Mindful Happiness

Anthony Quintiliani, Ph.D, LADC

  • Home
  • Dr. Anthony Quintiliani
    • About
  • Mindful Happiness
  • Mindful Expressions Meditation CD
  • Contact

December 24, 2019 By Admin

Journaling and Grief Process

Journaling and Grief Process

Regular brief journaling may be helpful in your grief and horror regarding significant personal losses of self and/or others. Here are the various ways it may be helpful to you.

  1. Writing and reading about your personal loss experience may help you to make sense of the process, and at the same time guide you gently on that path.
  2. Journaling may open up past and present realities – both positive and negative – about your loss experience.
  3. At times anger, resentments, and regrets will come up. These realities open you up to the depth of the grief experience. Do not linger too long there!
  4. S. Kierkegard reminded us that our lived experiences are processed forwardly, but better understood if observed backwards. Journaling helps to focus us on the present but never lets go fully of the past.
  5. It may be important to you to make your personal journal more balanced with both negative and positive experiences. For example, it may be helpful to list all simple pleasures you experienced in any given day. It may also be a good idea not to linger emotionally too long when such experiences trigger negative states.
  6. I have always found it helpful to list my personal gratitudes, even in the midst of painful loss and suffering. It is not uncommon for the most valued experiences to be linked with the lost love-object and your shared life.
  7. If fear and trepidation occur as you move through the grief process, I suggest that you break down the scary moments into smaller, more manageable periods of time, space, and emotions.
  8. Pay attention to and write about both helpful and unhelpful thoughts, emotions, behaviors, and sensations related to your grief process. Be aware keenly of small improvements in all.
  9. You may notice that as you slowly heal you spend less time journaling. This is natural.
  10. You may wish to do “grave worship” practices, or simply write many good things about the lost person.
  11. V. Frankl noted that when we cannot change the reality of a situation, we may have to change ourself.
  12. When you find yourself crying over your loss, that is a very good time to contemplate and do journaling.
  13. Reading related poetry or writing your own may help you.
  14. If and when you experience the emptiness of the void inside, do your best to find words for the experience. And, work to fill that void by re-engaging with your life as it is now.
  15. It is always a good idea to develop and practice personal rituals about your healing. Write about this in your journal.
  16. S. Becket reminded us that we must go on! As painful as it may be, we cannot stop the process.
  17. As P. Chodron noted, we must allow it all to fall apart before we can find the resilience to face what comes next. In most situations, what comes next is slow improvement in your emotional condition.
  18. Rest in peace with your breath, and do more meditation or yoga if that suits you well.
  19. You may wish to visit optionb.org or other sites that support grief work.

Refer to Sandberg, S. and Grant, A. (2017). Option B: Facing Adversity, Building Resilience, and Finding Joy. New York: A. A. Knopf, pp. 58-76.

Anthony R. Quintiliani, PhD., LADC  

From the Eleanor R. Liebman Center for Secular Meditation in Monkton, Vermont and the Home of The Monkton SanghaChiYinYang_EleanorRLiebmanCenter

Author of Mindful Happiness  

Mindful Happiness cover designs.indd

New Edition of Mindful Happiness in Production…Coming soon

Filed Under: Activities, ANTHONY QUINTILIANI, Calming, Coping, Crisis Resilience Skills, Emotions, Featured, Gratitude Meditation, Grief, Holiday Coping, Inner Peace, Journal Writing, Learning, Letting Go, Meditation, MIndfulness, MIndfulness Activities, Mourning, Natural Healing, Self Care, Spiriuality, Stress Reduction Tagged With: ANTHONY QUINTILIANI, GRATITUDES, GRIEF PROCESS, JOURNALING, MINDFUL HAPPINESS, RESILIENCE

February 9, 2017 By Admin

The Principles of Nature and Natural Healing

The Principles of Nature and Natural Healing

This is an advanced post on Eastern views of healing. From ancient shamanic traditions all the way to today’s AMA approved procedures in energy medicine, healers have been trying to discover and integrate the foundations of nature into healing. This reality exists from shamanic rituals all the way to atomic and cellular manipulations in modern medicine. Perhaps a more specific view on this topic comes from The East (China, Tibet and Japan).  The traditional medicine
practices of these cultures reveal a long and thorough history of integrating the forces of nature into healing practices. Likewise, some new physics applications in Western medicine sometimes end up with similar outcomes. Michio Kushi, in his book about Natural Healing introduces us to the foundations of the Eastern View of this area. If you are not familiar with the meanings related to Yin and Yang, please look them up. Although I will provide a basic review, more advanced definitions are not included here.

Basics of Yin and Yang:
  1. Yin and Yang forces appear as opposites but are actually complementary and interdependent in nature.  As Wikipedia reminds us, these forces can be seen in light and dark, soft and hard, expand and contract, etc.
  2. Yin and Yang forces are represented in various Eastern cultures, most notably in China. The forces are represented in traditional Chinese medicine, martial arts, exercise (tai chi, qi gong), in the I Ching, in Taoism, and Confucian ethics.
  3. A key understanding is that the forces each contain aspects of each other in a constant dance of universal change in our universe.
  4. Yin consciousness is said to contain lunar, feminine, passive, intuitive, submissive, right-brain and compassionate characteristics.
  5. Yang consciousness is aid to contain solar, masculine, active, analytic, dominant, left-brain, and aggressive characteristics.
  6. Together, both these forces make up the world inside and outside of our heads and hearts – literally the entire universe of knowns and unknowns.

