Mind Whispering

In this compassionate and therapeutic book, Tara Bennett-Goleman marries insights from Tibetan Buddhism, neuroscience, cognitive psychology and horse whispering to present a series of techniques for freeing oneself from of emotional habits based on dysfunctional modes of being. The first part explores these modes of being as a prelude to mind whispering, defined as 'attuning to the subtle habits of our minds and hearts, to uncover the qualities deep within us that can allow wisdom to bloom lotus-like out of the mud of confusion.' The inclusion of insights from interaction with horses brings an extra dimension to communication and understanding Modes dictate what we focus on and therefore create our subjective world; they consist of triggers, routines and rewards. These can either be maladaptive, adaptive or higher on the spectrum of moving us to 'lightness of being.' The neuroscience of habit helps us conserve energy, and we are all familiar with our habitual responses to everyday situations, and how easy it is to enter a negative mode. Luckily it is possible through mindful habit change to transform these responses and rewire ourselves, overcoming previous patterns of attachment and aversion. A key move is contacting the mindful overseer and paying attention so as to become aware of the mode we are currently in. We can go on to train the mind and educate the heart, both individually and collectively. A central task for humanity as a whole is to find a shared secure base so that we can overcome the us-them division. The mindfulness techniques explained in this book can play a significant role in our evolution towards a wiser and more compassionate society.