Distinction # 7
Detachment vs Non-attachment

Easy to confuse the two, yet they are almost opposite!
Being detached is a form of disconnect around what we are detached from, it is a form of indifference.
Non attachment to things or outcomes, on the other end,  is a mindful choice which does not prevent us from appreciating, understanding and fully embracing life. It is a form of reverence for what is.

Distinction # 6

Zoning Out and Zoning Out :)

Hi Everyone!
After my last entry, I started observing when I was zoning out and when I was zoning in and realized how affected we are by what we zone out on because we tend to merge with it. So it seems to me that zoning out can be a  beneficial thing or a dangerous thing depending on what we zone out on. For instance, zoning out on a violent movie or depressing daily news will have a different effect on our energy than zoning out on a sunset or a peaceful nature scene.
So although I said that both zoning out or zoning in could be beneficial in different ways, I wanted to offer clarification and recommendation to be careful what you zone out on!:)

Distinction # 5

Zoning In vs Zoning Out

As I am enjoying my vacation on Cape Cod, it is also a great opportunity to ponder and observe myself in different states. I noticed that sometimes, I zone out in awe of a beautiful scenery, merging with the peace of a solitary pond, or simply turning into a turtle soaking up the sun after a good swim. I become the pond, the trees, the lilies or the turtle. I become one with nature and enjoy the state of no-thinking which comes with it. In so doing, it seems I am going back to a more primitive,  pre-thinking state.

At other times, I sit in meditation on a rock by the water and I zone in observing my thoughts passing by and consciously letting them go, to go back to the peaceful center of no-thinking. The experience of peace I get to may feel the same as when I zone out but there is a major difference, I am going beyond my habitual thinking patterns to reach a place of higher consciousness beyond thought itself.

Zoning Out, we get a break from too much thinking but we do not change how we handle the challenges of life once we get back to it.

Zoning In, we strengthen our ability to handle life challenges . When we witness our thinking while it is happening, we distance ourselves from it while strengthening a higher level of consciousness in ourselves. The more we do this, the more we can benefit from the wisdom of this higher level of consciousness in our everyday decisions and actions.

So although zoning out and zoning in are both great ways to get a break from this addiction to over-thinking we all have; to grow in practical consciousness, we want to make sure we include zoning in as a practice!

Distinction # 4

Co-dependent vs Co-committed

This distinction comes in a lot when talking about relationships, not just romantic ones. We all inter-are as humans living in a society,  and this type of co-dependence is unavoidable and an opportunity to learning and growing together.
However, intensely co-dependent relationships tend to prevent us from being all we can be. In this type of relationships, partners cater to each others neurosis, strengthening them in the process.
Deeply co-committed relationships on the other end help us thrive towards the best we can be. In this type of relationships, partners support each other to overcome their challenges. They are comfortable attending to their goals separately while enjoying each other every time they come together after being apart. They enriched the couple by what they do away from each other and by learning and growing individually.

The Alexander technique promotes healthy relationships with others by promoting a healthy relationship with ourselves through Self-Awareness, Mental and Physical Non-Grasping and the Practice of Being or coming back to the Present Moment.