Tag: focus

Unlock Your Creativity with The Artist’s Way: Morning Pages and More

Posted on by Allan Johnson in creativity

Julia Cameron is a prolific author, artist, and teacher best known for her transformative work in the realm of creativity who has helped millions of people worldwide unlock their creative potential through her innovative techniques and practices.  One of her most influential and widely used techniques, first introduced in The Artist’s Way, is called Morning Pages, a simple but very powerful invitation to write three stream of consciousness pages every morning to get down a jumble of thoughts, plans, worries, and hopes down on paper first thing in the morning. I’ve seen how Morning Pages can reduce anxiety and creates a sense of mental clarity that can positively impact your day. The beauty of Morning Pages lies in its simplicity and accessibility; all it takes to start is a notebook and pen.

While Morning Pages are definitely the most well-known of Cameron’s techniques, The Artist’s Way is rich with other innovative tools and insights designed to help us reclaim our creativity and personal power. I want to dive into some of these lesser known but equally powerful practices from her book, including the Artist Date, Affirmations, Time Travel, Synchronicity, and Creative U-Turns. By integrating these practices into our daily lives, we can expand our creative horizons and find deeper fulfilment in our life and work.

Nurturing Your Creative Self

For Cameron, the second most important tool after Morning Pages is the Artist Date, a weekly solo expedition to explore something that really interests you. It is a commitment to nurture your inner artist by setting aside time each week to do something you enjoy.

The importance of play, exploration and creativity cannot be overstated. Our daily routines often leave little room for spontaneity and fun, both of which are crucial for fostering creativity. As Cameron points out, Artist Dates encourage us to step out of our usual habits and see the world through new eyes, with a sense of wonder and curiosity. Some of the Artist Dates I enjoy are visiting a museum, taking a walk in one of the parks around London, going to a concert on my lunch break, or visiting an art shop to try something new.

Fitting Artist Dates into a busy schedule can definitely be a challenge, but it’s important that you prioritise this time for yourself, even if it’s just an hour a week: start by setting aside an hour each week for your artist states. Think of it as a non-negotiable appointment with your creative self.

Overcoming Creative Blocks

We regularly face blocks that hinder our progress on whatever we are working on. In The Artist’s Way, Cameron offers several tools to help us overcome these blocks and keep our creative energy flowing. One of the most important tools for overcoming creative blocks is the use of affirmations, positive statements that can counteract negative self-talk and limiting mindsets. For example, an affirmation could be: ;’I’m a talented and capable creator’ or ‘my creativity flows effortlessly.’ By repeating affirmations, we can rewire our neural pathways and cultivate a more positive and supportive inner dialogue.

Another important tool in The Artist’s Way called Time Travel, where we use journaling to work through and heal past creative wounds. Many of us carry emotional baggage from past experiences where our creativity was criticised or rejected. By acknowledging these wounds and writing through them, we can begin to free ourselves from their negative effects.

Cameron also introduces the concept of Creative U-turns, moments when we sabotage our own progress, often out of fear of success or failure. It’s important to recognise these patterns and consciously choose to overcome them. For example, if you find yourself putting off a project, you’re excited about, recognise this behaviour as creative U and take action to overcome it by breaking the project down into smaller tasks or setting a fixed deadline.

The Importance of Synchronicity

A key component of The Artist’s Way is synchronicity, or meaningful coincidences, and Cameron emphasises synchronicity as a guiding force in the creative process. When we open ourselves up to creativity, we often notice patterns and coincidences that seem to lead us in the right direction. These moments of synchronicity can be seen as signs that we’re on the right path. Recognising and trusting synchronicities means being open and receptive to the messages the universe sends us. This can be as simple as noticing recurring themes in conversations, books, or experiences that seem to resonate with your creative project. It can also mean paying attention to your gut instincts and intuitive impulses that guide your decisions, those little signals that keep us on the right path.

Cameron shares numerous personal anecdotes about how synchronicity has played a role in her creative journey. I’ve found that it’s been a part of my journey too, in moments when a particular resource or connection I need seems to suddenly appear out of nowhere. When we learn to trust these moments and follow the messages they give us, it can lead to unexpected and positive outcomes to enhance our awareness of synchronicity can be useful to keep a journal of coincidences and intuitive insights as they emerge, reflecting on these entries regularly, we can begin to see how they connect with our creative journey. And the more we practise recognising synchronicity, the more we can tune into its presence in our life.

Building Community

Creativity thrives in a supportive environment, while individual practises like morning pages and artist dates are essential. Having a community of people to share with also provides invaluable encouragement and feedback. Cameron emphasises the importance of community and nurturing our creative spirits. Finding or starting a supportive group can take several forms. You could join a local writing group, meditation class, or a creative workshop. There are also online forums where you can share and network with other creatives around the world. Sharing your work with others and getting feedback is a really good way to grow as a creative—constructive feedback can help you hone your craft and boost your confidence and motivation. Being part of a community also provides an opportunity to collaborate, learn from others and be inspired.

