Season 1 with Christina Philburn and Patrick Harris - The act of bearing witness is an important concept to understand as we prepare for our our upcoming discussions on self-compassion and self-acceptance in the next few weeks. The Webster definition of bear witness is to show or state that something exists or is true. It is like observing or seeing, but it’s also with the act of holding an experience in compassionate awareness, whether joyful or painful.
Christina offers that the act of bearing witness is like a metaphor for the optic nerve-- it is how we experience life, how we discover ourselves, our family and friends, and the world. It is the process of acknowledging something or someone, and ideally, affording ourselves with the opportunity to approach every moment with a beginner’s mind, with boundless curiosity and being open to the uniqueness of whatever is arising and meeting it just as it is.
It’s the act of seeing or being seen and acknowledging the amazing power of that act. When we approach every moment with openness and curiosity and acceptance, life itself seems to open up before us like a flower blooming to the world and unveiling its natural beauty for all the world to see. I love the way Christina put it: Feeling seen equals feeling understand and feeling understood equals feeling loved.
The process of bearing witness is an important ingredient in the therapeutic setting, as well. As we bring our focus and awareness and attention to different aspects of our human experience, we explore and share those parts of our selves with someone we trust, and that process can be truly transformational.
Show Notes: (coming soon)
Christina:
Patrick:
Claudio:
Lance:
Host Lance Vaughn, Co-owner of the Austin Mindfulness Center
Co-host Christina Philburn, LCSW
Co-host Patrick Harris, LPC, PhD Candidate
Co-host Claudio Barrientos, Mindfulness Instructor
If you're interested in mindfulness coaching, you can purchase coaching packages with either Patrick or Claudio on our website.
