Creative mindfulness April 2015 by School of Modern Psychology

CREATIVE MINDFULNESS

School of Modern Psychology Issue 7, April 2015 AU $7.95

Inside this issue: Creative Mindfulness Courses Articles & More

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Where Mindfulness, Presence and Creativity Meet

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How Do We Make Sense of Our Lives

Page 9 Experiencing “You” Page 11

Staying in the Moment

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Have You Found Your Purpose Yet?

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Perhaps it’s Time to Stretch New Muscles

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Become a Creative Minds Member

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MINDFULNESS EDITORIAL Welcome to our seventh edition of Creative Mindfulness. This month we’re considering mindfulness and how it can alter brain structure. I’ve been fortunate to hear interviews with Dr Dan Siegel and Dr Daniel Amen recently, who have both written extensively on the topics of mindfulness (Siegel) and ageing (Amen). If I ever needed a reason to consider why I’m doing the work I am and sharing the art of Creative Mindfulness, Dan Siegel provides it. It’s the first article in this publication and provides some wonderful concepts that are easily applied in our lives. As always, if you have further ideas you’d like to share about this important topic, please email me; or, if you’re already on our Facebook pages, let’s continue the discussion there. With my very best wishes, Barbara Grace Director, School of Modern Psychology barbara@schoolofmodernpsychology.com.au

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Where Mindfulnes Creativity Meet Listening to Dr Dan Siegel (Co-director of the Mindful Awareness Research Centre at University of California, LA – UCLA) talk about Mindfulness is always an enlightening experience, particularly when he discusses what he considers is the key difference around being ‘present’ and being ‘mindful’.

When I first began using Mindfulness, it was in association with Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) with Dr Russ Harris. Through studying this, I became aware of how powerful it was to ‘notice’ and ‘observe’ my thoughts and emotions before mindfully ‘releasing’ them. It became a way of hearing more clearly my little voice of ‘doubt’ that often stepped past ‘observing’ into ‘judgement’ far too quickly. What I mean by this is how I could label a ‘churning feeling’ in my tummy as anxious, worried or upset and then quickly want to rid myself of the feeling ASAP. In a way it felt like (or what I imagine it may feel like) someone withdrawing from a drug may experience. The desire to ‘fix’ or remove the uncomfortable feeling by using any means possible can be overpowering. Why are noticing thoughts and emotions important? For two reasons – if we choose to distract painful feelings, what we may end up achieving is ‘numbness’ around feeling any emotions. So rather than having an internal switch that we can flick on and off at a moment’s notice, we may end up in neutral, experiencing neither highs nor lows in our attempt to ‘control’ the emotions we feel less comfortable with. The second reason is more to do with resilience. If sitting with an emotion and noticing that being present to it is uncomfortable sends us scurrying for anything that will get rid of it quick-smart then we’re reinforcing its power over our mind. Page 3

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The power in using mindfulness when managing strong emotions is in noticing that once something is mindfully observed, the intensity of the emotions can ease. What this means for me is that the power of the emotion was more in my mind and was being reinforced through past experiences of anxiety, tension or stress. It was as though the power of my response was causing my discomfort – not the experience that I once believed was leading to that ‘tummy churning’ feeling. Quite interestingly, once I sat with the emotion or thought and mindfully observed it and noticed different aspects of it, it began to have less intensity and I felt less discomfort to the point where the emotion began fading until ‘it’ (whatever ‘it’ was) floated away on a visualised leaf placed in a stream that soon enough disappeared around a bend. As humans – we judge, it’s how most of us make sense of our world, adapt to things we like and choose to avoid things that in the past we may not have liked. Yet as Dan Siegel says, withholding ‘judgement’ and choosing to observe more mindfully can free us from a reactive way of living. He cites research that confirms not only a freedom in the choices we make but also states that, “What you do with your mind changes the structure of your brain.” He says that mindfulness is a way of releasing our pre-existing narratives about who we are. When I sit and think about this, it opens a different way of thinking around ‘identity’. “Mindfulness allows an open plane of possibility where you relax old patterns – you let go of judgments … When you go deeply into how the mind might regulate energy, then you see that it passes along a continuum between certainty and uncertainty.” Dan Siegel

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“Presence has a certain courage to be vulnerable, and, one where you can become part of something larger.”