Living the Artist’s Way

Integrating the practises from The Artist’s Way into your daily life is a gradual process that requires commitment and consistency. But the rewards of a more creative and fulfilling life are well worth the effort. Start with a morning routine that includes morning pages. This exercise sets you up positively for the day and clears your mind so you can approach your creative work with a fresh perspective. Combine this with weekly artist appointments to ensure you’re regularly engaging in activities that inspire and rejuvenate you. It can be challenging to balance creativity and other life commitments, but it’s important that you prioritise your own creative pursuits.

Start small and build consistency over time. The key is to create a sustainable routine that supports your creative growth without overwhelming you. The Artist’s Way provides a comprehensive 12-week framework for unlocking your creative potential, and there’s much more you can learn from the book. The impact of these exercises is profound, and as you embark on this journey, remember that creativity isn’t a destination, but a continual process of growth and exploration.

In The Path of Mindful Living: A 21-Day Mindfulness Companion, I lead you through a series of self-guided mindfulness exercises and show you how to bring mindfulness into your daily life. Readers of Integrative Creativity can download the workbook and pullout charts for only £6. 

Psychologist Carl Rogers’ Three-Step Formula to Finding Joy Every Day

Posted on by Allan Johnson in wellbeing

What does it mean to live the ‘good life’? Is it about having a big house, the right job, the freedom of time and the energy to pursue your own goals? Our culture gives us many misleading messages about how to find happiness. More often than not, the things we think will make us happy once we get them that turn out to be false promises. We tend to subconsciously believe that happiness is only something that is possible in the future: we can only be happy when we’ve got that promotion, when we’ve gone on holiday, when we’ve completed that creative project. However, the influential American psychologist Carl Rogers encourages us to look at the good life in a slightly different way.

Rogers was a pioneering American psychologist and one of the founders of humanistic psychology, a school of thought that emerged in the mid-20th century. Humanistic psychology emphasises people’s inherent striving for self-actualization and creativity. Born in 1902, Rogers developed his theories at a time when behaviourism and psychoanalysis were the predominant paradigms in psychology. He believed that these approaches were too deterministic and didn’t take into account the subjective experience of the individual.

Rogers’ most important contribution is the development of client-centred therapy, also known as person-centred therapy. This approach is based on the idea that individuals have extensive resources at their disposal to understand themselves and change their self-concepts, attitudes, and behaviours. The role of the therapist is to create a supportive environment in which the client can discover these resources. Rogers set out his views on what constitutes the good life in his influential book On Becoming a Person. In it, he identifies three indicators of a good life, or more specifically, three steps in a process of how to achieve a good life.

An increasing openness to experience

The first step Rogers describes in finding the good life is cultivating an increasing openness to experience. As we explore new opportunities and possibilities, learn new things and create new projects, we realise how limiting and static vision of the future had been. It’s not that future plans are inherently bad; rather, our future plans tend to create a single monolithic vision of what happiness can look like for us. This singular focus can blind us to the myriad ways we can experience joy and fulfilment in the present moment.

Openness to experience means allowing the full range of our thoughts and feelings without denying or distorting them. It means being receptive to new experiences and perspectives and being willing to change and grow. This openness allows us to recognise the subtlety of sensations and feelings that arise in different contexts. By becoming more open, we begin to realise that the good life isn’t a destination, but a journey that requires constant learning and adaptation.

Increasingly existential living

The second step on the journey to the good life that Rogers points out is the increasing awareness of the existential nature of our lives. This concept may seem abstract, but it essentially means that we become more aware of the nature of our experiences. It’s about recognising how our inner emotional world interacts with our outer environment and understanding that we play a role in shaping both.

Existentialisation refers to the process of becoming more attuned to our existence and taking more responsibility for our lives. This involves recognising our freedom of choice and the responsibility that comes with it. It’s about understanding that we aren’t passive recipients of our circumstances, but active creators of our experiences. By expanding our awareness and taking responsibility for our actions, we begin to live more authentically and meaningfully.

Increasing trust in our own body

The third and final indicator of a good life, according to Rogers, is a growing trust in our own bodies. This doesn’t only mean our physical body, which is of course an important part, but also all functions and aspects of the body, such as our gut feeling, intuitive insights, and the feeling of physical affirmation.

Rogers emphasises how important it is to listen to our bodies and trust the signals it sends us. This includes recognising whether we’re rejecting something because it’s unfamiliar to us or whether we’re rejecting it because it’s really bad for us. It also means recognising the subtle difference between knowledge and belief, intellect and wisdom, and faith and blind trust. By trusting our bodies, we become more sensitive to our needs and desires and can make choices that are in alignment with our true selves.

These three characteristics of the good life — openness to experience, expansion and existentialisation, and trust in our bodies— have no final end point or destination. They are an expression of a continuous process that unfolds over time. The more open we become to experience, the more aware we become of our existence and the more trust we have in our bodies, the more we embark on a journey of self-discovery and growth.

Spiritual practises such as meditation, yoga, tai chi, and ritual can be incredibly important tools on this journey. Working with therapists, coaches, and spiritual teachers can also provide valuable support and guidance. The good life is not about accumulating material possessions or achieving external success. Instead, it is an alchemical state of being, a dynamic process in which we learn to shape our experience of the world so that it is authentic and fulfilling.

