to change, the mind has to change.

We have to change the way we relate to ourselves. In order to do this we need new habits which support self-awareness, self-acceptance, openness and courage.

Meditation practices which cultivate compassion and kindness are a great antidote to patterns of self-judgment. Through repetitious practice of expanding the innate qualities of kindness,  we experience the hugeness of the inner self which is comprised of love. We can disengage from habits that are constricting because a natural reassurance and feelings of safety, develop from within.

Love, inner peace and patience can unfold naturally.

It is actually very practical. We change the mind by practicing the opposite of habits of the mind.

Like the flower that blooms without getting in its own way, we too can live with greater freedom to evolve.

The ability to feel safe to be oneself and to be grateful for life, in the purest sense, flourishes when judgmental patterns fall away.

for more information please see my website:http://www.personal-discovery-chicago.com/meditation-and-mindfulness-practices/

October 16, 2015

Which Do We Feed? What Do We Practice?

by Judith Bobbe, LCSW

http://www.personal-discovery-chicago.com/meditation-and-mindfulness-practices/

sparkles close deer

” An old grandfather is speaking to his grandson about what causes the violence and cruelty in the world. “In each human heart,” he tells the boy, “there are two wolves battling one another—one is fearful and angry, and the other is understanding and kind.” The young boy then asks, “Which one will win?” His grandfather smiles and says, “Whichever one we choose to feed” Tara Brach

We each have  energies within which we nurture and feed. Our own thoughts and habits feed our energies. The fires of love build connections and the fires of anger create disconnection.

There is a choice we can each make every day – do we feed the fires of anger, fear and resentment, or the fire of love?

Feeding the fire of self-knowledge, and compassion offers us clear perception and ease in connecting with the world.

The fires of anxiety and silent smoldering embers of anger, on the other hand, drain the life force and cause deep unhappiness.

Until we take the time to notice and to think about it, we can by habit, feed emotional tendencies which cause unhappiness. We  can learn how to cultivate the inner fire of light and self- love instead.

The true self is self- luminous and we can develop our ability to access it and make it stronger.

Meditation practices, breathing exercises and yoga postures cultivate the fire of vitality, love and strength. So do being in Nature, being creative, and loving others.

When we do breathing exercises we strengthen and clean the lungs. More essentially, we enliven and clarify the nervous system, and the complex web of mental and emotional patterning, which is the basis of our perceptions, expectations, and our actions. These patterns comprise the basis of our approach to life.

When we stoke the fire of self- illumination, we strengthen the body, the mind and the heart.   Creative self – awareness grows and becomes a framework for developing a happy life, day by day. Attachments to anxiety, depression, stagnation and fear, all become less attractive, and change happens more easily.

For more information please see my website:

http://www.personal-discovery-chicago.com/meditation-and-mindfulness-practices/

May 7, 2014

This Human Mind

Judith Bobbe, LCSW

http://www.personal-discovery-chicago.com/meditation-and-mindfulness-practices/

poppy bud dreamstime_1712123

“By connecting to your life purpose, you gather the forces of Nature in the same way a seed does when it starts to germinate.” — Rod Stryker, The Four Desires

 

There is a light inside each of us that is a part of the grand cosmic light, boundless with possibility.  The light inside us is the light of the whole universe.

The forms of nature all reflect the same structure: the human embryo looks like the snail shell, which looks like the shape of a galaxy.

We are all part of a continuum of life, which nourishes itself with an endless capacity for change and transformation.

We each carry within us the capacity for unimaginable potential.

 

The psychological landscape within, however, can be fraught with conflict. We strive to avoid what we don’t want, and we to cling to what we do want.

It is a difficult state to be in, this human mind. It is so often a challenge just to be peaceful with What IS.

Fluctuating states of emotions and thoughts can blur our awareness of the unique strengths that each of us do possess.

Our true potential lies outside of our awareness.

Beneath the terrain of emotional patterns, thoughts and habits, resides a quiet pulse of life and timeless consciousness.

This layer of mind is free of all conflict. It is pure energy, and it is saturated with acceptance and love. This pool of wisdom is always present but we often don’t know how to access it. We are not aware that if we skillfully practice stillness, the light within will have space to emerge and will shine ever more brightly. Practices such as meditation, deep relaxation and yoga provide windows into deeper states of our inner world.

