(Note: Each paragraph is a distinct participant in Innate Health programs)
I let go of so many schmutz feelings. I felt injected with so many hopeful feelings. Mental illness doesnt exist when you find your own health. There is so much hope there and I can reach it. I was raised with a lot of positive feelings. Its so enlightening to feel that we dont need to be so involved in our thinking.
In the two years of since I was first introduced to the notion it's my thinking around my thinking that makes me feel this way or that, I have struggled with how to explain it to others in a credible way. After three days with you folks and all the fine teachers at the conference, the words flowed from me when my husband picked me up at the airport. And, my heart overflowed when I realized he listened deeply to me.
I was diagnosed with PTSD over 12 years ago and was in therapy twice weekly for almost ten years. All the time I was doing this, I was also searching outside the box, convinced I could find a way to become well. I felt this inside myself and new it to be true regardless of what my therapist seemed to believe.
Over time, learning on my own about the 3 Principles, my mind began to have moments of peace and quiet. You probably know the many symptoms that categorize PTSD. For me personally, I was always playing music or listening to Audio Books so my thoughts wouldn’t move me into anxiety, flashbacks, depression and such. I was avoiding listening to my own thoughts because of the fear inside of me. In only a few months after listening and reading about the 3 Principles, I noticed I wasn’t “plugged in” one day. I hadn’t reached for my earbuds, turned something on to avoid the fear. I was experiencing peace, quiet inside my mind and it was like touching heaven. I now rarely put on music or books, I walk in such peace and want to experience it more each day.
Your conference was a success for me. The peace I walk in, live in, is the hope everyone wants in their heart. I am not the emotional cripple I once was.
My husband and I moved to New Jersey a year ago in February after living in Texas for over 26 years. I welcomed the change with excitement and joy believing I was moving toward a new adventure. I couldn’t have made the move without the peace I have found in the Three Principles. Six years ago, I rarely would leave a five mile radius of my home in Houston, accept to go to therapy; too much fear and anxiety. I had difficulty engaging with people, was on and off medication and would go days without speaking to anyone but my husband. I had been chronically depressed for over 20 years with thoughts of suicide.
Now, here in New Jersey, I found within myself a spring of peace and my fears seem like shadows of a past I rarely experience anymore. My life isn’t perfect but neither is anyone else’s. We all have our days. But I can sit and wait and know that my fears, my feelings, the emotions that come up will not last and that knowledge sees me through.
The equation has totally changed from "Compromise and forgiveness will better a marriage" to "of course I will forgive and comprise, why would I not?" And even when my state of mind is low and I don't feel like forgiving, that's fine too! I don't have to act upon that feeling...Why would I anyway if I understand that it's based on my thought at that moment?...and thoughts constantly change....I now trust in that cycle and let nature run its course. That is liberating to me and to the people close to me as well. I am comfortable with myself so I am comfortable with others...I won't judge myself and won't judge others.
I was a very moody person. It could last several days. I didn’t see it so clearly but it was basically me not feeling so good about myself. What I’ve found personally for myself, I don’t call myself moody any more. Since I understand where downs come from and how they work, I don’t take it to mean so much anymore. Even when I do dip, it lasts shorter and isn’t as deep. It used to look like it was sourced in my nature or my circumstances. I’m less in my head and more available to my wife and kids. As a result, I connect more often, more deeply and more consistently.
Being that I am in the business of sales, I was lately feeling rejected each time the person I called on said no. After attending last year's Innate Health Conference, things definitely changed for me. I learned that not every thought that comes to me has a validity, I do not have to give any thought any attention, so I could be free from troubles of thinking. So many more people are saying yes, and my sales have increased, thank G-d. I am no longer clogging the pipe. I now feel Hashem's presence with such beautiful and light filled thoughts.
It sounds like a do-nothing sort of principle, but I’ve been telling myself, before you go down that route of all those negative thoughts, wait it out. And what I see happens is that things shift.
Over the last six months and in particular last six weeks I have so much more energy and I’m on a high. My team has seen it in me. “You’re on fire,” someone said.
This understanding has helped my marriage. I’m less trusting of my negative thoughts and more trusting in wisdom showing up. As a couple, we are bouncing back from lows much more quickly. We have a nice thing going and when we hit a low we are more likely to remember that we don’t want to hold on to the upset.
