Never Mind Your Mind

This is an exploration into the science of thinking patterns, with simple yet practical tips, tools and metaphors to manage our unhelpful thoughts more effectively.

When you wake, it starts. Like a faulty radio inside your head.

Shifting from one channel to the next. Sometimes it gets stuck on one channel.
The channel that you really don’t want.

And because you really don’t want that channel, you become more and more caught up in it.

The mind. It can be helpful. But only sometimes.

When we buy into the automatic thoughts that pass through our heads, they can bring us into feelings of fear, inadequacy, frustration, and more. But the secret is, this is not just you. It’s about everybody!

Never Mind Your Mind is about being part of the change that’s going on in the world right now. One way of doing this is by taking our thoughts less seriously.

My name is Reuben Lowe, I’m the founder of both Mindful Creation and our registered non-profit charity “ACT on it”. I also work as a mindfulness-based therapist in one of the largest health clinics in the Southern Hemisphere.

It’s my hope that this course will give you some great insights. You’re likely to notice a shift in learning these. A shift in how you relate to your thoughts. Taking some of them less seriously. Not minding your mind as much.

But, this course is not just about understanding these interesting insights. We learn by far the best through experience. And so that’s where this course gives you a new level of depth. Through experience.

The tips and tools for the job. The tips and tools to not mind our mind as much.

So, let’s have fun. Let’s do this together. Learning these insights. Putting the tools into practice.

Thank you so much for listening, and in doing so, being part of the change that’s going on in the world right now.

Leçon 1: Minding

Those thoughts…it’s not just you! As soon as the day starts, so does the mind going about its job. Let’s set the scene here to lay the foundations for the entire course. We’ll also have an exercise to help us experience looking at our thoughts, instead of from them.

Leçon 2: Minding The Mind

Now we need to explore this tendency of ours to get caught up in minding - minding our minds. We explore what a mind is, as well as look at some of the research around the thinking patterns that we have as humans, and how we tend to view these as a problem.

Leçon 3: Minding The Stone Age Mind

Welcome to the Stone Age Mind. We explore a brief history of the Stone Age and into the Modern Age. We then focus upon examples of a typical Stone Age mind years ago, and compare this with our modern minds today. The similarities are interesting, as well as absolutely essential for helping us not mind our minds as much.

Leçon 4: The 4 Modes Of Minding

Today we continue on from yesterday’s theme of what are minds are like and why. We are going to explore a framework based on the study of what our minds get up to when left to their own accord! This helps us understand and normalize these thinking patterns even more.

Leçon 5: The Negative Thought Narrative

It’s not our thoughts that are the problem. It’s the relationship to our thoughts that is the problem. We can now begin to make sense of this by exploring The Negative Thought Narrative. Something that’s been programmed into us all, in one way or another. Something that is incredibly helpful to come to know.

Leçon 6: Don't Think About It

Now that we are well into laying the foundations for why we mind our minds, we can now explore a key insight here through experiential learning. This goes against the grain of how we are programmed to treat our unhelpful thoughts.

Leçon 7: Never Mind Associations

When we have a simple understanding of how our brain makes associations, with particular reference to our automatic thoughts, it is a very powerful insight. This is a simple yet profound learning that helps us become wiser to our minds, so we don’t take them seriously.

Leçon 8: Never Mind Metaphors

Today we explore 4 powerful metaphors. These can help us provide new insight into how we relate to our thoughts. Metaphors give us perspective. They're central to how we understand the world. They help us to reason and understand what's around us. In this context, they help us to see our thoughts, in a way that is more open and receptive.

Leçon 9: Tools To Never Mind - Part 1

We now have a strong foundation. We cannot use the following tools effectively without this because these foundations uncover the essential key insights of knowledge. It’s this that prepares us to put these tools into practice. Now we can explore some of the classic tools that have been designed for helping people unhook from their unhelpful thinking patterns.

Leçon 10: Tools To Never Mind - Part 2

Today we continue exploring tools to help us not mind our mind as much. Just like all the other days here, it’s important to choose which of the following tips, tools, and exercises resonate with you. Then, you’ll be equipped for using these in your everyday life when needed.

