Is stopping the critical voice in my head, repression?

[Peace]

I've been doing the guided meditations for at least three weeks now, and am feeling SO much better, that I first want to say Thank You...

- to John for sharing his knowledge,
- and the Universe or Guiding Force or whatever, for bringing John's work into my awareness.

(Interestingly, ever since I began this inner work, almost every single day I have come across a reference on the radio or internet, on the importance of processing feelings! Wow! I must be on the right track.)

As I work on the situation and the emotions, questions come up, and I'm hoping for some guidance with them. Most of them center round a confused understanding of resistance. Here's my first...

I feel better and calmer after the meditations. But later in the day, my mind and my thoughts simply WILL go back to the painful memory/ event. They keep beating me up, reminding me, mocking me, and I lose my peace. How can I stop this mental abuse of myself? And is an effort to stop the thoughts - by talking back to it, by engaging in some positive activity, or perhaps by practicing some other form of meditation - considered repression? Am I repressing thoughts? Am I repressing feelings associated with the thoughts? I'm not sure how to understand and proceed here.

Any guidance will be appreciated!

[John Ruskan]

Suppressed feelings influence thoughts of the conscious mind more than the conscious mind can influence the suppressed feelings. If nagging thoughts of painful events keep coming up, it's just a sign that the suppressed feelings associated with the events have not yet been substantially released through processing. Often, it can take a while to release the deep accumulation of feelings that most of us harbor. Exactly how long it takes depends on the amount of suppressed feeling energy, and upon your particular right-brain skills in applying ECP techniques. That's why we say this work is for the long-haul. If you have only been practicing for a few weeks, you are still coming into a balance with your practice.

If it's possible to go into a processing mode when the thoughts/feelings come up, this would be the best approach, because now the feeling is spontaneously coming up, possibly more than it will during your regular meditation time. (Feelings are stimulated by the constantly moving Moon.) If it's not possible to process now, or if you have already been working with the feelings enough for the day, then "enlightened diversion" may be called for.  This is not considered suppression since you have been and will be working with feelings; you just need to discipline the subconscious. The subconscious will eventually understand that it has been getting enough quality attention though your processing meditations so that it doesn't need to act up at other inappropriate times.

In practical terms when feelings jump up: Keep separating thoughts from feelings. Go to the core feelings behind the thoughts or memory, and even if it's only for 60 seconds, detach and witness the feelings, no matter where you are. Bring in the breath, and breathe consciously and deeply as you witness, then drop it and focus on your activity.

[Peace]

Thank you, John. That was very helpful and clarifying.

[jucereca]

I also want to say thank you John! And thanks to the person who posed this question.