Detox Your Heart

by Mason-John, Valerie

• ISBN13: 9781899579655
• ISBN10: 1899579656
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2005-11-30
• Publisher: Windhorse Pubns

Summary

Anger, hatred, resentment, fear, jealousy, greed. Tough emotions, but ones that most of us experience at one time or another. This gritty exploration of such "toxins" helps us to recognize the negative emotions and mental states we can absorb consciously-or unconsciously-and suggests creative ways of working with them. With short exercises for anyone to use that draw on Buddhist teachings on self-love, mindfulness, and more. Valerie Mason-John is a former journalist and a trainer in anger management who speaks openly from her personal experience of conflict, anger, and fear. Also the author of the novel Borrowed Body (Serpent's Tail, 2005), which draws from personal life history of being a foster child, black, lesbian-and a woman finding her way.

Author Biography

Valerie Mason-John is a former journalist and a trainer in anger management who speaks openly from her personal experience of conflict, anger, and fear. Also the author of the novel Borrowed Body (Serpent's Tail, 2005), which draws from personal life history of being a foster child, black, lesbian - and a woman finding her way.

Table of Contents

foreword	vii
Christopher Titmuss
about the author	xiii
acknowledgements	xvii
a toxic heart	1	(11)
my story: recognizing toxins
realizations -- no quick fixes -- sharing my journey -- what's in this book for you?
A Fable	10	(2)
freedom of heart	12	(24)
A Fable	12	(7)
freeing the heart -- rediscovering your heart -- slowing down -- feeling your feelings -- freeing your feelings -- detoxing your heart -- things to try
Practice pausing	19	(2)
Practice a breath practice	21	(5)
Practice reflecting on how we might feel	26	(5)
Practice a smiling practice	31	(2)
Practice a heart practice	33	(3)
let's talk about anger	36	(29)
A Fable	36	(6)
my story: recognizing anger
getting to know our anger -- growing up angry -- the different faces of anger -- to express or not to express? -- triggers -- watching our thoughts -- redirecting our thoughts -- anger as fire in our hearts -- considering something different -- things to try
Practice exploring physical sensations	42	(14)
Practice listening to our thoughts	56	(2)
Practice an affirming practice	58	(7)
transforming anger	65	(25)
seeing our side of anger -- time out of anger -- reaping consequences -- letting go -- effective action -- compassion as an antidote -- nourishing ourselves
Practice slowly cool your fire	66	(2)
Practice a reflection on our part in anger	68	(4)
Practice a reflection	72	(16)
Practice a metta practice	88	(2)
uncoiling the guises of hatred	90	(23)
A Fable	90	(11)
my story: recognizing hatred
the different faces of hatred -- seeing the roots of hatred -- hating ourselves
Practice reflecting on prejudice	101	(5)
Practice reflecting on the past	106	(3)
Practice transforming our punchlines	109	(2)
Practice nourishing the self	111	(2)
transforming hatred	113	(23)
taking responsibility -- different points of view -- a case for ethics -- the power of mantra -- loving your enemies -- learning to forgive -- my path to forgiveness -- things to try
Practice self-appreciation	113	(2)
Practice taking responsibility	115	(3)
Practice looking	118	(5)
Practice a mantra practice	123	(4)
Practice a metta practice	127	(4)
Practice forgiveness	131	(5)
replaying fear	136	(26)
A Fable	136	(7)
my story: recognizing fear
what is fear? -- feeling fear -- learning fear -- the different faces of fear -- the invasion of fear -- being with fear -- coping with fear -- things to try
Practice reflecting on our fears	143	(10)
Story the invaded hearts	153	(9)
transforming fear	162	(10)
kindness to strangers -- accepting change -- opening up -- things to try
Practice a metta practice	164	(2)
Practice the practice of flowers	166	(3)
Practice the complete metta bhavana	169	(3)
the cultivation of happiness	172	(9)
A Fable	172	(9)
my story: recognizing happiness
a gift -- detox hints -- remember the sky
further reading	181	(2)
notes and references	183