Counselling & Psychotherapy for Women Suffering with Trauma, Emotional Eating & Not Feeling Good Enough.

Eating Disorders and Body Image: Psychosynthesis Body Feelings Mind Meditation

Eating Disorders and Body Image: Psychosynthesis Body Feelings Mind Meditation

This meditation was devised by Roberto Assagioli and is in his book, Psychosynthesis (1969). It is now widely used in mindfulness based therapies including ACT: Acceptance Committment Therapy. It should take about 20 minutes. This meditation is useful for fostering and observing, authentic self and helps to move away from being overly identified with body, feelings or mind and thoughts.

Put your body in a comfortable and relaxed position, and slowly take a few deep breaths. Then make the following affirmation, slowly and thoughtfully:

I have a body and l am not my body. My body may find itself in different conditions of health or sickness, it may be rested or tired, but that has nothing to do with my self, my real I. I value my body as my precious instrument of experience and of action in the outer world, but it is only an instrument. I treat it well, I seek to keep it in good health, but it is not myself. I have a body and I am not my body.

I have feelings and I am not my feelings. My feelings are diverse, changing, sometimes contradictory. They may swing from love to hatred, from calm to anger, from joy to sorrow, and yet my essence—my true nature—does not change. ‘I’ remain. Though a wave of feeling may temporarily submerge me, I know that it will pass in time; therefore I am not this feeling. Since I can observe and understand my feelings, and then gradually learn to direct, utilize, and integrate them harmoniously, it is clear that they are not my self. I have feelings and I am not my feelings.

I have a mind and thoughts and I am not my mind and my thoughts. My mind is a valuable tool of discovery and expression, but it is not the essence of my being. Its contents are constantly changing as it embraces new ideas, knowledge, and experience. Sometimes my mind refuses to obey me. Therefore, it cannot be me, my self. I have a mind and thoughts and I am not my mind and my thoughts.

Who am I then if I am not my body, feelings or mind  I am a centre of pure awareness, love and will. This is the permanent factor in the ever-varying flow of my personal life. It is that which gives me a sense of being, of permanence, of inner balance. I affirm my identity with this centre and realize its permanency and its energy. I realize that from this centre of true identity I can learn to observe, direct, and harmonize all of my psychological processes including my body, feelings and mind. I choose to achieve a constant awareness of this fact in the midst of my everyday life, and to use it to help me and give increasing meaning and direction to my life.

As a shorter version

I have a body and I am not my body

I have feelings and I am not my feelings

I have a mind and I am not my mind

I am a centre of pure awareness, love and will.

NB: Some psychosynthesis practitioners prefer to use ‘more than’ instead of ‘not’. I use both. If you are a Psychosynthesis practitioner, feel free to comment below regarding ‘more than’ or ‘not’.

Self Reflection

Which aspect were you most identified with?

Is there one part that you barely know?

How could you build a better relationship with these 3 aspects?

What was it like to realize that you are a centre of pure awareness, love and will…and not in fact your body, your feelings or your mind/thoughts?

This is a powerful exercise. You may want to find a psychotherapist experienced in this kind of meditation to help you work through an over identification with the various parts of who you are.

Alternative meditations

You can change this to suit any area of your life that you wish to separate and disidentify from.

For example:

I have a mother and I am not my mother

I have work and I am not my work

I have an eating disorder and I am not my eating disorder

I have things and I am not my things

I have a victim subpersonality and I am not my victim subpersonality

Photo by Conner Baker

Struggling with your relationship with food? Join the wait list for my online course: TRANSFORM YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH FOOD, BODY & SOUL® 

SHARE THIS JOURNAL

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Picture of Jodie

Jodie

Sydney Registered Clinical Psychotherapist, Therapeutic Counsellor, Trauma + Eating Disorder Therapist, Jodie Gale, is a leading specialist in women’s emotional, psychological and spiritual health and well-being. Over the last 20+ years, Jodie has helped 100s of women transform their lives. She has a private counselling, life-coaching and psychotherapy practice in Manly, Allambie Heights and Frenchs Forest on the Northern Beaches of Sydney. Jodie is passionate about putting the soul back into therapy!

