Withdraw now from
the invisible pounding and weaving
of your ingrained ideas.
If you want to be rid of this
invisible turmoil, you must just sit
through it and let go of everything.
Attain fulfillment and illuminate thoroughly.
Light and shadow altogether forgotten.
Drop off your own skin,
and the sense-dusts will be fully purified.
The eye then readily discerns the brightness.
- Hongzhi Zhengjue (1091–1157) courtesy of dailyzen.com

It is counter intuitive to just sit through anything that is frightening, sad, or  simply annoying. We are by nature active in our lives and doing something about it helps all of us feel strong and confident. The idea of sitting still does not bring up images of successful change. Withdrawal is a symptom of depression, in extreme cases it can be life threatening if the individual has stopped all self care and is isolated from any support system. When someone comes to therapy we spend an hour sitting and talking about the reasons for being here and to define the goals for treatment. My hope is to allow a non judgmental and safe environment to help in the process of letting go; to abandon the critical and punitive beliefs attached to the struggle.  There is sitting and then there is sitting mindfully. When fear, sadness, and irritability are discussed with an open mind and an open heart the light and shadow will dissolve. Just sitting becomes a means to self illumination and discovery. We then take these discoveries into our daily activities and experience them in a new and healing light.