My experience has always been that here are certain people that I just can’t open up to and feel comfortable with. When I met my choson at first, I saw certain things that led me to feel the same way, that I couldn’t be myself. But this time I saw something new. My understanding helped me to see that it was me and my thinking. Still, even though I saw this, I felt uncomfortable. He had all the qualities I was looking for but I couldn’t get past my discomfort. I met with [Innate Health teacher] Aviva Barnett and I don’t know exactly what happened but I was open; I saw that it was my thinking and not his personality or our chemistry. By the time my meeting ended, I felt more peaceful.
If not for this understanding, I would have kept going out, but the uncomfortable feeling would have been a barrier. I would have assumed that his personality or my personality were in the way and would have felt no choice but to end the shidduch. We’re now engaged.
One day in school was like torture. Leaving home was torture from all the insecure feelings I had. I was brought to programs that focused on changing my thoughts, on me talking to my thoughts; that just made the thoughts stronger. Some people I am close to started learning about Innate Health and just kept dripping the ideas over months. At a certain point I realized I could be ok with the scared feelings. And then insights started coming. Now, living my life is such a pleasure. Hashem gave me a gift living in this world. I am much more in tune with people and their feelings because I'm not so caught up with my own. I can enjoy and be of help to others.
I would skip meals followed by out of control eating. Going to Overeaters Anonymous, I was told I had a disease around food. I felt stuck for the rest of my life weighing and measuring. When I started learning about the principles, I started to see how much in my head I was about food. I started to listen to my own body's normal feedback. I still have ups and downs, but I no longer see myself as having a disease.
Our dates were running into walls. I would sense her getting anxious about something and I would get anxious. I felt she needed to change, I would get defensive, we would argue. Despite having had some really nice dates, we ended it.
When I learned more about thought and how it works, I saw more clearly that we were bringing out the worst in each other. When we got in touch again, I was more understanding. I didn’t see her anxious thoughts as her, but just a passing mood. I became less argumentative and more compassionate toward her. I trusted more in her wisdom. I could see this helped her. We were able to feel closeness and warmth. We're now engaged.
I'm a very sensitive person and I can get into trouble because of that. People always told me not to take things personally but I did. Now I really don't take things as personally. I understand more clearly that when people are acting irrationally, they're just not in their health. As a school teacher, I used to fear my kids. I don't fear them now. I have so much love and compassion for them. When they act out, I have so much calm. I can see what they really need rather than what I feel I need.
I started learning about the principles about six months ago and it was a whole new understanding for me. Different areas of stress for me stopped being so stressful. I started to see it was my perception about the circumstances that were complicated not the circumstances themselves. Ohmigosh, it's just so much smoother now. My daughter had an emergency appendectomy just before the recent holidays. I just took it one step at a time and was calm. I would have gotten crazy in the past. My kids will tell me, "Mommy, why are you so calm?" I had hypoglycemia which means my body produced more insulin than was good for me; stress made it worse. I had such complicated diet needs as a result. I no longer have those diet issues. I'm just not working as hard.
This understanding has been such a help. I used to compare myself in social settings: "He's got this; I'm not good at that." I'm starting to see that these are thoughts that are messing with me. I don't have to address them. I can just let it be. I don't go into he same anxious feelings. I can just listen to him without wandering to all the comparisons. I am really excited about other people's talents. I also used to want to hide my sensitivity from others. Now I feel it's ok to be a sweetheart.
Learning about the principles at a rough time in our marriage was G-d sent. Instead of being given advice and pointers and being encouraged to seek out painful memories, we were suddenly given a fresh start and the confidence that G-d is there for us. Simple Torah concepts that I always took for granted as excellent theories started to come alive for me. The obviousness of Divine providence is so clear to me that I find myself relying on Hashem in a way that I used to consider impractical. I have a desire to learn Torah now because I know that I will find the truth of the words within myself. When I'm down, or anxious, or worried, I find myself looking not to change the situation, but instead praying for an insight so that I can experience it in a more helpful way. Understanding the inside-out nature of the human experience will so radically change the world that I can finally believe that Moshiach is actually coming. I don't think it gets any more real than that.
I am becoming aware of a very strong habit - to take everything around me very personally. How people talk and look at me, what they say and don't say, etc. etc. Everything seems to be always pointing on how I somehow failed and how everyone is reacting to it. I began to see more and more how all this is my thinking that may or may not have anything to do with reality - and how it is irrelevant. How it is very probable that other people have actually something to do and think in their lives other than constantly focus on me :)) I know this sounds like I used to think that I am the center of the world and everyone is thinking and talking only about me. But this realization does not make me feel bad. In fact I feel tremendous relief to not be the center of everything.