Rogers’ perspective on the good life challenges us to look beyond societal expectations and external achievements. By increasing our openness to experience, expanding our awareness of our existence and trusting our own bodies, we can cultivate a richer, more meaningful life. The good life is not a static destination, but an ongoing journey of self-discovery and growth guided by our inner wisdom and supported by our outer practises.

In The Path of Mindful Living: A 21-Day Mindfulness Companion, I lead you through a series of self-guided mindfulness exercises and show you how to bring mindfulness into your daily life. 

Readers of Integrative Creativity can download the workbook and pullout charts for only £6. 

How I’m Reading 100 Books in 2024

Posted on by Allan Johnson in creativity, habits, intention, Observations

Reading has always been more than just a pastime for me — it’s my passion and my whole world. To misquote Barbie‘s Ken: my job is books. But perhaps somewhat surprisingly, in the hustle and bustle of my day job as an English literature academic, the sheer joy of reading for pleasure has fallen by the wayside. In order to get back to the joys of simply reading for pleasure I have set myself a challenge to read 100 books in 2024.

I read a lot as it is, but as there is so much more out there that I want to consume and enjoy I am challenging myself to read a lot this year. Nearly twice as much as I read last year. And, just to be clear, the 100 books are those that I am reading for pleasure–not the many more books that I will also be reading just for work.

I’m feeling pretty confident that I can meet this challenge because I already have a lot of strategies that have always helped me read a huge amount for my job. While these tips and tricks have been helpful to me as an English academic over the years, this year I am repurposing them for my own benefit to make sure that I am reading the stuff that I want to read for pleasure this year.

Here are some tips on how you can read 100 books (or 52, or 25, or 12, or whatever!) in 2024:

  • Keeping a TBR List: In order to navigate all the fantastic books that you have in store for you, keeping track of your To-Be-Read (TBR) list is paramount. My strategy is to use Goodreads as a comprehensive tool to keep track of the books I want to read, am currently immersed in, and have completed. This not only simplifies the reading process, but also provides a rewarding visualisation of progress and turns the literary journey into a tangible adventure.
  • Multitasking the reading experience: The key to an enriching reading experience lies in variety and having several books on the go at once ensures flexibility: if I don’t like one book, there’s another waiting for me. As I take a cross-platform approach, I juggle between a printed book, a Kindle and an audiobook. This ensures that, whatever the mood or situation, I always have a literary companion at hand to transport me to other worlds.
  • Notes as a ritual of immersion: For a devoted bibliophile, reading goes beyond the act itself. It becomes an immersive ritual where you internalise the essence of each book. My simple note-taking system consists of underlining or highlighting key passages and then summarising the book in my Goodreads reviews to create a tangible connection with the material. It’s a practise that goes beyond just finishing a book; it’s about creating a record of what you’ve completed
  • Giving up the unappealing: One of the liberating facets of my reading challenge is that I allow myself the freedom to give up on a book after the first 50 pages if it doesn’t captivate me. Life is too short to force yourself through something that you don’t vibe with. This ensures that each book contributes to the pleasure of reading rather than becoming a chore.
  • Visibility and accountability: When you resolve to read a hundred books in a year, visibility becomes a powerful accountability tool. Platforms like Goodreads are no longer just personal logbooks, but become public statements of commitment. This visibility acts as a subtle motivator, a gentle reminder that the literary journey is shared and that milestones should be celebrated together.

For me the challenge of reading 100 books in one year is not just about sheer quantity, but about rediscovering the joy of reading for pleasure. You can track my progress and share your own reading adventures on Goodreads — a virtual place where fellow literature lovers come together to celebrate the magic of books!

In The Path of Mindful Living: A 21-Day Mindfulness Companion, I lead you through a series of self-guided mindfulness exercises and show you how to bring mindfulness into your daily life. Readers of my blog can download the workbook and pullout charts for only £6.

5 Steps to Develop a Daily Meditation Practice: Tips from an Integrative Coach and Meditation Teacher

Posted on by Allan Johnson in meditation, mindfulness

Meditation has been practised for thousands of years and is becoming increasingly popular in today’s society as a means of reducing stress, increasing concentration and improving general well-being. However, establishing a consistent meditation practise can be challenging, especially for beginners. As an integrative coach and meditation teacher, I have worked with many people to develop a daily meditation practise, and I have found that there are five essential steps to successfully building this habit.

Step 1: Set an Intention

The first step in developing a daily meditation practise is to set an intention. This involves identifying the reason for your meditation and setting a clear, specific goal for your practise. Without a clear intention, it can be difficult to stay motivated and focused on your meditation practise.

To set an intention, take some time to think about why you want to meditate. Do you want to reduce stress? Improve concentration? Increase self-awareness? Once you have found your reason for meditating, set a clear, specific goal for your practise. For example, you might decide to meditate for 10 minutes every morning before you start your day.

Setting an intention can also mean creating a ritual or ceremony around your meditation practise. For example, you could light a candle or burn incense before you meditate to signal the start of your practise. This can help create a sense of sacredness and importance around your practise, making it easier to maintain over time.

