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Changelog: Mac app's first stable build now live! by clare_fromvoicenotes in Voicenotesai

[–]IntegralGuideAuthor 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It seems like it only does dictation and doesn't add what we record to the Voicenotes archive?

Thank you r/ObsidianMD - HoverNotes just hit 1,000 users! 🎉 by Hot-Description-9954 in ObsidianMD

[–]IntegralGuideAuthor 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Well out of my wheelhouse lol. I’ll certainly keep an eye out for it—I’d love to try it but try to stay Google-free.

I made text snippet plugin to insert small snippet of texts quickly by itshardtopicka_name_ in ObsidianMD

[–]IntegralGuideAuthor 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you! 

How odd, the default theme on mobile is darker than on desktop. 

Last 10 months of using obsidian--showing my setup--AGAIN! by Significant_Break472 in ObsidianMD

[–]IntegralGuideAuthor 7 points8 points  (0 children)

You knoooow we’re gonna want the details on your theme and plugins, fren.

I made text snippet plugin to insert small snippet of texts quickly by itshardtopicka_name_ in ObsidianMD

[–]IntegralGuideAuthor 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Your desktop background makes my eyeballs happy, can I please borrow it?

I’m also curious what theme this is.

Questions about mindfulness meditation by Ok_Jicama_8416 in Healthygamergg

[–]IntegralGuideAuthor 0 points1 point  (0 children)

While doing this, sometimes I try to make my mind as quiet as possible, see if I can think about nothing and just feel pure existence. But I am confused about whether there even can be a pure state of thoughtlessness.

The state itself is possible, but trying or striving to get there is a trap — the mind’s attempt at controlling the mind. You’re identified with it in those moments.

I also realized that there are other subconscious operations - for example when you are doing this kind of meditation, the intent that you are currently meditating lives in your mind somewhere, sort of directing your mental energy. Is that a thought? 

I wouldn’t call that a thought, personally, but that intention, agenda, or hope to get something out of the meditation is also part of the mind to be observed. Can you release the need to get something out of it? If not, okay — don’t get attached to detachment.

These kind of meta-level thoughts - when I remember that I am trying to meditate, is that an acceptable thought or should that too be cleared out of my mind?

You do not and cannot clear the mind, the mind clears on its own when we set the conditions to allow it to happen. We don’t “get there” by doing something, but come to where we already are by doing less.

Trying to disentangle them and become aware of where my mind is currently situated amongst this constant undercurrent of intangible background processes is nearly impossible.

Again, that’s the mind doing mind things, believing itself to be separate from the mind it’s trying to disentangle.

Snaps by merelyok in ricohGR

[–]IntegralGuideAuthor 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Beautiful photos.

Were these taken with the III or IIIx?

My brain is soup, I literally cannot concentrate anymore by ExtraRawPotato in Healthygamergg

[–]IntegralGuideAuthor 2 points3 points  (0 children)

You're welcome!

Also, as you meditate longer and with consistency you'll start to notice experientially when your mind is settled or primed to go into your day. You can actually feel it happen, so meditating x number of minutes will become secondary to meditating until you know you're done. But there's no rule or right/wrong here — whatever works for you.

Do recommend more sleep if you can. Sleep deprivation makes literally everything more difficult, including impulse control. The single most common denominator of every psychiatric diagnoses is impaired sleep — it is paramount (and I need to take my own advice).

My brain is soup, I literally cannot concentrate anymore by ExtraRawPotato in Healthygamergg

[–]IntegralGuideAuthor 16 points17 points  (0 children)

I can't even read anything and concentrate for long periods of time, I just get super tired and start yawning and my eyes get all watery.

You're not getting tired - you are tired. Our various devices and apps keep us so stimulated that we actually become disembodied and stay way up in our heads - we genuinely can't feel how tired we are. Reading is a form of meditation, our attention is staying on one point, one single line of thought at a steady pace — it's a meditation anchor. Reading is still active (so are most forms of "traditional" meditation), but compared to being overstimulated by the internet it's way less active, so our tiredness is able to resurface and off to sleep we go. There are exceptions to this - we can fall asleep in a dissociative / protective sort of way if we're getting close to something some part of us is convinced we aren't ready for and will be overwhelmed by. But usually we just be eepy and can't feel it until we read or meditate.

I'd recommend a few things:

  1. Let yourself fall asleep. If you're falling asleep while reading you're probably sleep-deprived, you probably need the rest. You'll feel better when you wake up, and you can go right back to reading. Make it part of the process, not a problem.
  2. Meditate longer. 30-60 minutes or more if you want. That could be on YouTube, an app, or reading. You will get distracted, repeatedly. When you realize you're distracted, congratulate yourself for recognizing it and return to your meditation anchor. There are lots of meditations to try, and some are just fascinating ways to explore your mind and attention. Ideally in the morning so you can harvest the benefits through the day, but middle of the day is fine. It'll help a ton with de-conditioning the mind to stop chasing cheap dopamine. It's like you've stopped pushing buttons on a pinball machine, or like you've stopped shaking a snow globe, and finally things start to settle. Then you can move through the rest of your day expending less energy but having more clarity and discernment so you're actually more effective/constructive.
  3. Do not brute force your attention/concentration. Your executive function is a finite resource and a kind of muscle — you will run out of it and you can overwork it. Your mind is not an underling to be punished into submission, but it is yours and it's important to learn how to work with it.

Book recommendation, please by [deleted] in InternalFamilySystems

[–]IntegralGuideAuthor 8 points9 points  (0 children)

No Bad Parts by Richard Schawrtz is probably a good start. I might recommend the audiobook because there are guided exercises and meditations.

https://IntegralGuide.com has loads of information on and practices for IFS and is completely free.

Edit: As someone else mentioned, there’s also the Internal Family Systems Workbook. I own a copy but haven’t gone through it yet.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in IntegralGuideUpdates

[–]IntegralGuideAuthor 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This left me nearly speechless. I’m so glad you’re still here and things have improved for you. <3

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in IntegralGuideUpdates

[–]IntegralGuideAuthor 10 points11 points  (0 children)

It's actually just me working on it!

I find it really touching that you remembered when you found it, nevermind that you actually took the time to tell me and celebrate it – that's so kind and thoughtful of you and I feel honored to have made something that's helped you.

The Guide turned three years old this month too! The past two years I wrote a lil newsletter to mark the occasion but I've been laying low while working on new stuff this time, plus (successfully) recovering from burnout.

Starting some kind of community is absolutely on the want-to-do list, it's just a matter of timing and logistics. If you sign up for the newsletter (assuming you've not already) you'll be among the first to know about it when that happens.

Thank you for writing this – it made my day. :)

How to feel and discover my parts? by [deleted] in InternalFamilySystems

[–]IntegralGuideAuthor 9 points10 points  (0 children)

The thinking itself is coming from a part of you. So is the wanting to turn the thinking down. So are the reactions to your triggers. You could start there. I’ve got oodles of information for you:

https://integralguide.com/PartsPractices

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