Just noticing the thoughts or in the midst of something, I realize "I'm thinking." In the past I would feel very guilty about my thinking - I shouldn't be so angry, I should be more generous. Now, the self judgment is not there. I don't need to do anything because it's just thinking.
I feel more detached from my strong feelings in parenting. I still react, but I notice myself in the process: "I'm feeling attacked, they're not listening, I must follow through or they're messed up for life." Now I feel like it's other mothers talking to me - why do I need to listen to them?
I'm more relaxed and more listening to my inner wisdom. I'm not anxious about making mistakes. I have very limited abilities but the right decision is going to come from a place that is limitless.
I was in over six years of intensive therapy - in-patient, out-patient - plagued with negative thought. I always felt so ashamed of it. The conference over Memorial Day was my first exposure to Innate Health. I learned so much. I am now calm when these thoughts come. I used to feel it's the end of the world. Now, I think it's just going to pass, it's just the human condition.I spent so much time taking my thinking so seriously, often in therapy itself. Oh my gosh, this makes so much sense.
“I would implore you to take a look at [Innate Health]. It's an extremely accessible and common sense approach to life.”
Rabbi Michel Twerski, Congregation Beth Jehudah, Milwaukee, WI
"In 25 years of work in the Jewish community I have not found a more accessible resource to help people find lasting wellbeing. Extraordinary change is no longer unexpected. We cannot meet the demand for our programs."
Rabbi Shaul Rosenblatt, Founder and Director, Tikun Innate Health Center, London
“I’ve been walking around feeling amazed. Not to go crazy in my head? Not to be worrying all day? Not feeling stressed and overwhelmed with life? What am I going to do with all my time now? I might just get things done! How nice is that?”
Wife and mother of seven, Manchester, England
"I will never be able to convey clearly the magnitude of how that class helped me understand and cope with the process of losing someone so dear to me. It has affected me in ways I am only beginning to understand."
Aaron, Senior Recruiter, BAE Systems, Inc. USA
"After 13 years of trying to cope with severe chronic depression as well as caring for my two disabled children and coming to terms with the loss of both my parents I discovered Innate Health. Since then I am no longer a prisoner of my thinking; I am free to experience life as it occurs and to face any challenge - now matter how daunting."
Mother of seven, Stamford Hill, London
I let go of so many schmutz feelings. I felt injected with so many hopeful feelings. Mental illness doesnt exist when you find your own health. There is so much hope there and I can reach it. I was raised with a lot of positive feelings. Its so enlightening to feel that we dont need to be so involved in our thinking.
In the two years of since I was first introduced to the notion it's my thinking around my thinking that makes me feel this way or that, I have struggled with how to explain it to others in a credible way. After three days with you folks and all the fine teachers at the conference, the words flowed from me when my husband picked me up at the airport. And, my heart overflowed when I realized he listened deeply to me.
I was diagnosed with PTSD over 12 years ago and was in therapy twice weekly for almost ten years. All the time I was doing this, I was also searching outside the box, convinced I could find a way to become well. I felt this inside myself and new it to be true regardless of what my therapist seemed to believe.
Over time, learning on my own about the 3 Principles, my mind began to have moments of peace and quiet. You probably know the many symptoms that categorize PTSD. For me personally, I was always playing music or listening to Audio Books so my thoughts wouldn’t move me into anxiety, flashbacks, depression and such. I was avoiding listening to my own thoughts because of the fear inside of me. In only a few months after listening and reading about the 3 Principles, I noticed I wasn’t “plugged in” one day. I hadn’t reached for my earbuds, turned something on to avoid the fear. I was experiencing peace, quiet inside my mind and it was like touching heaven. I now rarely put on music or books, I walk in such peace and want to experience it more each day.
Your conference was a success for me. The peace I walk in, live in, is the hope everyone wants in their heart. I am not the emotional cripple I once was.
My husband and I moved to New Jersey a year ago in February after living in Texas for over 26 years. I welcomed the change with excitement and joy believing I was moving toward a new adventure. I couldn’t have made the move without the peace I have found in the Three Principles. Six years ago, I rarely would leave a five mile radius of my home in Houston, accept to go to therapy; too much fear and anxiety. I had difficulty engaging with people, was on and off medication and would go days without speaking to anyone but my husband. I had been chronically depressed for over 20 years with thoughts of suicide.
Now, here in New Jersey, I found within myself a spring of peace and my fears seem like shadows of a past I rarely experience anymore. My life isn’t perfect but neither is anyone else’s. We all have our days. But I can sit and wait and know that my fears, my feelings, the emotions that come up will not last and that knowledge sees me through.
