The big picture:
An outline of practice
The big picture:
The Four Practices of Contemplative Psychology
These four practices describe the cycle of contemplation in almost all of our activities...
The Practice of Contemplative Focus: We develop an internal, meditative and focusing practice We begin by clearing our minds letting open space or, in Pema Chodron's words, "blue sky" prevail. This activity can be more still and silent or more active.
The Practice of Opening to and Following the Other : We learn to open to emotions and images - this is a very attentive 'being with' that seeks to perceive as many aspects of the image or as much depth of the feeling as possible. We practice this both with the other in ourselves and the other of another person.
The Practice of Understanding: we work to understand what the deep center of ourselves is communicating through the images we find. For this we use Jung's 3 methods of narrative amplification, mythic or structural amplification, and translation. We strive to understand the definite directive from the image which allows us to nudge our attitudes in a particular direction.
The Practice of Compassionate action and Communication: We act on what we find, or we communicate it to another.
After we have grounded or 'made real' a full cycle of this process we can begin again with silence and attention, preparing for the next round of arising, understanding and communication. This total process brings us into alignment with our own unconscious totality or deep structure - reducing or eliminating neurotic suffering and helping clarify our communication with others.
These four practices describe the cycle of contemplation in almost all of our activities...
The Practice of Contemplative Focus: We develop an internal, meditative and focusing practice We begin by clearing our minds letting open space or, in Pema Chodron's words, "blue sky" prevail. This activity can be more still and silent or more active.
The Practice of Opening to and Following the Other : We learn to open to emotions and images - this is a very attentive 'being with' that seeks to perceive as many aspects of the image or as much depth of the feeling as possible. We practice this both with the other in ourselves and the other of another person.
The Practice of Understanding: we work to understand what the deep center of ourselves is communicating through the images we find. For this we use Jung's 3 methods of narrative amplification, mythic or structural amplification, and translation. We strive to understand the definite directive from the image which allows us to nudge our attitudes in a particular direction.
The Practice of Compassionate action and Communication: We act on what we find, or we communicate it to another.
After we have grounded or 'made real' a full cycle of this process we can begin again with silence and attention, preparing for the next round of arising, understanding and communication. This total process brings us into alignment with our own unconscious totality or deep structure - reducing or eliminating neurotic suffering and helping clarify our communication with others.
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