We begin with the core principles of nature:

  1. Everything that exists and/or is experienced as a phenomenon represent a great differentiation of one infinite reality. This may be related to higher consciousness of one unitary reality. Possibly a hologram of everything that exists.
  2. Impermanence exists; everything is alway changing according to causes and effects and variable timelines. Everything manifests via dependent origination – depending on other causes and effects. Nothing manifests of itself alone.
  3. All opposing antagonisms are in a higher reality complementary in nature. In the East views about Yin and Yang best represent this view.
  4. In the realm of everything that exists, in spite of some central unifying force making it part of a larger whole, there is nothing that is 100% identical. All “things” show specific differences.
  5. Along with complementarity of all things, what presents a front also has a back, and what presents a back also has a front. Sometimes we need to search very hard for these truths.
  6. Where there is a beginning, there is also an end. Where there is an end, there is also a beginning.

Laws of change according to Eastern views:

  1. Anything presenting as one infinity contains within itself both complementary and antagonistic forces. Again, think Yin and Yang.
  2. Yin and Yang energies manifest from one infinite universe of all realities. Perhaps, again, the gigantic hologram of infinity.
  3. Yin is centrifugal, and Yang is centripetal; from these realities all energy is produced. From such energies, all phenomena are created.
  4. Yin and Yang energies attract each other, and oppose and repulse themselves.
  5. Yin and Yang in their attractions and repulsions eventually “cause” the existence of all phenomena.
  6. Since EVERYTHING is impermanent, CHANGE is a constant factor in the infinite universe. Yin can become Yang energy, and Yang can become Yin energy.
  7. Everything that exists somehow combines unique concentrations of Yin and Yang. There is nothing with total neutrality here.
  8. Larger forces of Yin attract smaller forces of Yin, and Larger forces of Yang attract smaller forces of Yang. Perhaps, this is part of the central unknowing of absolute gravity in the universe. In extreme cases of energetic Yin and Yang, they change into their opposites: Yin into Yang, and Yang into Yin.
  9. All physical manifestation of energetic realities show Yang centers and Yin surfaces.

For more information see Kushi, M. (1979). Natural Healing…

Anthony R. Quintiliani, PhD., LADC

From the Eleanor R. Liebman Center for Secular Meditation in Monkton, VermontChiYinYang_EleanorRLiebmanCenter

Author of Mindful Happiness  

Mindful Happiness cover designs.indd

New Edition of Mindful Happiness in Production…Coming soon!

Filed Under: Featured, Natural Healing, Yin and Yang Tagged With: DR ANTHONY QUINTILIANI, NATURAL HEALING, NATURE, YIN AND TANG

Twitter

Mindful Happiness -Currently in Production

Mindful Happiness Posts

The Nine Bow Ritual for Those You Respect Deeply The Nine Bow Ritual is a simple practice of deep respect.  Think of a person, living or not, for whom you have very strong positive feelings.  If you select a person no longer living, you may be surprised at the emotional impact of this ritual. If […]

Laughter to Support you in Suffering As we all know life is filled with joy, suffering, and neutrality or boredom. This is THE WAY IT IS! Or, as a very good old friend often reminded me: “It is what it is!”  In Buddhism we preach a middle way in various areas of practice; the same […]

“The Other Shore” to Happiness and Enlightenment Thich Nhat Hanh’s book, The Other Shore: A New Translation of The Heart Sutra…Berkeley, CA: Palm Leaves Press brings us on an inner journey toward a happier, more peaceful and enlightened life. Wisdom implies that we understand that life is made up of mental formations, no-self (more clarifications later), […]

Our Brains React to Worry According to research by The American Psychological Association in 2015, some of the core sources of severe stress reaction for Americans are: financial problems, job-related problems, family problems, and health problems.  Our lives are complete only with joy/happiness, suffering and boredom – sometimes referred to as pleasant, unpleasant and neutral […]

Deepak Chopra Ideas on “The Future of God” – Part 1 Deepak Chopra’s new book, The Future of God… (2014) presents some very challenging perspective on spirituality, atheism, and formal religion.  Here I will simply present some paraphrased details and my own ideas on these topics. Basic Foundations Human beings have special talents for searching […]

Concentration Vs Mindfulness? Many people new to meditation often confuse the differences between mindfulness or accepted bare attention to whatever arises in the moment and concentration or strong penetrating awareness on one thing without distraction.  Concentration is a more intensely focused and engaged form of mindful attention.  Concentration is sustained, powerfully focused, one-pointed attentional awareness. […]

Using Creativity in Clinical Supervision Effective clinical supervision is a combination of hearable direction about clinical practice, gentle-direct leadership, clinical “Know-How,” evidence-based skills, complex psychodynamics, and the willingness to work with others on their developmental processes. There are risks involved. I have provided clinical supervision and consultation to other clinicians for 43 years without a […]

