Total Acceptance Meditation
This meditation is deeply transformational. It will gradually bring you into a state of deep, permanent tranquility and compassion in your everyday life.
These are the stages of the Total Acceptance meditation:
1. Relaxation and Entering the State of Presence
Relax completely, using either the Relax and Reintegrate technique described on this website or some other procedure that works for you.
As with all other kinds of meditation, it is highly recommend that you sit with your spine straight up, whether on a chair or in one of the “lotus”[1] positions.
Whether you keep your eyes open or closed depends on your preference, but perhaps the best option is to meditate with eyes half-open, to keep yourself awake more easily.
2. Total Acceptance of Your Environment
Now Totally Accept the main elements of your environment, i.e.:
3. Total Acceptance of Your Inner Body
Attend to your inner body. Feel the energy and presence of your body as a whole. Totally Accept that feeling. Repeat this at least 10 to 15 times (or more, depending on the scheduled length of your meditation sitting).
This is a very beneficial exercise on its own. It heals both your mind and body, and you can also practice it whenever you want in everyday life.
4. Total Acceptance of Your “Temporary I”
Now pay attention to your “Temporary I". It is the subtle feeling of your own "I" at this moment. This feeling should not be confused with the true center of your being, which is usually in the heart. The Temporary I is simply the feeling of your current center, the focal point of your being from where you are observing or experiencing some internal or external content. It is usually located in the head, neck, while some people can sometimes locate it in other parts of their bodies.
In any case, Temporary I is the source of many superfluous thoughts, emotions and experiences. The concept of Temporary I is described in more detail on this page.
So, in this phase of meditation the only thing you need to do is to locate your Temporary I and accept it - without reservation, completely, wholeheartedly. After that, you may feel that you have simply disappeared as a separate being. You will be in a state of Pure Presence.
Just to note that if you find it difficult to locate your Temporary I or that this concept is incomprehensible to you, simply skip this phase of the meditation and go straight to the next step.
5. Total Acceptance of Any Distracting Mind Content
You are dwelling in the state of Presence now. When the first thought or emotion arises, just accept it, wholeheartedly, without any resistance. Note that you are accepting the situation or person which that thought or emotion is related to. You are not only accepting the very notion of the thought or emotion, but also what they represent, what they are related to.
Simply abide in Pure Consciousness. Dwell in it. Accept it. Stay in this thoughtless state as long as possible. If any new mind content arises, just accept it totally.
If any of the mind content is very strong and/or repetitive, write it down and return to your meditation. Deal with it later, using the Inner Triangle method or some other RS technique.
6. Self-Acceptance and Love
When your time for meditation is almost up, conclude it with this critical step: fully accept yourself, your whole being, as you feel it at that moment.
Then feel love for yourself. Tell silently: “I love myself.” Finally, feel love for your closest ones, your whole family, your pets, your colleagues, and toward all living beings.
Clarifications
What is Total Acceptance? It’s a state of the complete openness to any experience. It means to fully embrace all arising impressions, without a slightest inner resistance. Here, the word “Total” is maybe even redundant, but it was added just to emphasize the absence of any resistance.
We can say that Total Acceptance is Pure Awareness and, at the same time, the state of Not-Knowing, which signifies an absolute openness to the Unknown. It is a temporary absence of mind and its habitual thoughts. In other words, it is the state of Presence.
However, Total Acceptance is not a dry, cold indifference. Somehow, it’s filled with deep love, as it requires not only the stillness of the mind but also the openness of the Heart.
Here is an excellent quote from A Practical Guide to Acceptance and Commitment Therapy by Steven C. Hayes and Kirk D. Strosahl: “Acceptance should not be confused with tolerance or resignation, both of which are passive and fatalistic. Acceptance involves taking a stance of non-judgmental awareness and actively embracing the experience of thoughts, feelings, and bodily sensations as they occur.”
Another important aspect of acceptance is the strong inclination to cope with all experiences, to face everything, either pleasant or unpleasant: “Acceptance refers to an attitude of nonjudging or openness about experience, and refraining from attempts to avoid or escape it.” - Fabrizio Didonna, Clinical Handbook of Mindfulness
Everything we resist, persists. Even more, it’ll grow up over time. Therefore, the remedy for any unpleasant state or content of the mind is to accept it completely. Whenever we entirely and honestly accept any thought, emotion or sensation, we become free of it. It will not bother us anymore. It will disappear from our individual universe, as we have learned that lesson.
Total Acceptance has a transformative power virtually in every field of our existence – spiritual, mental, emotional and even our physical life. For example, its strength is fully harnessed in one of the most effective methods for overcoming physical pain, “Accepting and Dwelling in Pain,” described in 5 Powerful Pain Relief Techniques.
The bottom line is: whatever you Totally Accept, it disappears from your field of consciousness. You become free from it.
What’s also important is that this practice will not take you into passivity and non-action. On the contrary, the fruit of a regular practice of Total Acceptance will be your perfect action, whenever needed, just at a right moment. It will also yield a great deal of creativity.
Nevertheless, the balance between action and non-action will be naturally achieved.
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lotus_position
http://www.yogajournal.com/meditation/everything-need-know-meditation-posture/
These are the stages of the Total Acceptance meditation:
- Relaxation and entering the state of Presence
- Total Acceptance of your environment
- Total Acceptance of your inner body
- Total Acceptance of your “Temporary I”
- Total Acceptance of any distracting mind content
- Self-Acceptance and Love
1. Relaxation and Entering the State of Presence
Relax completely, using either the Relax and Reintegrate technique described on this website or some other procedure that works for you.