Dan Siegel

When Dan Siegel talks about Mindfulness, he describes it beyond noticing and observing and likens it to a parent fully attuned to a young child. By not only observing and noticing what’s happening, the parent is immersed in the experience and engaging with the child and the experience in a way that demonstrates what being ‘present’ means. I can relate to this, as when I look back on my parenting years with my young son (who is now 22) there were many times when I was absently present – there but not there – sadly. The busy-ness of living, of thinking what to do next, of worrying about what I haven’t done and of course ruminating about what I have done and would do differently if given the same situation again was a constant rollercoaster. Perhaps if I knew then, what I practice now, my brain structure would have developed to the point that I could have slipped into cruise control long before now. As I draw meaning from this and relate it to the work the School is doing with Creative Mindfulness I’m interested in the parallels between mindfulness, being present and expanding on an experience through innate creativity. It’s in ‘knowing’ an experience through mindfully being present to it that a deeper level can be felt through exploring a creative journey. Creative expression can have a language of its own.

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Dan Siegel uses an acronym: OWN which beautifully captures this concept. • Observe what’s happening • Witness through a judgement-free mindset • Narrate your feelings and thoughts It’s useful to know that connecting to an inner dialogue is not only good for our wellbeing, but is scientifically backed by brain research. It’s worth repeating what Dan Siegel says, “What you do with your mind changes the structure of your brain.” This is good news for those of us experiencing Creative Mindfulness, because we’re not only enjoying a heart-felt connection to our innate creativity, we’re also assisting our brain to make positive changes that will continue to manifest throughout our lives. Creative Mindfulness is about tapping into the richness of experience, of sitting with feelings that may be uncomfortable, of withholding a judgement around ‘naming’ emotions and instead ‘OWN-ing’ them – that is, observing ourselves, witnessing our emotions and narrating a deeper sense of ‘knowing’ through tapping into our innate creativity. Thank you Dan Siegel for amplifying my understanding of what it is to be ‘mindfully present’.

Dan Siegel’s comments are drawn from an interview he had with Dr Ruth Buczynski

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CREATIVE How do we make our lives? Unless you’ve had training in personal development, psychology/ counselling or coaching – few have a framework to ‘think’ their way through life’s hurdles. Managing problems can often result in a hit-and-miss approach, with many using the ‘rock-and-hard-place’ ritual to bounce ideas around hoping to come up with a workable solution. If this is the approach that either you, or someone you know uses, perhaps it’s time to think more deeply around what’s important to you. Is ‘getting by’ really ok? Is repeating old mistakes over and over hoping that something different will happen next time really a good strategy? Is the stick-your-head-in-the-sand approach wishing that the problem goes away really working? If you believe that your decision making could be improved then let’s consider what it takes to bring about change. I believe that baby steps can at times be the best way to bring about change if feeling ‘stuck’. Tiny incremental steps can feel a whole lot more comfortable than blustering through in a whirlwind that lasts shorter that Dorothy’s trip to Kansas. Change means not only changing something you’re DO-ing, it means shifting your thinking, and yes – sometimes change begins with the way you look at things as Dorothy discovered for herself.

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MINDFULNESS sense of Let’s begin by proving to yourself that you can successfully do one thing differently – it may be what you have for breakfast, it may be the way you drive to work, it may be about wearing a different colour clothing, it may be about reminding yourself to smile by keeping a mirror near your desk. Sometimes we can think of change as life altering, and while it can be – most successful change is achieved through measured steps. Muscles develop through repeated use, courage to change happens by sticking with an uncomfortable feeling and doing it anyway. Start with one tiny step, then follow it by another, then another until the little things give you the confidence to take longer strides – the only difference is that now your ‘baby steps’ have become more adult-like, more sure-footed and more resilient to any stress that may have, in the past, seen you retreat to a more comfortable zone. As William James, who is often considered the father of modern psychology said, “The greatest weapon against stress is our ability to choose one thought over another.” So why not start today by proving to yourself that change is possible through small incremental steps.