RELATED JOURNALS

FEEDBACK

Befriend your body, feelings, mind & soul.

Download your FREE ebook >

About Jodie

CONNECT

Facebook-f Instagram Pinterest-p Youtube Spotify

INSTAGRAM

Certifications

JOURNAL CATEGORIES

Client love

Thank you for all the work that we did together. I know it has gone a long way to healing the way I treat myself & has given me greater Peace. Thank you for the enormous part you have played in my journey.
I spent most of my adult life putting other people’s feelings and needs first. In my therapy with Jodie, I learnt how to nurture and be true to myself.
When I came to therapy, I was depressed and suicidal; my life was pointless. Jodie sat with me in the darkness – she was so patient and always there for me.
In therapy, I learned how to become a nourishing mother to myself – this meant finding ways to soothe myself and meet my needs in other ways, rather than using food and drugs.
I found attachment and trusting in relationships to be my biggest struggle, but with Jodie’s help I barely notice it anymore. Her love and encouragement completely changed my life.
When I first came to therapy, I had no idea of the depth of the work we would do together. I’m leaving therapy so much more confident, empowered and self-believing.
I have spent most of my life in therapy, jumping from one therapist to another just waiting for something to work. And then I met Jodie. I felt comfortable and was able to be open and truthful for the first time.
Jodie’s raw approach to therapy was so refreshing. She had struggles in her own life, I knew what she said was real and I didn’t feel crazy or alone anymore because someone finally got it. Her compassion and desire to see me live my best life is palpable. I owe her my life.
Jodie is down to earth, caring and compassionate. I felt fully accepted for the first time in my life. It was this acceptance that helped me heal from my past trauma, hurts and problems.
The pain in my body was so heavy. It was unbearable. It has been a long and painful journey but now I am coming through the other side.
Sometimes therapy was hard and challenging but I learnt how to communicate more positively and I have more confidence now. It has improved my relationships with my family, with friends and at work.
The kindness, love and compassion Jodie shared with me throughout my therapy, are the most important tools I’ll ever need. The world needs a million more Jodies!
I used to feel completely worthless and not good enough – even more so after many failed attempts at therapy and being told I was ‘treatment resistant’. Jodie was patient with me and it was ultimately the start of my recovery from depression and many years of self-neglect.
Before therapy I felt abandoned and alone. I went to some dark places with Jodie, she witnessed my suffering and was there with me. It was hard but I did it and now I feel stronger.
I believe in destiny and I am so grateful that Jodie came into my life – she taught me about honesty, trust, boundaries, and healthy love.
Working with Jodie is a blessing for anyone fortunate enough to receive her support. She provided for me a space, both empty and full. Empty enough for me to find silence, stillness… and in that calm and quiet space, find me. And full- full of the love she unwaveringly offers, full of support and challenge.
Jodie always reflected back to me that there was something better, waiting on the other side of darkness. For me, she was the light house throughout my recovery journey. Jodie offered me light, until I found my own.
Working with Jodie pushed me to my limits, I wanted to quit so many times, and yet there was something in the way she mirrored back to me my own strength, my own purpose, my own soul, that kept me digging deep and showing up for myself.
Previous
Next

Northern Beaches trauma & Emotional Eating Counsellor, Coach & psychotherapist, jodie gale, has featured in...

AsSeen
Facebook-f Instagram Pinterest-p Youtube Spotify

Jodie Gale. PACFA Reg. ARCAP Reg.

Soul-Centred Psychotherapist, Counsellor, Coach, Trauma & Eating Disorder Therapist.

Counselling on the Northern Beaches of Sydney: Allambie Heights 2100, Frenchs Forest 2086 and Manly 2095. Ph. 0431 878 858

COPYRIGHT ©2024 JODIE GALE.

Befriend your body, feelings, mind & soul

Sign up and receive a free copy of How to Befriend your body, feelings, mind & soul. Our subscribers are the first to receive podcast episodes, women’s workshops, online courses, book release, freebie resources and tools to support your emotional, psychological and spiritual health and well-being.
JOIN NOW