In this workshop, we will focus on addiction and explore its nature. It could be food, nicotine, drugs, relationships, sex, alcohol, shopping, gambling, social media, porn, risky behaviour, anger; there are many possibilities.
The intention of the group is to explore our ‘addiction’ in the context of kindness, openness and gentleness. We know the ‘inner tyrant’ doesn’t work, it is in developing a stance of ‘compassionate curiosity’ we are able to fully see the process of our destructive habits. The group is not a confessional, there is no pressure to speak of anything you wish to hold private. We agree that everything that is spoken of in the group is confidential.
Bring can be any behaviour that leads to a lack of well-being, however minor.
Over the weekend, you will break your behaviour down into five areas.
You will work with the whole group, in small groups and pairs.
There will be teaching, dialogue, meditation, yoga nidra, and writing.
The group will be a maximum of 12 people.
I will support a safe environment, with an attitude of acceptance, kindness and confidentiality.
I have created the acronym SANER, which is somewhat clunky and is hopefully a way to remember its process:
S - Source and Origin: The source and origin of the behaviour is an awareness of our past. It is also the mental and environmental conditions that lead to the behaviour arising.
A - Awareness of characteristics and properties: What are you aware of before, during and after the addictive behaviour?
N - Need, Pleasure, Attraction & Interest: What solution does this behaviour offer? What are the attractions and perceived pleasures of returning to it?
E - Excited-Restlessness, Danger, Humiliation & Risk: A deep dive into breaking down the elements of excited-restlessness, danger, humiliation and risk.
R - Release or Freedom: What strategies can you employ that nourish and lessen the impulse to engage in the behaviour? Reaching an awareness of the nature of your behaviour opens up the possibility of fully seeing its pain. In fully witnessing the pain, you can choose another way of being.
It is a bit like putting your hand in a fire; we don't need to be told not to do it again. The direct felt-experience between fire and pain is obvious.
We metaphorically put our hands in the fires of our craving repeatedly. Even if some of us know it will burn, we hope it offers some relief. Of course, ultimately, it never does.
The way out of addiction is to be honest, and see its nature. In short, to understand the environmental and mental components needed to break the cycle.
I will record all meditations I lead in the group, for your use afterwards.
TIMES:
10am to 6pm Saturday
10am to 4pm Sunday
DATES 2022:
Saturday and 25th and 26th February 2023
COST:
£170
(15% discount for New Road Practitioners and Staff. Click redeem coupon and type in NEWROAD)
BOOKING:
To book please follow the link below
https://app.squarespacescheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=22371985&appointmentType=32813342
VENUE:
New Road Psychotherapy, 8 The Drive, Hove, BN3 3JT
FACILLITATOR:
Rory Singer; UKCP registered Psychotherapist
WHO IS IT FOR?
Any one interested in developing their understanding of their own addictive tendancies.
PERSONAL STATEMENT:
The addictive mind it at the heart of the Buddha’s teaching. The Pali word, ‘Tanha’; often translated as craving, it is the second noble truth in Buddhism, To a greater of lesser degree, almost everyone experiences craving and thus a restless mind, however subtle.
For almost all of my life my twin passions have been Psychotherapy and Buddhist Theory and Practise, as a map to understand my suffering and support the suffering of others.
The Mullah Nasruddin, the fool and teacher of Sufi holy wisdom, wanted to buy something, so he strolled to the market and there saw a splendid bushel basketful of chilli peppers.
He asked how much they cost. Only one dinar, exactly how much money he had!
He went around inquiring what other baskets of things cost, and all of them were much more expensive.
And so he bought the beautiful peppers and went home.
Soon people walked by and saw Nasruddin sitting in front of his house with a half-empty basket of peppers in his lap, eating them and crying miserably.
“Mullah Nasruddin, why are you eating those peppers?” they asked. Nasruddin looked at them tearfully and said,
“I went to the market and bought them. I paid a full dinar. Surely one will be sweet!”