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Sunday, November, 29, 2009
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My Turn, My Life

John McManamy
John McManamy
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John McManamy is an award-winning mental health journalist and...

John McManamy

Thursday, August 27, 2009
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These blogs originate in comments you make, questions you ask. Your insight and wisdom, curiosity and concerns, get me thinking, keep me on my toes. This site bills me as the expert, but more often than not I'm the one who winds up learning.Every once in a blue moon, though, it's appropriate to chang...
  1. Untitled Comment
    knowthyself
    Friday, August 28, 2009 at 01:20 PM

    ohn,

     

    Thanks so much for sharing this and the positive experiences you are having.  It is great to hear there are positve changes happening at this moment.

     

    As I read, I latched onto the items reflecting my state of mind at the moment and the recent events that have lead me here.  This may stray from your topic but sharing this may be a pointer for others.  I experienced my first episode of major depression in 30 years.  All of the minor depressions and negative past events came to a head in one episode.  All of the past conditioning, karma, surfaced and compelled introspection.  Depression can be a blessing and insightful.  I went through a course of antidepressants, adding  CBT, discontinuing the antidepressants, even though the pdoc suggested staying on them for maintenance.  Continuing with the CBT, I searched for a way that might end the cycle of psychological torment I put myself through, quite aware that the biological component was only a portion of the disorder and not the portion that tomented the mind, it did that itself.

     

    I have read Tom's book and understand that it is possible not to react to our thoughts and on our emotions.  That it can be possible to have mood states without the negative consequences.  I have read authors who write on the topic you would label as mindfulness, such as Ken Wilbur, Eckhart Tolle, Deepak Chopra, The Dalai Lama, Osho and many online articles.  Finally, one book, "The Untethered Soul," by Michael Singer began to put it in perspective, how minfulness can free one from the conditioned past and release one from the habits reacting to internal states.

     

    I soon found a book that utilizes the techniques of Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy called, "The Mindful Way through Depression," by Mark Williams, et.al.

    It is a  very good source to learn skills that can end the cycle of depression or minimize symptoms and those things that contribute to mental torment for the individual.  I found it a bit late, having access to more in depth teachings and practices from Amrit Desai but it is still a source I may still use and would recommend for others.

     

     

     

     

     

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