As with all other kinds of meditation, it is highly recommend that you sit with your spine straight up, whether on a chair or in one of the “lotus”[1] positions.
Whether you keep your eyes open or closed depends on your preference, but perhaps the best option is to meditate with eyes half-open, to keep yourself awake more easily.
2. Total Acceptance of Your Environment
Now Totally Accept the main elements of your environment, i.e.:
- Accept the infinite open space around you;
- Accept the room in which you are meditating;
- Accept as many features of the room as possible (things, colors, patterns…);
- Accept your cushion or chair;
- Accept your clothes;
- Widen up your attention, as described in 5 Powerful Pain Relief Techniques (“All-Inclusive Attention”), and include your body in your all-inclusive attention.
3. Total Acceptance of Your Inner Body
Attend to your inner body. Feel the energy and presence of your body as a whole. Totally Accept that feeling. Repeat this at least 10 to 15 times (or more, depending on the scheduled length of your meditation sitting).
This is a very beneficial exercise on its own. It heals both your mind and body, and you can also practice it whenever you want in everyday life.
4. Total Acceptance of Your “Temporary I”
Now pay attention to your “Temporary I". It is the subtle feeling of your own "I" at this moment. This feeling should not be confused with the true center of your being, which is usually in the heart. The Temporary I is simply the feeling of your current center, the focal point of your being from where you are observing or experiencing some internal or external content. It is usually located in the head, neck, while some people can sometimes locate it in other parts of their bodies.
In any case, Temporary I is the source of many superfluous thoughts, emotions and experiences. The concept of Temporary I is described in more detail on this page.
So, in this phase of meditation the only thing you need to do is to locate your Temporary I and accept it - without reservation, completely, wholeheartedly. After that, you may feel that you have simply disappeared as a separate being. You will be in a state of Pure Presence.
Just to note that if you find it difficult to locate your Temporary I or that this concept is incomprehensible to you, simply skip this phase of the meditation and go straight to the next step.
5. Total Acceptance of Any Distracting Mind Content
You are dwelling in the state of Presence now. When the first thought or emotion arises, just accept it, wholeheartedly, without any resistance. Note that you are accepting the situation or person which that thought or emotion is related to. You are not only accepting the very notion of the thought or emotion, but also what they represent, what they are related to.
Simply abide in Pure Consciousness. Dwell in it. Accept it. Stay in this thoughtless state as long as possible. If any new mind content arises, just accept it totally.
If any of the mind content is very strong and/or repetitive, write it down and return to your meditation. Deal with it later, using the Inner Triangle method or some other RS technique.
6. Self-Acceptance and Love
When your time for meditation is almost up, conclude it with this critical step: fully accept yourself, your whole being, as you feel it at that moment.
Then feel love for yourself. Tell silently: “I love myself.” Finally, feel love for your closest ones, your whole family, your pets, your colleagues, and toward all living beings.
Clarifications
What is Total Acceptance? It’s a state of the complete openness to any experience. It means to fully embrace all arising impressions, without a slightest inner resistance. Here, the word “Total” is maybe even redundant, but it was added just to emphasize the absence of any resistance.
We can say that Total Acceptance is Pure Awareness and, at the same time, the state of Not-Knowing, which signifies an absolute openness to the Unknown. It is a temporary absence of mind and its habitual thoughts. In other words, it is the state of Presence.
However, Total Acceptance is not a dry, cold indifference. Somehow, it’s filled with deep love, as it requires not only the stillness of the mind but also the openness of the Heart.
Here is an excellent quote from A Practical Guide to Acceptance and Commitment Therapy by Steven C. Hayes and Kirk D. Strosahl: “Acceptance should not be confused with tolerance or resignation, both of which are passive and fatalistic. Acceptance involves taking a stance of non-judgmental awareness and actively embracing the experience of thoughts, feelings, and bodily sensations as they occur.”
Another important aspect of acceptance is the strong inclination to cope with all experiences, to face everything, either pleasant or unpleasant: “Acceptance refers to an attitude of nonjudging or openness about experience, and refraining from attempts to avoid or escape it.” - Fabrizio Didonna, Clinical Handbook of Mindfulness
Everything we resist, persists. Even more, it’ll grow up over time. Therefore, the remedy for any unpleasant state or content of the mind is to accept it completely. Whenever we entirely and honestly accept any thought, emotion or sensation, we become free of it. It will not bother us anymore. It will disappear from our individual universe, as we have learned that lesson.
Total Acceptance has a transformative power virtually in every field of our existence – spiritual, mental, emotional and even our physical life. For example, its strength is fully harnessed in one of the most effective methods for overcoming physical pain, “Accepting and Dwelling in Pain,” described in 5 Powerful Pain Relief Techniques.
The bottom line is: whatever you Totally Accept, it disappears from your field of consciousness. You become free from it.
What’s also important is that this practice will not take you into passivity and non-action. On the contrary, the fruit of a regular practice of Total Acceptance will be your perfect action, whenever needed, just at a right moment. It will also yield a great deal of creativity.
Nevertheless, the balance between action and non-action will be naturally achieved.
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lotus_position
http://www.yogajournal.com/meditation/everything-need-know-meditation-posture/