The main obstacle is that our emotions are the filter through which we experience the world and we get stuck because we think we are our emotions. We think we are our behavior patterns and as such we are often confined within limiting definitions of ourselves. Our behavior patterns are conditioned and created by the past and do not truly define our capacities. We have a sense of ourselves that is limited and we quickly identify with constricting emotions.

Expansive emotions such as gratitude love appreciation and wonder emanate from our true self.  When we cultivate inner light, we have greater access to positive experiences and attitudes.

The best part is that we do not have to change to become someone else, or someone better. We simply endeavor to uncover the light within, and to dwell in a larger sense of who we are. This gives us strength to be compassionate with ourselves and with others.

 

for more see my website;

http://www.personal-discovery-chicago.com

 

 

 

 

 

March 19, 2014

Habits and the Contradictions of Being Human

sparkling grass

by Judith Bobbe, LCSW

 

http://www.personal-discovery-chicago.com/meditation-and-mindfulness-practices/

“If you don’t consciously choose the direction of your life, your past will choose it for you.” Rod Stryker

We are creatures of habit. Our habits of thought and behavior are embedded in how we think and in how we experience the world. Just like other animals which can be trained, we are trained unconsciously by our lives to see, think, feel and behave in particular ways.

Every time we think a thought it is conditioning our mind to believe that thought.

Each time we believe a thought, our patterns of feeling and behavior are inclined to support or justify that thought.

Our unconscious beliefs reinforce our identification with our thoughts.  We think our thoughts are true, and we think we are our thoughts. There is a cycle of reinforcement of habits inside us, of which we are largely unaware.

The interaction of thought belief and feelings gets translated into our sense of who we are and what we are capable of.

Real change depends on changing this quiet but powerful dynamic.

“Your mind has measureless capacity to affect the quality and content of your life” Rod Stryker

When we choose to repetitively introduce new thoughts, actions, and intentions into our minds, and choose not to automatically believe our habitual thoughts, we create room inside for the growth of new perspectives. We cultivate a new experience of who we are.

With repetition this newly felt experience becomes a foundation for taking the risk to change. Taking steps over and over again to embody new actions, and new intentions, provides the courage to let go of the self- limiting patterns of the past.

The funny thing about humans is that we all seek comfort, predictability, and familiarity. We feel better when we know what to expect. Familiarity helps us to feel safe and to tolerate the changes which life thrusts upon us.

But in addition to seeking familiarity and safety, we also seek a larger sense of ourselves. We seek a deeper connection with the spaciousness of life, which by its nature, is unpredictable. There is a yearning, which calls upon us to grow beyond our perceived capacities. We want to fulfill our deepest potential for productivity and happiness.

This call to growth can be looked at in terms of spiritual growth, or emotional maturation, or simply the desire to be more loving, kind, patient and generous with life.

It is possible to change and become happier with ones self and life, but it is a inside job.  HH Dalai Lama says “happiness is an inside job”.  This means that we have to change the way we think. Openness to changes in thinking becomes the basis for freedom and positive engagement with the world.

We tend look to external things like people and situations to make us happy, but this is always ultimately frustrating and temporary because life is always changing.  When we learn how to rely on a more deeply felt sense of the timelessness of our own true being, we become stronger and happier.

We can cultivate an unshakeable belief in our own wholeness and power. We can grow beyond habitual thoughts and beliefs about ourselves, and can become more creative, more flexible, and in love with life every moment.

For more, see my website:

http://www.personal-discovery-chicago.com

http://www.personal-discovery-chicago.com/meditation-and-mindfulness-practices/

 

dreamstime_166545.jpg lotus in light

March 5, 2014

What if…?

by Judith Bobbe, LCSW

img_5417

“Through yoga and meditation, we can change the vibration of the subconscious mind by gently releasing the stored memories, beliefs, and haunting thoughts that limit us.” —Mukta Kaur Khalsa
What if our minds and hearts were as wide and open as the sky?
What if we could perceive the world, seeing beauty, opportunity and possibility everywhere?
Imagine how wonderfully reassuring that would feel.
Deep within each of is is a source of undeniable strength. This light within creates hope and confidence.
The ancient wisdom and practices developed centuries ago in the East have hidden treasures which allow us to become the fullest, strongest and most vibrant individuals that we were meant to be. These skills are easy to learn.
Practices of mindfulness, deep relaxation, yoga, meditation, and breath awareness are windows into this world of infinite possibility and trust in life.
This is the true path of freedom and growth, which dwells in the expansiveness of the sky within you,  and in the light that shines inside you, which is waiting to be cultivated.
For more see my website;
November 21, 2013

Alignment Within

IMG_5391.JPGby Judith Bobbe, LCSW

There is a capacity inside each of us that is filled with strength, calm and personal freedom. This mysterious source of wisdom is always there, always available to be tapped into for guidance.