Step 2: Choose a Time and Place

The second step in developing a daily meditation practise is to choose a set time and place for your practise. This helps to develop a routine and makes it easier to maintain the practise over a longer period of time.

When choosing a time for your practise, consider your schedule and choose a time that works best for you. Some people prefer to meditate first thing in the morning, while others find it helpful to meditate during their lunch break or in the evening before going to bed. The key is to choose a time that is realistic and sustainable for you.

When choosing a place for your practise, pick a quiet, comfortable space that is suitable for meditation. This could be a spare room in your home, a quiet corner in your office or a park bench in a nearby park. Whatever place you choose, make sure it is one where you feel calm and relaxed.

Step 3: Start Small and Build Consistency

The third step in developing a daily meditation practise is to start small and develop consistency over time. It is better to meditate for a few minutes every day than for an hour once a week.

Start with a realistic goal, such as five minutes of meditation a day, and increase the duration of your practise over time. This encourages consistency and makes it easier to stick with the practise in the long term.

To encourage consistency, set reminders or use a meditation app to track your progress. You could also consider keeping a diary to reflect on your experience and document your progress over time.

Step 4: Experiment with Different Techniques

The fourth step in developing a daily meditation practise is to experiment with different techniques. There are many different meditation techniques and it is important to find one that suits you.

Some popular meditation techniques are mindfulness meditation, loving kindness meditation and body scan meditation. Each of these techniques requires you to focus your attention in a different way, and it is important to experiment to find the technique that suits you best.

Try different techniques and see how they feel. You may find that you enjoy one technique more than others, or you may find that different techniques work better at different times of the day or in different situations.

Step 5: Seek Support and Accountability

The fifth and final step in developing a daily meditation practise is to seek support and accountability. Meditation can be a solitary practise, but it is important to seek support and accountability to stay motivated and consistent.

One way to seek support is to join an online meditation community or attend a local meditation group. These communities provide a space where you can connect with others who are also meditating, share your experiences and receive guidance and support.

Another way to find support is to find an accountability partner. This can be a friend, family member or colleague who is also interested in developing a daily meditation practise. You can regularly update each other, share your progress and encourage and support each other.

There are also many meditation apps that offer guided meditations, progress tracking and other features to help you stay on track with your practise. Some of the most popular apps include Headspace, Calm and Insight Timer.

In summary, developing a daily meditation practise requires intention, consistency and support. By setting a clear intention, choosing a consistent time and place, starting small and building consistency, experimenting with different techniques, and seeking support and accountability, you can develop a regular meditation habit that will promote your overall well-being. Remember that developing a daily meditation practise is a journey, and it is important to be patient and compassionate with yourself along the way. There may be days when your practise feels difficult or uncomfortable, and that is okay. What matters is that you stay true to your intention and continue to show up for your practise every day. Meditation is an effective way to reduce stress, increase concentration and improve your overall well-being. By following these five steps, you can develop a daily meditation practise that will benefit your physical, mental and emotional health.

In The Path of Mindful Living: A 21-Day Mindfulness Companion, I lead you through a series of self-guided mindfulness exercises and show you how to bring mindfulness into your daily life. Readers of my blog can download the workbook and pullout charts for only £6.

What Causes Imposter Syndrome and How Do You Get Through It?

Posted on by Allan Johnson in wellbeing

Imposter syndrome refers to the belief that a person is not as intelligent or successful as they are perceived to be by others. Imposter syndrome often affects people who are very successful or high achievers in their field of work. People who have high levels of internalised imposter feelings may feel that they have cheated in some way to get where they are in lifeor that they are only considered competent in a job or relationship because of luck or external factors. These feelings can lead to anxiety, an overwhelming desire to please others, and a constant fear of being found out.

The term was first coined by Suzanne Imes and Pauline Clance 50 years ago, but seems to have become more widespread in recent years. A person suffering from imposter syndrome is usually unable to internalise their achievements and feels that they are actually just a ‘fraud’ or ‘imposter’ and do not deserve their success. Although people with imposter syndrome know they are intelligent and capable, they feel they are a fraud and do not deserve their success.

There seems to be an evolutionary explanation for imposter syndrome. To the human mind, a social risk such as shame or embarrassment is perceived in the same way as a physical risk, because for our earliest ancestors, exclusion from the tribe was tantamount to death. So humans have an innate tendency to be alert to social judgements and threats of shame, and, in many ways, the imposter syndrome is a form of self-protection.

However, this does not mean that we have to be guided by mental models developed for the hunter-gatherer age. Imposter syndrome makes us more cautious, less willing to take risks, and more inclined to stay in our comfort zone. This is good to a certain extent, but in many cases imposter syndrome can become a limiting belief that prevents us from doing things that might challenge us and help us grow. It becomes problematic when our self-protective mechanisms become so extreme that they actually put us at risk of failure and self-sabotage.

Instead of resisting the experience of imposter syndrome, we need to learn to accept it. When we experience imposter syndrome, we can mitigate our experience by recognising that it is part of a larger process, that we are vulnerable, and that as human beings we are particularly vulnerable to anxiety. When we suffer from imposter syndrome, we need to expand to a larger reality by accessing the inner strength and resources we can draw from to feel more confident, manage our fears and expand our comfort zone. As human beings, we need to be able to make mistakes and be imperfect because that is the only way we can learn and grow. When we are able to remember our humanity and our ability to bounce back, we can begin to take responsibility for our experiences.