CREATIVE Experiencing ‘You’ Ok, I get it. Each one of us thinks we know who we are – yet, do we really? Why is it that so many people still look to the horoscopes to get an understanding of who they are, who they could be and what they might do if they had any idea of who they were in the first place???? We may know what we’d like to think we’d do, if we think like someone who thought like that, and if we could ‘think outside of our own thought bubble’ it seems to suggest that we need another observer – yep you got it – convoluted over-the-top rhetoric for ‘huh…???’ Stay with me for a moment – it’s not as convoluted as it sounds. If you could look at yourself for a moment and see what other people see, who would they describe? Often, if we ask this question, we’re surprised by the answer. “You think I’m … (insert compliment).” “Wow, I don’t see myself as that!” Thank you. (You say, seeing a side of you, you didn’t know others saw.) Imagine if we chose those beautiful thought bubbles given to us by others as compliments and placed them just outside of our conscious awareness, just far enough that when any negative Page 9

self-talk starts humming the ‘you’renot-good-enough’ tune, the thought bubble would explode into a wonderful song-and-dance routine and instead of negative judgement, ruminating and self-rubbishing, we’d hear others’ perceptions of who we appear to be and feel that amazing sense of joy and connectedness. There is a wonderful exercise that can help you – and others – achieve this. It’s called a ‘Compliment Circle’ and is one of the most beautiful ways to experience how utterly amazing other people see us. While I use the following exercise in groups that have come to know each other and are in a ‘warm state’ of receiving and giving compliments, it can easily translate to your own work environment, when you’re with friends or at family gatherings. This is how it goes: It’s a good idea to sit in a circle as it opens up the experience even further. Choose a person to start (it’s probably best that it’s you if the idea is yours …) Start by giving a compliment to the person on your left. (NB: The compliment is ‘character based’ – not one around the person’s physical appearance, sense of dress, shoes etc –

MINDFULNESS for example a good compliment could be: “I see you as a warm person who shares so generously; when I’m near you I feel accepted for who I am. When I hear you laugh, I know it comes from the heart.”) Then, the next person on their left (the person who is receiving the compliments) also gives a compliment to the person. So, if you have ten people in the circle – the person on your left receives nine heart-felt compliments. After this, it’s a matter of repeating the process until everyone has received compliments.

To extend the exercise, record the session (with everyone’s permission) and have the group write down their own personal compliments. Then, each person could create a poster with his or her personal compliments and place it somewhere visible for daily inspiration. Finally, ask people to write in their journal what the experience felt like for them. If you do this exercise, I’d love to hear how it went for you, so email me at barbara@schoolofmodernpsychology. com.au and let me know :)

It’s one of the most powerful exercises you can do to give not only you, but everyone around you, a wonderful boost.

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Occasionally, it’s n

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not what we want, yet by staying in that moment we receive what we need.

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“Have you found your life purpose yet?”

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MINDFULNESS The School’s Creative Mindfulness Coach program commenced on 1st February 2015. Below is a quick snapshot of thoughts we’ve received from a recent survey: 93% of our surveyed students rated the course as being delivered at a highly professional level that was maintaining motivation and engagement. 100% of our surveyed students said they would recommend the program to others, describing the richness of conversations they are now having with friends, family and peers. 92% of students enjoyed the creative activities and mindful reflection on the deeper symbolism embedded within them. “The activities are engaging, the presentation is highly polished yet personal and the quantity of material presented represents exceptional value for money.” (Student) “Definitely worth doing but be prepared for hard work, self discovery and challenges, plus a fresh exploration of your creativity. The tutors and the course members form a supportive community which gives feedback and encouragement. Definitely recommend the course.” (Student)

A new group of Creative Mindfulness students will be commencing in 2nd Semester (July, 2015). To register your interest, contact Barbara Grace via email: barbara@schoolofmodernpsychology.com.au

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Perhaps it’s time to stretch new muscle Have you ever watched young children play? They are so inquisitive and curious about anything that moves, slides, bounces or rolls. It seems quite a natural process to link this innate curiosity with learning. Make things fun and game-like and they’re in. Children have an appreciation of the new and novel that seems to pump their natural energy reserves and inspire interest in so many different things. It’s this curiosity and discovery that allows their world to expand into a magical place of never-ending possibilities. It’s also the place where creativity is nurtured and grows before judgement and ‘not good enough’ enters their vocabulary. As a young child, new neurons in the brain are growing, connecting and multiplying fast to lay down new neural pathways. In the past, scientists thought this neural development slowed as we aged. This has now been proven wrong and new neurons can continue growing throughout our lifetime. Yet – there’s a catch. If we have forgotten how to be curious or how to explore, resulting in little stimulation, then our brain has little reason to continue growing new neurons – and so doesn’t. As we age, it’s easy to fall into believing that learning new things or having different experiences is irrelevant. In the busy-ness of life, taking time to activate our brain can fall by the way while another television series plays out its nightly drama. If you’ve ever taken an extended time out from the workforce for any reason, you may know how quickly the world around seems to change. Apart from the pace of change, you may also have experienced how much more focus is needed to re-learn or develop new skills so that you can reengage with your work at your previous level.