Leçon 11: Never Mind Your Mind

Today we’re going to cover some essential points on how to reduce the likelihood of falling back into the trap of minding our minds when we start using these tools. These tips are well positioned now that we’re at the end of this course. This is because we have a firm foundation from the previous insights explored here, and you have some tips and tools of your choosing.

Leçon 12: Final Day - Celebrate & Unwind

This is going to be a day for celebration. It’s also going to be a day to relax. Part 1 is a celebration of what we’ve covered in all of the previous days. In part 2 we’ll have some final words from me and finish with a meditation. It's a meditation for reflection and contemplation as we gently absorb the wisdom from this course, as well as the quotes from each of the days.

Reviews

Such a helpful course! I’m much more aware of my negative thought patterns and ruminations now. More importantly I feel I have the tools to interrupt these patterns and bring about a positive change to my overly active mind.

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So enlightening! This course is so well put together. I already feel a shift putting some of these practices in place. Very much appreciate your time and energy ! I will be doing it again and again 🙏

I have never taken such a deep dive into understanding my thoughts. You have done a brilliant job in opening my eyes to how my mind works. I will be learning more from your other course offerings. I agree if we each learn more about our minds and how to “never mind our minds” perhaps the world can be better.

Thank you for these wonderful insights . I will definitely continue practicing awareness of my mind and let it live in the background to protect and comfort me in its own way . I will remember that the mind is a great servant but… if I let it …..a terrible master, causing chaos when I let it.
With gentleness and more understanding now ….
I accept the reason for its existence in my life and in the human world .

I have learnt a lot, and know I that I have more to learn, thank you for this course 🙏 💜

There is a lot of helpful insight shared about how the mind works. Information I found really invaluable that makes listening day-to-day worthwhile. The practices have been easy to integrate. I am forming new habits (approaches) to my thoughts. Reuben is a phenomenal and engaged instructor. He actively responds to posts in the classroom - which in my experience, is rare. The course was better than I anticipated. I will definitely be listening to Reuben's other content.

Thank you so much for this insightful course! I will definitely come back to this and using the tools that resonate. Much appreciated Reuben!

Life-changing. Every human needs to take this course - thank you!

Beautiful and helpful course, and Reuben is such an encouraging guide. Highly recommend!!

Everyone should be taught these basic principles about the mind from a very early age, failing that, late is better than never, and I'll be eternally grateful to Reuben for helping me to understand what my mind is and isn't. It's liberating.

A well- structured, well-paced thoughtful and totally top- notch course. Ruben is methodical and clear with his advice, metaphors and practical advice. He counsels in a non- judgemental, inclusive manner. And as he says in the course, you can come back to revisit on an 'as needed' basis.
I really learned some good tips that I've implemented into my life, already.

Excellent course - one or come back to many times to strengthen the messages held within.

Thought provoking and inspiring 🥰 thank you 🙏🙏🙏

This has been most helpful and I can build on these steps going forward. I often quote the metaphors and other tools when working with my counselor. Thank you very much.

Wow, this course definitely is life changing. I learned so much about myself and my relation with my thoughts. I definitely learned tools that are very helpful. Ik will do this cours again, and maybe again. Thank you Ruben for being here. I appreciate you and everything that you are doing. That’s magical!

I highly highly recommend this course. Reuben Lowe has done an amazing job with it. How to not mind our mind or perhaps rather say thoughts so much. How to not having random thoughts dictating or kidnapp us when we go about our days. So much to reflect on in this course. Insights and tools to use.

When you are done with this you will have a great toolbox and perhaps even a new and improved life! It is that good. Keep going at your own pace and don't skip ahead in the cource is my advice.
Thank you Reuben I so enjoyed this!

Omon

I found this course one of the best I have completed on Insight Timer. So much of it resonated with me, the tools I have learnt & practiced have already made a difference in my life. Thank you 🙏 Reuben for the content & your wisdom.

A great course for anyone seeking to gain a understanding of their mind; and it's workings, providing guidance on freeing oneself from the trappings of the mind. This course gives practical techniques to liberate your self from the mind. I'll be going through this course again.

Superb!! I have completed many many courses and workshops, retreats, etc. and this is the first time I have felt inclined to let the instructor know how fabulous the course was! Rueben was exactly what I needed. Thank you!

Through this course, I feel I’ve picked up some tools for dealing with unhelpful thoughts. I can see its effect already + I will gently persist. Thank you~