Radical acceptance is not simply a cognitive stance or cognitive activity; it is a total act. It is jumping off a cliff. You must keep jumping over and over because you can only accept in this one moment. Therefore, you have to keep actively accepting, over and over again in every moment.
If radical acceptance is jumping off a cliff into the deep abyss, then there is always a tree stump coming out of the cliff just below the top and the minute you fall past you reach out and cling onto that stump. And then you’re on another cliff’s edge, asking perhaps, “How did this happen?” Then, you jump off the cliff again.
Radical acceptance is the constant jumping off, jumping off, jumping off and jumping off, yet again. Radical acceptance is also the nonjudgmental acceptance of the repeated grabbing onto the tree stump.
~Marsha Linehan via Bon Dobbs' blog "Anything to Stop the Pain". Marsha Linehan developed Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) for use especially with people with borderline personality disorder (BPD) and recently came out about having BPD herself. The quote was featured in this post by Bon Dobbs.
Photo via Joe Futrelle called "Jerry McSnudd's Falling Off a Cliff Hits"
4 comments:
I love the idea of radical acceptance. All that freedom to be experienced! And the wonderful leap in the chest you would feel over and over again! Nothing to lose!
Thanks for sharing this piece O.
Patti,
I like your idea of the "leap in the chest"--framing this as a practice of joy and adventure and excitement rather than a duty or a "should"--as in, something we should all be doing. I always want to lean that way in fact, or not participate in something, and this is just a good reminder. I have the ability to turn things into duties and obligations rather than fun and exciting choices.
Peace and blessings, xoO
Hi Olivia, I am stopping in to wish you a Happy New Year...would'nt it be nice if we had no duties or obligations....even for a week. off to read about your post. take care. hugs.
Hi, Cinner,
Thanks so much for stopping by! I'm going to be blogging regularly, I hope and pray. I really want to do this and hope that I am able to keep my duties and obligations from stopping me. I hear you! It's always great to see you however often or seldom you stop by...and I always love visiting your blog too! xoO
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