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A way of relating to our experiences. This is an activity from the Creative Mindfulness Membership program.

CREATIVE Research suggests that daily mental practice can give our brains the necessary workout it needs so that our brain has the chance to continue developing new neural pathways. Dr Daniel Amen, a psychiatrist and author of numerous books, including Using Your Brain to Change Your Age, says that while a healthy diet and physical exercise are important – mental exercise such as learning new dance steps, solving puzzles, learning a new instrument or language, or exploring a new country can give your brain a work-out. “Other studies too have found that focusing on negative thoughts changes the brain in a negative way. Creativity, learning and imagination all go down with negative emotion; while focusing on positive, happy, hopeful thoughts helps both the brain and you to work better,” says Dr Amen. One suggestion Dr Amen makes is to take more notice about what you love about your life, more than what you don’t. Basically, it’s up to us to choose how we want to age and who we want to be – alert and hopefully brimming with ideas and fresh perspectives; or, focusing on what displeases us and repeating old patterns of thinking that lead into deeper and darker holes. An average adult brain weighs about 1.3kg; yet, it uses 20–30% of the calories consumed, 20% of the oxygen breathed and 25% of the blood flow in the body. Dr Amen says, “A piece of brain tissue the size of a grain of sand contains 100,000 neurons and 1 billion synapses, and are all ‘talking’ to one another. Information in your brain travels at about 268 miles per hour, unless of course you are drunk, then things really slow down. If you don’t take care of your brain, you lose on average 85,000 brain cells a day. That is what causes aging. With appropriate forethought, however, you can reverse that trend and dramatically slow the aging process and increase your mental agility.”

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MINDFULNESS Focusing on things that we don’t like or giving more attention to the things that raise our shackles can alter what’s happening in our brain. Studies show thinking about things that anger us can decrease activity in important areas of the brain involving emotion and memory compared with scans of the same people focusing on things they love. Linda Graham, author of Bouncing Back, says the body may react with a feeling that raises a little anxiety around doing ‘scary things’, yet by doing them and noticing your body’s signal by bringing your attention to it, it’s possible to lower the threshold around ‘scary’ and in so doing build resilience. The sense of novelty that comes with doing something new and/or scary can speed up any ‘neural firing’ taking place and help establish a stronger and more complex brain structure. While few of us enjoy being scared, embracing new and novel things can lead to approaching life’s problems with greater flexibility and more clarity. If you were to do one thing to ‘stretch’ yourself today, what would it be? I wonder who is up for the challenge of learning something new and practising it for 15 minutes each day – if you are, then choose something that really engages and excites you, knowing that you’re taking personal responsibility to keeping your brain flexible and healthy.

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CREATIVE Are you waiting for your “real life” to begin? Receive your share of joy and begin living wholeheartedly with a Creative Mindfulness course through the School of Modern Psychology. • 2nd Semester intake for Practitioner programs begin in July 2015. If interested in finding out about our second intake this year please contact the School. • All our Creativity Programs are 100% online and selfpaced. Contact barbara@schoolofmodernpsychology.com.au for more information.

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Sometimes it’s about discovering ‘what’s inside the box’ - what you hold precious or what symbolism is leading you to take a bigger journey. The image above is an activity from the Creative Mindfulness Practitioner Training Course.

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Creative Minds Membership If you’d like to remain connected with the School and receive great activities and reflections each week, including a monthly webinar – we offer a value-packed bundle where you can become a Member of our Creative Minds group and be part of our wonderful community. That way, you’ll never miss receiving a copy of this journal. Copy and paste the link below to check it out. http://bit.ly/1vSAZWb

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