To break the cycle of imposter syndrome, we need to introduce new beliefs and new ways of thinking. It is important to recognise that imposter syndrome is a perception, a story and a belief we tell ourselves about the world. Imposter syndrome is an illusion, a drive triggered by fear and self-doubt, and it is temporary. When we experience imposter syndrome, we need to take a step back, take a breath, reflect and engage with our bodies. We do not have to believe our thoughts and stories unquestioningly. Instead, we can explore the nature of our mind and realise that the moment we question our automatic reactions, we make space for something else. Once we recognise imposter syndrome for what it is, we can begin to let go of our negative relationship to it.

The key to being less vulnerable to imposter syndrome is to become aware of the beliefs and stories we tell ourselves about ourselves and our world. Part of the illusion that imposter syndrome creates is that we downplay all the smaller achievements we make every day. When we suffer from imposter syndrome, we do not allow ourselves to acknowledge our own achievements because we simply do not believe them. We ignore the small acts of courage and strength we perform every day and fail to recognise the extent to which we help others. It is not always the big, obvious achievements that matter most. Very often it is the small, everyday successes that show us that we are constantly growing and developing. We can begin to break the cycle of imposter syndrome by looking for evidence of our competence and intelligence, even in the smallest things. When imposter syndrome sets in, acknowledge the invisible accomplishments that others do not see.

Imposter syndrome is a self-protective mechanism, but we can change it. When we expand to a greater reality of our own achievements, we have the opportunity to replace the imposter story with new stories that empower us. We can use the power of these new stories to support, protect and nurture us. We can encourage ourselves with stories of our courage, resilience, kindness and authenticity. These are the stories that help us cultivate the self-compassion, self-confidence and courage we need to overcome imposter syndrome.

Download your free 21-day course in The Path of Mindfulness. In this life-changing 21-day mindfulness journey, Dr Allan Kilner-Johnson guides you through a series of self-guided mindfulness exercises and shows you how and when to bring mindfulness into your daily life. 

How to Accept Yourself Without Losing Yourself in the Process

Posted on by Allan Johnson in compassion, wellbeing

For many of us, it can be difficult to accept the parts of ourselves that we do not like. We are often at war with ourselves, constantly fighting with the voices in our head. Maybe we struggle with the way we look, maybe we struggle with the way we act, maybe we struggle with the way we think.

Issues around self-acceptance are complex. They arise from our own experiences, our judgements of ourselves and the way we compare ourselves to other people. If we have been wounded, suffered trauma, or been treated badly, we easily get stuck in the past or judge ourselves harshly. This can lead to an inner critic that is constantly with us, telling us that we are not good enough and not worthy of love.

The way we treat ourselves has a big impact on the way we treat other people. If we constantly blame ourselves, it is unlikely that we will treat other people with compassion and respect. If we compare ourselves to other people, we will see ourselves as losers.

The goal is to be with yourself, accept yourself and be yourself. To be a different kind of person, to have a more positive attitude, to have a more compassionate attitude, to have a more loving relationship with yourself. It’s important to acknowledge that accepting yourself can be difficult if you do not know how. Here are five simple ways to start:

1. Appreciate your uniqueness.

Like each of us, you are unique. You are one of a kind. Your life matters and it impacts the lives of others. This may seem like a very basic idea, but it is an idea that is not always easy to live by. We may know this on an intellectual level, but the message does not always penetrate to the deeper level of our minds. At a deep level we can feel disconnected and isolated. We can feel that we do not belong. When we do not feel like we belong, we find it difficult to feel connected and valued.

How can we accept ourselves? There is no magic formula. However, there are some very useful principles to keep in mind. First of all, we should remember that we are all still developing. This means that we are not perfect. Nor will we ever be. We are all imperfect, and trying to change that is a fruitless endeavour. We do not have to be perfect to accept ourselves. On the contrary, if we accept ourselves, we are more likely to want to improve. If we accept ourselves at the core, we can also accept the fact that we are constantly growing and developing and that our lives have value. When we accept ourselves, we are able to start from a place of appreciation.

2. Stop comparing yourself to others.

It is natural for us to compare ourselves to other people. We compare our appearance, intelligence, personality, skills and abilities. We compare our social status and position in life. We compare our talents, our success and our failures. We compare everything! You are you, and no one is like you. No matter how similar two people are, they are never exactly the same. They have their own thoughts, feelings, habits, behaviours and beliefs. Even if you have a twin, he or she will be different from you, even if those differences are small. And if you are the only person in the world, you still have your own unique personality, thoughts, feelings, habits, behaviours and beliefs.

3. Focus on what you have, not on what you do not have.

The more we focus on what we do not have, the more unhappy, ungrateful, and dissatisfied we become. We believe that happiness and contentment come from outside ourselves. We believe that we must have certain things to be happy and that we must meet certain standards before we can be content or happy. In fact, this is not true. Happiness and contentment come from within. It comes from our thoughts, feelings, and perceptions of the world.

