Mindfulness - Assistive Tool

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 What is your State of Mind right now?

ACTIVE: 

Positive: forward looking, optimistic, confident, inspired, engaged

Negative : disturbed, distracted, dissatisfied, nervous, restless

PASSIVE:

Positive: steady, still, stable, reliable, peaceful, resting, reflective, contemplative, mindful

Negative: dull, lazy, ignorant, apathetic, antipathic, depressed


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Where is your Awareness right now?


FOCUS:

Positive: strong, connected, concentrated, interested, planning

Negative: diluted, scattered, giddy, flappy, bored

PRESENCE:

Positive: all-encompassing, neutral, loving, allowing, flowing

Negative: judgment, bad impressions, resistance, avoidance


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As your thoughts appear in your mind, label them accordingly, as:

comment, memory, conclusion, doubt, interruption, someone else's thought.

Notice any underlying emotions and name them, as well.


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Refuse to use any judgement or attachment in the process.

The negative sides are also very helpful.

Simply observe.


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What is your dominant Emotional State right now?


EXPANSIVE:

Positive: happy, bright, joyful, thrilled, cheerful, merry, jovial, rosy

Negative: tense, angry, frustrated, agitated, anxious, upset, jittery, overactive, noisy 

CONTRACTED:

Positive: easy, calm, relaxed, neutral, restful

Negative: sad, gloomy, wretched, fearful, embarrassed, worried, hesitant


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What is your point of Attention and Attraction right now?


GROWTH:

Positive: self-esteem, self-reliance, self-appreciation, self-worth

Negative: self-destruction, self-denial, self-negligence, self-loathe

REST:

Positive: self-protection, retreat, insight, self-awareness, self-knowledge

Negative: victimhood, blame, guilt, shame, worry


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A quick glance on the above states of mind-body-soul may help us identify the 'bad guys' in our psyche and find their counterpart in the positive expressions.

Our culture often perceives that being on the active side is positive and being on the passive side is negative. This is not the case. We don't need to be active for the whole of the day, every day, and we don't need to judge ourselves when we are passive.

Passive - means rest, insight, inner peace and unconditional joy. It is not bad. Handling the passive side of our life is the most common misconception in our culture, however it is vital to our well-being.

If we learn this, the mental health problem will slowly start to disappear.