The equation has totally changed from "Compromise and forgiveness will better a marriage" to "of course I will forgive and comprise, why would I not?" And even when my state of mind is low and I don't feel like forgiving, that's fine too! I don't have to act upon that feeling...Why would I anyway if I understand that it's based on my thought at that moment?...and thoughts constantly change....I now trust in that cycle and let nature run its course. That is liberating to me and to the people close to me as well. I am comfortable with myself so I am comfortable with others...I won't judge myself and won't judge others.
I was a very moody person. It could last several days. I didn’t see it so clearly but it was basically me not feeling so good about myself. What I’ve found personally for myself, I don’t call myself moody any more. Since I understand where downs come from and how they work, I don’t take it to mean so much anymore. Even when I do dip, it lasts shorter and isn’t as deep. It used to look like it was sourced in my nature or my circumstances. I’m less in my head and more available to my wife and kids. As a result, I connect more often, more deeply and more consistently.
Being that I am in the business of sales, I was lately feeling rejected each time the person I called on said no. After attending last year's Innate Health Conference, things definitely changed for me. I learned that not every thought that comes to me has a validity, I do not have to give any thought any attention, so I could be free from troubles of thinking. So many more people are saying yes, and my sales have increased, thank G-d. I am no longer clogging the pipe. I now feel Hashem's presence with such beautiful and light filled thoughts.
It sounds like a do-nothing sort of principle, but I’ve been telling myself, before you go down that route of all those negative thoughts, wait it out. And what I see happens is that things shift.
Over the last six months and in particular last six weeks I have so much more energy and I’m on a high. My team has seen it in me. “You’re on fire,” someone said.
This understanding has helped my marriage. I’m less trusting of my negative thoughts and more trusting in wisdom showing up. As a couple, we are bouncing back from lows much more quickly. We have a nice thing going and when we hit a low we are more likely to remember that we don’t want to hold on to the upset.
My experience has always been that here are certain people that I just can’t open up to and feel comfortable with. When I met my choson at first, I saw certain things that led me to feel the same way, that I couldn’t be myself. But this time I saw something new. My understanding helped me to see that it was me and my thinking. Still, even though I saw this, I felt uncomfortable. He had all the qualities I was looking for but I couldn’t get past my discomfort. I met with [Innate Health teacher] Aviva Barnett and I don’t know exactly what happened but I was open; I saw that it was my thinking and not his personality or our chemistry. By the time my meeting ended, I felt more peaceful.
If not for this understanding, I would have kept going out, but the uncomfortable feeling would have been a barrier. I would have assumed that his personality or my personality were in the way and would have felt no choice but to end the shidduch. We’re now engaged.
One day in school was like torture. Leaving home was torture from all the insecure feelings I had. I was brought to programs that focused on changing my thoughts, on me talking to my thoughts; that just made the thoughts stronger. Some people I am close to started learning about Innate Health and just kept dripping the ideas over months. At a certain point I realized I could be ok with the scared feelings. And then insights started coming. Now, living my life is such a pleasure. Hashem gave me a gift living in this world. I am much more in tune with people and their feelings because I'm not so caught up with my own. I can enjoy and be of help to others.
I would skip meals followed by out of control eating. Going to Overeaters Anonymous, I was told I had a disease around food. I felt stuck for the rest of my life weighing and measuring. When I started learning about the principles, I started to see how much in my head I was about food. I started to listen to my own body's normal feedback. I still have ups and downs, but I no longer see myself as having a disease.
Our dates were running into walls. I would sense her getting anxious about something and I would get anxious. I felt she needed to change, I would get defensive, we would argue. Despite having had some really nice dates, we ended it.
When I learned more about thought and how it works, I saw more clearly that we were bringing out the worst in each other. When we got in touch again, I was more understanding. I didn’t see her anxious thoughts as her, but just a passing mood. I became less argumentative and more compassionate toward her. I trusted more in her wisdom. I could see this helped her. We were able to feel closeness and warmth. We're now engaged.
I'm a very sensitive person and I can get into trouble because of that. People always told me not to take things personally but I did. Now I really don't take things as personally. I understand more clearly that when people are acting irrationally, they're just not in their health. As a school teacher, I used to fear my kids. I don't fear them now. I have so much love and compassion for them. When they act out, I have so much calm. I can see what they really need rather than what I feel I need.