The more we focus on what we do not have, the unhappier we will be. The more we focus on what we do not have, the less able we are to accept ourselves. Our self-esteem is closely linked to our ability to appreciate and accept ourselves. The more we focus on our strengths and our good points, the more we will feel good about ourselves. The more we can accept ourselves as human beings, with all our positive and negative qualities, the more we will be able to love ourselves.

4. Give yourself some breathing space.

One of the biggest challenges in life is to give ourselves the space to be ourselves. We are so busy trying to please others, live up to our responsibilities and achieve everything else in life that we forget to take care of ourselves. We forget to allow ourselves to feel and express our feelings. We may even deny our feelings and refuse to acknowledge that we have feelings at all. If this is the case, you may find it difficult to accept yourself and your feelings.

You may also find it difficult to accept your own needs and desires. We are often very hard on ourselves. If we do not give ourselves enough space, then we do not allow ourselves to be ourselves. We do not allow ourselves to be human. We do not allow ourselves to make mistakes. We do not allow ourselves to have emotions. We do not allow ourselves to fall short of our own expectations. We do not allow ourselves to have feelings of anger, anxiety or fear. We do not allow ourselves to be vulnerable. If we do not allow ourselves to be human, then it can be difficult to accept ourselves in our full humanity.

5. Focus on what is important to you.

Once we have accepted ourselves, we can begin to live a life that is in line with our values and principles. We can begin to focus on what is important to us. We can begin to focus on what we want instead of everything we think we should want. The more we focus on what is important to us, the more we will be able to accept ourselves. We will accept who we are, and we will accept what we have. We will accept our past, and we will accept our present and our future.

The more we accept ourselves, the more we can love ourselves and the more we can love others. When it comes to happiness and success in life, it is important to remember that there is no right and wrong. There is no should or should not and no right or wrong ways to be happy and successful. If we want to be happy and successful, we have to find the right path for us. We have to find a way that is in line with what is important to us and with what makes us feel good. This is the best path we can take. This is the only way that will work for us.

Download your free 21-day course in The Path of Mindfulness. In this life-changing 21-day mindfulness journey, Dr Allan Kilner-Johnson guides you through a series of self-guided mindfulness exercises and shows you how and when to bring mindfulness into your daily life. 

Time and Attachment in Spiritual Practice

Posted on by Allan Johnson in attachment, intuition, meditation

The most common concern I hear from students is usually expressed in one of two ways. The first is, “I can’t meditate. I just can’t.” The second is a variation on the first theme, which is the idea that meditation is something you have to do every day for 30 minutes in a quiet room. In the same way that hiking can be as simple as walking up a hill to appreciate the view, or as complicated as a multi-day expedition across the Rockies, meditation can be quiet and passive, or active and challenging. In the broadest sense, meditation is a way to focus your attention, and when you can focus your attention on a single thing, you can develop that ability to an almost superhuman degree.  In fact, the goal of meditation is not to make your mind completely empty. The goal is to establish and maintain a relationship between your mind and your heart so that the two work together in tandem. When this happens, you are able to make better decisions and live a more mindful and meaningful life. 

When we begin one of the spiritual practices such as meditation or embark on a spiritual path, we may notice a change in our perception of the world around us. It is easy to interpret these changes as a loss of interest in the material world. However, there is a very important difference between materialism and material value. Materialism is attachment to material possessions, whereas material value is the idea that we can derive value from our relationship with the material world. Many people have a very fragile relationship with the material world. We can have a material relationship that is defined by attachment, or we can have a material relationship with a value system that is positive and sustaining. Material value is based on the idea that we can find value in the material world. When we are able to look past the distractions of the material world and focus our attention more on the things that really matter, we are able to find a deeper relationship with the material world that is full of supporting value.

When it comes to the spiritual path, we are often given the idea that we must detach ourselves from the world around us. The problem with this idea is that it creates a conflict between the material world and our spiritual practice. When we begin to develop a spiritual practice, we often become aware of the limitations of our body or the limitations of the material world. This conflict often leads to a kind of spiritual burn-out, where the student stops developing their inner wisdom and instead starts developing their inner intolerance toward the world around them. In meditation we are not encouraged to disconnect from the world around us. Instead, we are encouraged to connect with our inner guidance and find a deeper relationship with the universe. We can love our family, enjoy our hobbies and interests, and even enjoy being busy or working hard. When we open ourselves to our inner guidance and a deeper truth, we are able to find a deeper relationship with the material world. By being in touch with our inner guidance, we can find a deeper relationship with the material world. This deeper relationship is full of supportive values, and these values can help us to live a more fulfilling, meaningful, and purposeful life. 

The most valuable thing we possess is time. The more time we can spend in a conscious state, the more conscious time we can enjoy. The more conscious time we can enjoy, the more value we can create in our lives. When we are in a conscious state, we are able to make conscious choices, understand the choices we make and live a more conscious life. When we are not in a conscious state, we are not able to make conscious choices, understand the choices we make and live a more conscious life.

