Highland Mindfulness Group

THE 7 STEP PROCESS OF ACCEPTANCE

1. Acknowledgement – recognising and admitting difficult feelings and emotions – “I feel sad, unhappy, depressed, angry, frustrated, scared etc”. It helps to name the feelings and emotions as if you are describing them to yourself.

2. Notice feelings of non-acceptance – notice how your mind resists difficult feelings and emotions and tries to avoid or suppress them. It’s as if it is saying “I don’t want to feel this way” or “I shouldn’t be feeling this way”. Counteract this by saying “Yes” to the feelings and emotions – “Yes, I need to experience this feeling/emotion”.

3. Recognising and accepting – saying to yourself “These are the feelings and emotions that I have right now” and “This is just the way things are for me in this moment.” Remember that there is often a mixture of emotions and some may not be immediately apparent.

4. Curiosity – it helps to adopt an attitude of curiosity to the way we feel. In other words it helps to be interested in the way our mind tries to deal with difficult feelings and emotions and in observing the mind’s reactions.

5. Breathe – just breathe with all the feelings and emotions that are present and let them be just as they are. In other words don’t try to change anything – just breathe and relax by letting go with the out breath.

6. Allow it to be – continue to breathe, relax and let go – even letting go of the desire to be free of difficult feelings and emotions.

7. Broadening awareness – as we breathe and relax a sense of space and calmness develops that allows us to see our feelings and emotions differently and allows them to dissipate. Allow that sense of space to develop until you feel sufficiently calm and collected to resume the normal activities of daily life.