December 10, 2013

The Secret Doorway

by Judith Bobbe, LCSW

“Mindfulness isn’t about what is happening; it is about how we are relating to what is happening — how much awareness, balance and compassion are we bringing to this moment’s experience, whatever it is.” Sharon Salzberg

The world around us is always changing. In contrast to the unpredictability of life around us is the radiant force of light inside us, that which is always available to us: a timeless source of strength and reassurance that can guide us to live a life of the highest good.

Often we get stuck in habits that prevent us from being aware that the light within is there at all. Thinking and worrying about the future, or dwelling on past events, are such familiar ways of thinking.

Habits based on fear, discouragement and disappointment cause constriction in the mind body and emotions. We need to protect ourselves so patterns develop that create a smaller world inside us, which seems safer.

Mindfulness practices bring us in touch with a larger reality. Being in touch with what is, without judgment, allows us to have a sense of life that transcends our narrow perceptions that are habituated out of fear. We can sense new options and begin to change.

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

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

November 9, 2013

The Light Within

by Judith Bobbe, LCSW

“In me there is a light that lights the whole world.” – Rod Stryker

How many of us ever get to experience the true infinite power and expansiveness of our own potential? In my experience as a therapist and as a person living in this world, not many people ever get close to really knowing their own limitless potential.

It is said that we use only a small portion of our brain’s capacity. What, in addition, do we use of the capacity of our soul?

Many people who suffer from depression, anxiety, and other very common problems, are unaware of the power and resourcefulness of their own soul.

I am not using the word soul in a religious sense but in a sense of all of those intuitive wise and mysterious capacities that reside deep within us.

Often it takes a calamity or a trauma like a car accident or serious illness, for people to look more deeply into who they are, and to discover a meaningful life purpose that may have been elusive before. To be shaken to the core by a traumatic event can be a positively life changing experience for people who use the moment to re- actualize and transform themselves.

You can begin to transform yourself, as well, by simply learning how to look more carefully at who you are and to be encouraged to persist in discovering your own true inner self.

As a therapist working with people who feel trapped by their emotions and stuck in non- productive habits, I see that when people are taught how to look more deeply into themselves, into the more mysterious realms of thought feeling and intuition, they discover that they really are much more of a person than their symptoms and problems allow them to believe.

Healing is not only about understanding the past but also about learning how to develop the fire within you that burns with an infinite capacity for creativity, growth and joy. Difficult feelings which have dragged you down, and the impact of the past, can begin to fall away and to become much more faint in their influence over you.

Positive beliefs about your own potential begin to grow with a glow which is undeniable so that changes becomes more natural and easy to accomplish.

This is the path of real personal freedom.

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

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

October 22, 2013

The Present Moment

by Judith Bobbe, LCSW

The Present Moment.

This is the moment of being alive right now, not the past or the future, the point of our greatest power to live fully and happily. Every moment is a chance to open to life.

The subject of “Mindfulness” is everywhere today. It is discussed in an ever- increasing number of places, from corporate retreats, to technology seminars, to yoga studios, to schools. Mindfulness is a practice of being open to what is happening without judgment, just being in touch with “what is”, and allowing it to be.

Whenever you look at the sky, or the changing leaves, or watch the wind in the trees, you are immersed in an experience of the present. Total immersion in the process of nature, without judgment, analysis, or trying to figure anything out, is a form of mindful presence with the world. The simplicity, and, the vitality of these ways of interacting with the world, is often overlooked.

The same can be said of the breath. One does not have to feel calm, in order to practice breath awareness. The simple action of watching the inhale and exhale, how the energy of breath moves in the body, creates a new perspective on being alive, which deepens your connection with the present moment.

Your awareness is the container of your experience. Your awareness of the vitality of the life within you grows.

What is the purpose of all this? It is to enjoy being alive, to feel nourished and sustained by the positive forces of life that are always there inside of you.

If you feel you cannot calm down, or stop negative thoughts and feelings, you will be helped by mindfulness practice. The purpose of mindfulness practice is that you become joined with a deeper experience of who you are. You become deeply nourished by the light of life inside you. It then becomes easier to let go of negative patterns of thought and feeling, to let go of self- judgment. Optimism and confidence grow effortlessly. It becomes easier to be patient and persistent through difficulties.

Consistent practice changes your expectation of how well you can deal with challenges in your life. Mindfulness practice strengthens and increases motivation for positive change.

The effects of normal every- day stress are tolerated with greater ease. When the more challenging stresses of big life changes occur, these transitions can be navigated with clearer vision and a deeper connection with your real inner strength.

Mindfulness practice can be done in many different ways, and I am here to help you to find the one that is best for you.

for More see my website

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

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