When we're uncomfortable we strengthen old habits - Pema

TALKING TO OURSELVES

Shambhala Mountain Center, 8.19.03

And the helpful hint is when you're feeling uncomfortable, first of all, you can guarantee there's shenpa involved, and you could contemplate the truth or untruth of whether or not it's because you're bubble of security has just been popped. But the real core instruction is, whenever you're feeling uncomfortable, don't believe what you're saying to yourself. Right then is the time to not believe what you're saying to yourself.

And what we're saying to ourselves at those times are really old habits. We're reinforcing really old habits. That's what we do when we're uncomfortable. We don't leave it with just hooked or triggered. We seek to get the bubble back together— or whatever language you want to use— by talking to ourselves, in a way that really strengthens old habits. And they're usually very self-destructive habits.

This article falls in line nicely with the previous one I posted about changing our personal threshold (Bill Harris); how we reinforce our stress and negative thinking once we become overwhelmed. J.D.

Read more:
http://www.pemachodron.org/ (Look under the link for Q&A)
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