Advanced Meditation Practices on Perception As the Sutra story goes, the Buddha instructed Ananda to visit the ailing venerable Girimananda, who was very, very ill.  In an effort to help the ailing man, the Buddha told Ananda to guide him in the Ten Meditation on Perceptions (on sensory input and the objects of mind). According […]

Mindfulness Defined… There are many definitions of mindfulness.  Here I have combined several popular views into one.  This definition and process may be helpful to readers who cannot quite grasp what it is, what it feels like, and what steps can make it happen.   Good luck in your regular practices!   Mindfulness is: Paying […]

Use of Breathing Techniques – Do a Polyvagal Test First Polyvagal Test The polyvagal theory (S.Porges) and polyvagal functions are complex, highly important, evolutional processes with powerful influences on human survival, overall physical health, and emotion regulation.  The tenth cranial nerve (from scull base to anus) functions in various ways, the most important of which […]

Self-Help in Mind-Body Medicine In this brief post we will review several specific ways that may improve your psychological and physical health. The post will be short, sweet, and simple to encourage participation. Here it is. Affirmation – “I am learning to love myself just the way I am.” Repeat this mantra sub vocally over […]

Building Emotional Resilience On a personal note, right now I am suffering.  Its April 15th and I have a terrible viral infection (sore throat, chest congestion, and fever).  I feel weak and miserable.  Perhaps all that frigid air we endured in New England this Winter also kept infectious “stuff” under control for a while. However, […]

Using Your Compassionate Mind in Psychotherapy For you to become a more compassionate therapist, follow the details noted below. These preconditions, skills, and practices are required as a baseline for  compassionate practice. You need the ability to access calmness in an environment of emotional suffering, chaos, or conflict.  Most people do this by breathing in […]

Wise Mind and the Neuroscience of Mindfulness Practice What is wise mind? Marsha M. Linehan developed this clinical process in her work on dialectical behavior therapy. Wise mind is the middle way between rational/reasonable mind and emotional mind; it allows us to live with balanced reason and emotion in daily interactions. When practiced regularly, it […]

Being Mindful Of  Dr. Wayne W. Dyer Recently I receive a heart-felt tribute dedicated to Dr. Wayne W. Dyer, who died recently.  The tribute originated from Louise Hay, a long-time associate, colleague and publisher of Wayne Dyer.  To those of us who inhabit the spaciousness of the spiritual world, perhaps, no other person in recent […]

  The Tao of Nature I have two interesting stories about nesting robins.  These stories tell of the bonds of birds and their young, and how intelligent these birds can be. The first story happened to me abut 15 years ago. The second story happened today, July 27, 2017. Story 1 I was working in […]

Mindfulness On Loss, Grief and Mourning Mindfulness about personal loss, grief, and mourning may encompass many things.  Here I will focus on the process and what people can do to better handle their suffering and pain.  One way to look at it is through the lens of radical acceptance; another is via the reality of […]

Wind Ridge Press NEW Publication! Author Anthony Quintiliani, a licensed psychologist with more than 35 years professional clinical experience, casts a wide net into the personal, clinical, and societal causes of prolonged human suffering and unhappiness in his book Mindful Happiness. The book’s guided interventions are aimed at helping to relieve depression, anxiety, traumatic reactivity, and […]

Drink a Cup of Tea with Thich Nhat Hanh According to the article “A Perfect Cup of Tea” by Noa Jones, The Great Meditation Master offers this sage advice about the best way to enjoy a great cup of tea. I suppose if you would rather drink coffee, the same suggestions may apply. Recognize that […]

The Great Mother of Gratitude Meditation Sit in silence and take a few very slow, very deep breaths in and out. Relax within your personal comfort with eyes opened or closed. If you prefer your eyes to be open, hold you head level and gently gaze down a few feet in front of you. Continue […]

Mindful Happiness Tags

ACTIVITY THERAPY. PRACTICES VIPASSANA MEDITATION EXERCISES ACTIVITIES CLINICAL SUPERVISION MINDFULNESS TRAINING MINDFUL HAPPINESS PSYCHOTHERAPY SUFFERING ANTHONY QUINTILIANI COVID-19 SELF CARE THICH NHAT HANH SELF COMPASSION MINDFUL MEDITATION BRAIN SELF MEDICATION TRAUMA ENLIGHTENMENT SELF ESTEEM MINDFUL TRAINING BREATHING ADDICTION CONSCIOUSNESS ELEANOR R LIEBMAN CENTER PRACTICE TRAINING HAPPINESS EMPTINESS MINDFUL DR ANTHONY QUINTILIANI VIPASSANA WISE MIND BUDDHISM VERMONT JOURNALING MINDFULNESS MEDITATION MBSR MEDITATION PRACTICE SELF COMPASSION WALKING MEDITATION

Mindful Categories

Mindful Happiness Pages

  • About
  • Contact
  • Dr. Anthony Quintiliani
  • Mindful Expressions Meditation CD
  • Mindful Happiness
  • Site Map

Copyright © 2023 · Mindful Happiness