We have so much to gain by developing a stronger relationship with our inner guidance and listening to our inner wisdom. We can create a more fulfilling, meaningful, and purposeful life for ourselves. We can overcome our limitations and find the power to change. We can find peace, happiness, and fulfilment when we let our inner wisdom guide us. But we can also lose so much if we neglect our inner wisdom. We can lose our peace, happiness, and fulfilment. We can lose the ability to live our lives in alignment with the truth that we are. We can lose our dreams, our purpose, and our sense of purpose. We can lose ourselves in the world and lose the opportunity to find the deeper meaning and significance we are searching for. The more we are in touch with our inner guidance, the more we understand the impact of our thoughts and feelings on our lives. The more we understand the impact of our thoughts and emotions on our lives, the more we are able to change the things that make us unhappy, stressed or unfulfilled. The more we are able to change the things that make us feel unhappy, stressed and unfulfilled, the happier, more peaceful and fulfilled we are. 

Time is a precious commodity. We need to make a conscious decision to be in touch with our inner guidance. This is the most powerful choice we can make. When we are in touch with our inner guidance, we are able to create a more conscious life, a more fulfilling life and a life that is in harmony with the truth that we are.

Download your free 21-day course in The Path of Mindfulness. In this life-changing 21-day mindfulness journey, Dr Allan Kilner-Johnson guides you through a series of self-guided mindfulness exercises and shows you how and when to bring mindfulness into your daily life. 

How to Begin Meditating: 4 Simple Steps to Get You Started

Posted on by Allan Johnson in habits, meditation, mindfulness

Meditation has been used for thousands of years to help people become aware of what is going on in their mind and body. Through developing this awareness we are able to take a step back and observe the thoughts that go through our mind, the feelings that arise in our body, and our reactions to events occurring around us. In mediation we learn to observe but not to judge our thoughts, feelings, and behaviours and to see how they affect the world around us and our relationships. When we learn to observe ourselves with greater awareness and clarity, we also learn to observe others with greater clarity, and we are able to bring more compassion and love into our lives. We become more aware of the impact of our thoughts, feelings, and behaviours on ourselves and others, and we are able to step back and recognise patterns that we have been repeating.

When we get into the habit of observing our thoughts, our feelings, and our behaviour, we begin to understand how our actions affect others around us. Meditation is not a one-time thing. It is a way of living and a way of learning how to observe our thoughts and feelings, how to avoid getting lost in them, and how to observe these ideas and emotions without judgement. Meditation is about learning how to live with greater awareness and clarity. 

Meditation is easy to begin but takes a lifetime of practice. These four steps will help you to begin your own regular meditation practice:

  1. Find a quiet place where you will not be disturbed. Get comfortable, close your eyes and begin to turn inward. You do not have to be in any particular position to meditate. Some people like to sit cross-legged and rest their hands comfortably on their knees, but you can also simply sit on a comfortable chair with your feet on the floor.
  2. When you are ready, begin to follow your breath. Take a few deep breaths, becoming aware of your breath. When you inhale, allow the breath to fill your whole body and when you exhale, allow the breath to leave your whole body. As the breath continues to flow in its own time, begin to focus on the sensations in your body. Be curious about how your body feels and how it changes from one moment to the next.
  3. Once you are familiar with your body sensations, you can begin to turn awareness to your thoughts. As you continue to be aware of the gentle movement of breath in and out, you can notice how thoughts, feelings and emotions arise and how these thoughts, feelings and emotions affect your life. You can see that thoughts and feelings are like clouds and you can watch them float by and dissipate if you just observe them.
  4. Next, begin to notice emotions as they rise within you, like the breeze blowing gently through the trees. Feel your emotions flowing through your body or filling your body as they pass through you. You can be present with yourself and allow yourself to notice and feel your reactions, accept them and be with them, understanding that they may be beyond your control.

The more often you practice meditation, the more you will learn about yourself and about your life. As you begin notice your thoughts, feelings, and reactions, you may find that they are created by the mind and that they are not solid things that can be held in our bodies. They can only be held in our mind, and when the mind stops, the thoughts and feelings stop too. Every morning is a new beginning, a fresh start to the day, a time to cleanse your mind and heart, and a time to let go of old habits and open up to new habits. By keeping this in mind you can learn to observe your reactions to stress, sadness, frustration, pain and anger and bring more compassion and love into your life, and use this compassion and love to become a better person, a better friend, a better parent, and help to create a more balanced and happier life.

Download your free 21-day course in The Path of Mindfulness. In this life-changing 21-day mindfulness journey, Dr Allan Kilner-Johnson guides you through a series of self-guided mindfulness exercises and shows you how and when to bring mindfulness into your daily life. 

How to Live Intentionally

Posted on by Allan Johnson in intention, wellbeing

Living with intention means taking conscious actions that are in alignment with your deepest values and passions. It means walking through your world with a firm focus, a clear vision, and an unwavering gaze. It is about consciously choosing your thoughts and behaviours rather than allowing your thoughts and behaviours to be a product of your world. We have to choose to be intentional. Ideas, beliefs, and intentions create our environment, experiences and circumstances. We can create a world that supports the things we value and desire, or, alternatively, we can create a life that moves us further away from our values.

