Hi, I’m Vanessa Klugman, a  physician who stopped practicing medicine when I came into recovery five years ago. I am now trained as a life coach with a specialty in addictions. Today, I would like to help you reconnect by showing you how the four noble truths can help you not only navigate life’s challenges, but flourish and life a life of meaning and purpose.

Question #1: What are the 4 noble truths?

The four noble truths are the essence of the Buddha’s teachings. The Buddha went on a 45 year journey to answer the question of what causes us to suffer.. His findings are summarized in the four noble truths. The first truth is that there is suffering in life. The second truth is that there is a cause for this suffering. The third truth is that there is an end to this suffering. The fourth and final truth is the prescription to the ending of suffering is to follow the eightfold  path.

Question #2: How did you apply the 4 noble truths to your recovery?

The practice of mindfulness meditation led me to core insights that changed the way I functioned in the world. These included the inclination of our minds to be caught up in “sticky” and painful thoughts. When we learn to let go of these self limiting beliefs we suffer less. We feel at ease and balanced. All of our emotions and experiences are impermanent and pass more quickly if  we do not hold onto them. When our actions are rooted in the wise intentions of kindness and compassion we feel at ease and when they are rooted in greed and aversion we end up suffering.

Question #3: How can you use the 4 noble truths to keep up-leveling in recovery or a healing process?

The truths can be used in a practical way and then in more advanced ways. We use the practice of meditation to develop self-awareness. We become aware of our thoughts, the stories we are telling ourselves and we see which ones create suffering. We can implement a STOP practice and start to bring awareness into the moments we notice ourselves struggling.  We can use more advanced practices such as Tara Brach’s  RAIN practice to deepen our healing and our “trance of unworthiness.”

Question #4: How have the 4 noble truths helped you professionally?

I help my clients identify their triggers, those uncomfortable thoughts and emotions that they are conditioned to avoid. We work on mindfulness practices such as urge surfing to retrain the mind. Instead of our conditioned behavior to avoid, distract and numb the urge we work on mindfully surfing the sensations of the urge until it subsides. I also help my clients see that it is not their circumstances that cause their suffering but rather their reactions and thoughts about their circumstances. Compassion and self-compassion are some of  the beautiful qualities that we nurture when we follow the eightfold path.

Question #5: Where might someone learn more about the 4 noble truths? Please provide a few resources. 

Tara Brach: Radical Acceptance and Radical Self Compassion as well as her podcast.

Rick Hanson: The Foundations of Well Being ( an online one year class)

ResilIent By Rick Hanson

Kristen Neff; Self- Compassion the Proven Power of Being Kind to Yourself (selfcompassion.org)

Thank you for being with me today. If you’d like to connect with me further, my contact information is…. Also you can find my information on the episode notes. Thank you again.

www.resiliencerecoverycoaching.com

FB @Resilience Recovery Coaching

Linked in @Vanessa Klugman MD, ACC

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