Your own soul is that part of you that resides in you, beyond the reach of anxiety depression and discouragement. It is eternal and can be accessed in stillness.

Inner life is by its nature quiet and the outer world is very distracting.

How do we turn within when the world is so compelling to our attention?

Awareness of our true nature, that spacious open sense of self, evolves naturally from practices of stillness.

Self- judgment can stop us in our tracks as meditation or mindfulness practice begins, and even as practice progresses. Negative thoughts and feelings discourage us from developing practices of self-inquiry. So, how can these obstacles be overcome?

The first step is to realize that self- judgments, doubt and skepticism are extremely natural as we begin new practices.

There is nothing wrong with you if you have attempted practices of self- awareness, and have stopped. Doubt, uncertainty or confusion about introspective processes are a part of practice for everyone. If you welcome this awareness in, as part of learning how to be with yourself, you can develop real curiosity and patience. If you make room for the doubt and the discomfort as natural, you will progress with greater success.

The proper guidance and encouragement is all you need to keep trying, and before long the benefits of practice will compel you little by little, to continue.

You don’t have to be able to sit on a meditation cushion, or even in a chair for long periods of time, to be able to learn how to look inwards with curiosity and confidence.

 

 

for more see my website:

http://www.personal-discovery-chicago.com

http://www.personal-discovery-chicago.com/meditationmindfulness.html

November 1, 2013

Remembering, Living, Exploring

by Judith Bobbe, LCSW

“The best of modern therapy is much like a process of shared meditation, where therapist and client sit together, learning to pay close attention to those aspects and dimensions of the self that the client bay be unable to touch on his or her own.”  Jack Kornfield, A Path With Heart.

It is important to remember and understand the past. We need to understand who we are in the context of our past experiences. Our influences from early life determine the way we each cope with life.

Remembering and understanding the past, however, does not in itself create change. People often feel trapped in habits and behavior patterns which were established earlier in life, and want to understand how to change.

How can we get in touch with who we really are, beyond our expectations and beliefs?

Change and motivation grow in the present, out of openness and commitment to try new ways of behaving and thinking. In order to believe that change is possible, a different experience of who we are is the only really motivating force. Experiencing oneself differently, introduces hope and curiosity about how life might be better, if we take the risk to grow and change.

When we try new activities that expand our perceptions of ourselves, the courage to change begins. We discover aspects of our own strengths and capacities.

Practices such as Yoga, meditation, deep relaxation, journaling, making art, and other creative activities, transcend our normal life flow, and provide access to richer aspects of ourselves. These experiences reveal to us a sense of ourselves that is deeper and broader than our habitual ways of knowing who we are. Inner life exploration grounded in mind- body expansion and discovery, and in creative activity, teach us that we are more than we think we are. Exploration teaches us that there is a level of reality within us that is infinitely wise, strong and clear.

Habitual thought patterns, the demands of work, responsibilities to others, and the outside world, can combine to make it seem almost illusory that it is possible to get in touch with our intuitive strengths. It seems illusory but it is a reality. It really is possible for anyone who commits to try, to discover their own vast inner world of strength , and I can be your guide in this process of self-discovery. Your own inner world is a part of you that is deeper than any of the symptoms of depression, anxiety, fear, or other states of mind which might seem inescapable to you.

Who are you when you sit in meditation? Who are you when you stretch and breathe into a yoga pose? Who are you when you are creative? What are the strengths that are waiting there inside of you to be discovered?

Inside each of us is an entire universe of boundless potential. In yoga philosophy, this is referred to as uncovering the dust that covers the soul, burning off the dust through practices.

Through encouragement and persistent practice, attention within, and real curiosity about our thoughts, we become more positive about ourselves.  Life becomes a reality, to be lived and explored, with a whole new range of capacity for joy and freedom. Issues from the past can be healed with greater ease and comfort.

I am persistent, patient and dedicated to finding ways to help you to take the risk to grow, and to finding the ways that are best for you. I provide an array of tools to help you to discover more richness, meaning and the core of strength inside of you.

for more, see my website: http://www.personal-discovery-chicago.com

On Facebook: Personal-discovery-chicago