Episode 160 ENCORE The Best Of HCP | The Inward Facing Journey: Interview With Joe Gilbert

This episode is sponsored by Alma. Alma is on a mission to simplify access to high-quality, affordable mental health care by giving providers the tools they need to build thriving in-network private practices. When providers join Alma, they gain access to insurance support, teletherapy software, client referrals, automated billing and scheduling tools, and a vibrant community of clinicians who come together for education, training, and events.Sign up today at https://helloalma.com/for-providers/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=paid&utm_campaign=holisticcounselingWhy do some people embark on spiritual journeys? How is the mind like a puppy when it comes to meditation? What can you do to make yourself “lighter”?MEET Joe GilbertJoe Gilbert is a clinical mental health counselor and meditation teacher. His primary office is at the Cedar Walk Wellness Center in Hillsborough, NC. He lives with his wife in Hillsborough, and enjoys hiking and backpacking, listening to the birds, and cuddling with his animal companions.Find out more at Gilbert Meditation FREE meditation group hosted by Joe GilbertIN THIS PODCAST:Why would you want to embark on an inward-facing journey?Stilling your mindTravel lighterWhy Would You Want To Embark On An Inward Facing Journey?We hear people say “I want to be more present. I want to be in the present moment” and the reality is that you are never out of the present moment, it’s just for a lot of us – a lot of the time – we don’t like it and so we think there’s something wrong, that I need to go out of my soul to find something to fix it. (Joe Gilbert)Many people live on autopilot, unaware or dissociating from their current reality, and think that they need to achieve something other than themselves in order to find peace, or presence, in their current lived experience.Going on an inward-facing journey means meeting your own needs so that you can be present in your reality without running away from it. You meet your needs, put your ego to rest and simply be, without worrying continually.I knew I could not keep living my life the way I was living it … I always had existential questions … a lot of the times I would get the response “just don’t think about it, no big deal” …there was this continual pull from me to question everything … self-inquiry to me is continuing to ask “what’s true here?” And we find out what’s true by stripping away what’s false. (Joe Gilbert)Surrendering helps you to let go of the structures that you hold onto that remain the perception of what you think your reality is. Surrender, and open yourself up.Stilling Your MindFind what works for you, because some people need:More movement:People who find stillness in mind and spirit could try a form of yoga, tai chi, or a gentle hike to move the body without becoming over-excited.To get rid of the script:Get rid of the idea of what you think meditation and stillness look like because it is different for everyone.To stop running:Stop running from something, because yoga works well when...