I started learning about the principles about six months ago and it was a whole new understanding for me. Different areas of stress for me stopped being so stressful. I started to see it was my perception about the circumstances that were complicated not the circumstances themselves. Ohmigosh, it's just so much smoother now. My daughter had an emergency appendectomy just before the recent holidays. I just took it one step at a time and was calm. I would have gotten crazy in the past. My kids will tell me, "Mommy, why are you so calm?" I had hypoglycemia which means my body produced more insulin than was good for me; stress made it worse. I had such complicated diet needs as a result. I no longer have those diet issues. I'm just not working as hard.
This understanding has been such a help. I used to compare myself in social settings: "He's got this; I'm not good at that." I'm starting to see that these are thoughts that are messing with me. I don't have to address them. I can just let it be. I don't go into he same anxious feelings. I can just listen to him without wandering to all the comparisons. I am really excited about other people's talents. I also used to want to hide my sensitivity from others. Now I feel it's ok to be a sweetheart.
Learning about the principles at a rough time in our marriage was G-d sent. Instead of being given advice and pointers and being encouraged to seek out painful memories, we were suddenly given a fresh start and the confidence that G-d is there for us. Simple Torah concepts that I always took for granted as excellent theories started to come alive for me. The obviousness of Divine providence is so clear to me that I find myself relying on Hashem in a way that I used to consider impractical. I have a desire to learn Torah now because I know that I will find the truth of the words within myself. When I'm down, or anxious, or worried, I find myself looking not to change the situation, but instead praying for an insight so that I can experience it in a more helpful way. Understanding the inside-out nature of the human experience will so radically change the world that I can finally believe that Moshiach is actually coming. I don't think it gets any more real than that.
I am becoming aware of a very strong habit - to take everything around me very personally. How people talk and look at me, what they say and don't say, etc. etc. Everything seems to be always pointing on how I somehow failed and how everyone is reacting to it. I began to see more and more how all this is my thinking that may or may not have anything to do with reality - and how it is irrelevant. How it is very probable that other people have actually something to do and think in their lives other than constantly focus on me :)) I know this sounds like I used to think that I am the center of the world and everyone is thinking and talking only about me. But this realization does not make me feel bad. In fact I feel tremendous relief to not be the center of everything.
Just noticing the thoughts or in the midst of something, I realize "I'm thinking." In the past I would feel very guilty about my thinking - I shouldn't be so angry, I should be more generous. Now, the self judgment is not there. I don't need to do anything because it's just thinking.
I feel more detached from my strong feelings in parenting. I still react, but I notice myself in the process: "I'm feeling attacked, they're not listening, I must follow through or they're messed up for life." Now I feel like it's other mothers talking to me - why do I need to listen to them?
I'm more relaxed and more listening to my inner wisdom. I'm not anxious about making mistakes. I have very limited abilities but the right decision is going to come from a place that is limitless.
I was in over six years of intensive therapy - in-patient, out-patient - plagued with negative thought. I always felt so ashamed of it. The conference over Memorial Day was my first exposure to Innate Health. I learned so much. I am now calm when these thoughts come. I used to feel it's the end of the world. Now, I think it's just going to pass, it's just the human condition.I spent so much time taking my thinking so seriously, often in therapy itself. Oh my gosh, this makes so much sense.
“I would implore you to take a look at [Innate Health]. It's an extremely accessible and common sense approach to life.”
Rabbi Michel Twerski, Congregation Beth Jehudah, Milwaukee, WI
"In 25 years of work in the Jewish community I have not found a more accessible resource to help people find lasting wellbeing. Extraordinary change is no longer unexpected. We cannot meet the demand for our programs."
Rabbi Shaul Rosenblatt, Founder and Director, Tikun Innate Health Center, London
“I’ve been walking around feeling amazed. Not to go crazy in my head? Not to be worrying all day? Not feeling stressed and overwhelmed with life? What am I going to do with all my time now? I might just get things done! How nice is that?”
Wife and mother of seven, Manchester, England
"I will never be able to convey clearly the magnitude of how that class helped me understand and cope with the process of losing someone so dear to me. It has affected me in ways I am only beginning to understand."
Aaron, Senior Recruiter, BAE Systems, Inc. USA
"After 13 years of trying to cope with severe chronic depression as well as caring for my two disabled children and coming to terms with the loss of both my parents I discovered Innate Health. Since then I am no longer a prisoner of my thinking; I am free to experience life as it occurs and to face any challenge - now matter how daunting."
Mother of seven, Stamford Hill, London