Intention is the seamless connection of your present situation with your highest, most meaningful goals. It is a way of being that involves daily, conscious choices. It means living wholeheartedly, without ego or fear, in the moment and without worrying about the future. It is a way of acting, of doing. Living with intention means first and foremost making a choice. When you align your thoughts and energy with your intentions, you create an environment that supports your goals or desires. When we are intentional and choose our thoughts and behaviour, we can direct our lives and we can direct them in a positive direction: the direction we desire. We can choose our thoughts and our actions because thoughts are not outside of us, and neither are our actions. This is what it means to be in the now.

There is a difference between living with intention and choosing to live your life in a certain way to achieve short-term goals. Intention is about making conscious choices for long-term happiness, meaning, and fulfilment, and working towards those goals. But intention is about realising that happiness is possible in the present, no matter what is happening around you. It is about learning to live each day with gratitude and finding peace in each moment. When you learn to live with intention, you can be fully present and attentive to the world around you. You can choose to be fully engaged with your surroundings and the people around you.

Intention is about taking action. It is about being fully present, engaging in the moment and making each day a new beginning. Living with intention is a state of engagement that leads you to make choices that are more mindful and more aligned with your values. When you act with intention, the world comes alive for you and this helps you to create new possibilities for the life you want to live. Living with intention is a way of being in the world, it is a way of being who you are and what you do while choosing to be fully present and noticing what is happening and what surrounds you. Do not wait and worry about the future, but be fully present in the moment. When you learn to live in the moment, you will find that the world lives with you.

Through meditation and understanding the processes of the mind and how the mind works, we understand the main causes and origins of our thoughts, attitudes, emotions and actions. We can understand that our actions, thoughts, and emotions arise from our beliefs and that the messages our mind sends are often not logical. This allows us to become more aware of our thoughts and feelings, understand their origins and learn from them. We can use this knowledge to choose what we believe and thus influence our thoughts, attitudes, and feelings. As a result, we can begin to act with pure intention and live with a clear, strong, and unwavering vision that enables us to make choices that are optimal for us and bring us closer to the things we really want and value in life.

You may want to reflect on these prompts about intentional living in your journal:

  • 1) What do you want to achieve in life?
  • 2) How will achieving this change your life?
  • 3) How can you achieve this? What needs to happen?
  • 4) How far along the path are you?
  • 5) What will you consciously do today to get closer to this goal?

Download your free 21-day course in The Path of Mindfulness. In this life-changing 21-day mindfulness journey, Dr Allan Kilner-Johnson guides you through a series of self-guided mindfulness exercises and shows you how and when to bring mindfulness into your daily life. 

What is Psychosynthesis?

Posted on by Allan Johnson in Psychosynthesis, wellbeing
Photo by Jatin Baghel on Pexels.com

The term Psychosynthesis refers to a process of psychological and spiritual development that takes place at the conscious and unconscious levels of the human psyche. Psychosynthesis was developed by the Italian psychiatrist, philosopher, and esotericist Roberto Assagioli (1888-1974), who was influenced by the work of Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung, with whom he was in regular correspondence. However, Assagioli’s thinking differed in several ways. While Freud focused on the impact of early childhood experiences on the formation of the psyche and Jung on the common collective unconscious inherent in human beings, Assagioli recognised that a complete approach to the mind must take both aspects into account.  Assagioli developed a scientifically based psychospiritual system that he eventually called psychosynthesis, an approach to self-development in which individuals perceive themselves and the world from a new perspective. It involves a comprehensive theory of human development and a unique methodology for self-development.

Like other talking therapies, psychosynthesis emphasises the value of regular conversation between the therapist and the client about their experiences, which can help the client progress in their personal and spiritual development. The main tools of psychosynthesis are reflection, art, journaling, dialogue, active imagination, and contemplation. These tools facilitate critical awareness of the contents of consciousness, especially the motivational aspects of consciousness, in a non-judgmental and compassionate way. It encourages us to see thoughts and feelings as transient events that arise and pass within us, rather than fixed, unchanging realities, and it encourages us to enter into dialogue with these inner phenomena. Psychosynthesis also encourages dialogue with the deeper levels of the unconscious. In this sense, psychosynthesis is an approach that encourages critical self-awareness and the development of a capacity for self-observation and self-regulation. 

Psychosynthesis is a complete and holistic philosophy and psychology of the human being. It includes a theory of human nature, an understanding of the development of consciousness and a methodology for psychological and spiritual self-development. Psychosynthesis approaches human development by emphasising the transformative potential of the deep self and seeks to enable the individual to live a more complete and satisfying life. Psychosynthesis is not necessarily spiritual, but it is a practical approach to looking at the human being from a spiritual perspective. It is an approach that aims to integrate the mind, body and spirit and help us develop a more fulfilling, compassionate, and meaningful life. It is an approach that seeks to help us all awaken our spiritual potential and bring it into alignment with our daily lives.

Download your free 21-day course in The Path of Mindfulness. In this life-changing 21-day mindfulness journey, Dr Allan Kilner-Johnson guides you through a series of self-guided mindfulness exercises and shows you how and when to bring mindfulness into your daily life.