Mindfulness Archives - Oregon Somatic Therapy

Dancing with Your Inner Critic : Question Your Thoughts

Inner CriticYou know that grating critical voice inside that points out all your mistakes. Calls you stupid? It’s the first to tell you that ” you’ll never succeed.” It sounds like someone you’d like to get rid of, right? It turns out that the Inner Critic’s “perspective” arises from our nervous system simply trying to protect us. Only it’s not…

Don’t Believe Everything You Think! Question Your Thoughts

Thought Spotting “My brain is deeply flawed. And no offense, but so is yours.” I loved this quote from the Guinea Pig Diaries by AJ Jacobs, so much that it inspired this article. I spend a bit of time watching my brain at work these days. I used to believe what my brain told me. But I’ve come to notice…

The Authentic Self and Your Inner Wisdom

Your Authentic Self Perhaps you sense a Core You who feels safe and at peace, who is without pain or fear, who never feels anxiety or depression. These aspects of yourself often get buried as we grow up, but they never disappear. As we uncover our innate Essence qualities, we automatically begin to tap into our aliveness, creativity and intuition.…

The Concert Called Life: Integrating the Facets of Self

Being Your Authentic Self, Naturally Imagine going to a concert hall. A single singer walks on stage and entertains for the entire evening. Compare that with a dazzling stage set. The orchestra tunes up in a chorus of cacophony. Then the singers enter, one by one. Voice added to voice. The music swells to the corners of the hall lifting…

The Golden Buddha: Look below the surface to find your true identity

In 1957, to make room for the Port of Bangkok, a small temple and its brown clay Buddha were being relocated. Being made of stucco it was thought to be worth very little. As the crane hoisted the 16 foot statue, to the horror of the monks watching, the straps did not hold and the rain soaked statue slipped into…

Life as Improv

Saying “Yes!” to Life. One of my favorite TV shows is “Whose Line Is It Anyway?” Four comedians take cues from the audience and an irreverent moderator and make just about anything funny. Their slogan is “where anything can happen and usually does.” Sound a lot like life? We could learn a lot from Improv, as we face the daily…

The Secret Science of Change: Be Gentle With Yourself

Most people have an Inner Critic that tries to brow beat or guilt them into change. You may hear that little voice saying “You should . . . “or “You shouldn’t . . . .” I call this shoulding on yourself. It’s not very much fun. If you feel bad enough, you may make temporary changes, but then fall back…