Radical Acceptance
True or False:
in order to be effective in accepting reality you do not have to accept with your whole self.
FALSE,
Radical means all the way, complete and total.
It is accepting in your mind, your heart, and your body
When you are turning the mind, what are you turning toward?
Acceptance
What is Willingness?
Any of the following:
Willingness is readiness to enter and participate fully in life and living.
Willingness is doing just what is needed
Willingness is listening very carefully to your Wise Mind, and then acting from your Wise Mind.
Willingness is acting with awareness that you are connected to the universe.
Fill in the blank:
Half-Smiling and Willing Hands is Accepting reality with ________.
your body
True or False:
The Goal is to completely empty your mind of thought.
FALSE
What are 2 of the 4 items from your notes that have to be accepted in radical acceptance?
Any 2 of these 4:
1. Reality is as it is (the facts about the past and the present are the facts, even if you don’t like them).
2. There are limitations on the future for everyone (but only realistic limitations need to be accepted).
3. Everything has a cause (including events and situations that cause you pain and suffering).
4. Life can be worth living even with painful events in it.
When you are turning the mind, what are you turning away from?
rejecting reality
What is Willfulness?
Any of the Following:
•Willfulness is refusing to tolerate the moment.
•Willfulness is refusing to make changes that are needed.
•Willfulness is giving up.
•Willfulness is the opposite of “doing what works.”
•Willfulness is trying to fix every situation.
•Willfulness is insisting on being in control.
•Willfulness is attachment to “me, me, me” and “what I want right now!”
True or false:
Emotions are partially controlled by facial expressions. By adopting a serene, accepting face people can control their emotions somewhat
TRUE
What is one thing we do with thoughts once we notice them?
mindfulness of current thoughts is noticing our thoughts and radically accepting them for what they are. (Labeling them as a thought is also correct).
Radical Acceptance is NOT:
Approval, compassion, love, passivity, or against change.
What is the first step in Turning The Mind?
Observe that you are not accepting.
(Look for anger, bitterness, annoyance; avoiding emotions; saying “Why me?”, “Why is this happening?”, “I can’t stand this,” “It shouldn’t be this way.”)
Give an example of willingness and willfulness
Willingness examples: listen for
accepting and responding to something effectively, throwing yourself into life wholeheartedly, responding from wise mind.
Willfulness examples: listen for
trying to control events or others, avoiding or escaping from an experience, denying life or refusing to be part of it, giving up and doing nothing, imposing your will on reality, holding back, saying "no" or "yes, but..."
Demonstrate willing hands
Look for the person to show unclenched hands turned upwards with palms up and fingers relaxed.
True or False:
Being mindful of our current thoughts means that we are working to distance ourselves from our thoughts so that we can change the relationship with that thought.
TRUE
What is something that interferes with acceptance
Name one of the following:
1. You don’t have the skills for acceptance; you do not know
how to accept really painful events and facts.
2. You believe that if you accept a painful event, you are
making light of it or are approving of the facts, and that
nothing will be done to change or prevent future painful
events.
3. Emotions get in the way (unbearable sadness; anger at
the person or group that caused the painful event; rage at
the injustice of the world; overwhelming shame about who
you are; guilt about your own behavior).
What do you do if your mind turns back towards rejecting reality?
Keep turning your mind to acceptance each time you come to the fork in the road where you can reject reality or accept it.
What are the first 2 steps to move from willful to willing?
1. Observe the willfulness. Label it. Experience it.
2. Radically accept that at this moment you feel (and may be acting) willful. You cannot fight willfulness with willfulness.
Name 2 ways to practice Half-Smiling and Willing Hands
Any of the following:
When you first awake in the morning.
During your free moments.
While you are listening to music.
When you are irritated.
In a lying-down position.
In a sitting position.
While you are contemplating a person you hate or despise.
Name two of the steps of how to be mindful of current thoughts
1. Observe your thoughts.
2. Adopt a curious mind.
3. Remember: You are not your thoughts.
4. Don’t block or suppress thoughts.
If
Pain + non acceptance = Suffering
Finish this equation:
Pain + acceptance = __________
ordinary pain
What is the second step of Turning the Mind?
2. Go within yourself and make an inner commitment to accept reality as it is.
What are the last step to move from willful to willing?
(When Willfulness is immovable)
5. When willfulness is immovable, ask, “What’s the threat?”
True or False:
When practicing Half Smiling, it is essential that other people see the half-smile
FALSE
True or False:
If our thoughts are catastrophic, the events in our life must be catastrophic as well.
FALSE
Although events in life can be catastrophic, thoughts about these events are not themselves catastrophic.