READING

New Zine! Staying with feelings

New Zine! Staying with feelings

A topic I’ve written about on here quite a lot is the idea of ‘staying with’ feelings. After the Pixar movie Inside Out I wrote all about how important it is to get in touch with all our emotions. I’ve also written about the value of noticing how we feel with kindness and curiosity, and about how to stay with other people’s feelings.

IMG_2833

In this new zine I discuss both why we get so shut off from our feelings in a wider culture which values some emotions far more highly than others, and how we can go about shifting our patterns of avoiding and fighting some feelings, and craving and grasping for others. It covers both therapeutic and spiritual practices for staying with our emotions.

IMG_2832.JPG

You can download or read the zine here.

 


Meg-John (MJ) Barker (they/them) is a writer, zine-maker, collaborator, contemplative practitioner, and friend. They are the author of a number of zines and popular books on sex, gender, and relationships, including graphic guides to Queer, Gender, and Sexuality (with Jules Scheele), and How To Understand Your Gender, Sexuality and Relationships (with Alex Iantaffi).

RELATED POST

  1. MARGOT HUISH

    21 March

    This is so good, Meg – are you ok with me forwarding this to appropriate clients? – let me know – thanks, margot

    Margot Huish Psychosexual psychotherapist UKCP registered COSRT accred 07714403995 talk2huish@mac.com Sent from my iPhone

    >

    • Meg John Barker

      21 March

      Thanks so much for the positive comment Margot. Absolutely this is free for anybody to download and share on as they see fit – please do share with clients if they might find it useful.

      Btw I go by Meg-John (or MJ for short) these days rather than Meg 🙂

  2. lindathestar

    22 March

    Thank you for this MJ. I love how you have condensed so much into a small space with such clarity. Theory, examples, practice suggestions are introduced gently, thoughtfully and with respect. I am sharing furiously.

  3. 1weaver

    22 March

    MJ, your new zine hits my inbox at the same time as a post that shares about a beautiful place on a similar mission and i think its always gratifying to hear you are in good company. hope this link makes you smile…
    http://bellejar.ca/2016/03/21/guest-post-the-incredible-importance-of-the-ten-oaks-project/

    • Meg John Barker

      24 March

      Thanks so much for the kind comment, and for this link – definitely 🙂

  4. elizabeth wilson

    25 March

    Dear Meg John, thought for a long while you might be one of the coolest people I know and your wonderful Zine is just more evidence. If it’s OK to share, I will with a young man (family member) that I love. I have struggled to find a way to reach him in his distress but I think your wise words will work in a situation where I have felt silenced and unable to help. So glad you’re in my life and in my inbox. Elizabeth (Wilson) from the 2nd Tuesday group.

    • Meg John Barker

      25 March

      Thanks so much Elizabeth – I’m so glad that you like it. Absolutely it is free to share on with anybody who wants to read it. I’m really hoping that the zine format will help get some of these ideas and practices to folk who might struggle to access long written formats 🙂

    • Meg John Barker

      25 March

      P.S. I’m so glad you’re in my life too 🙂

  5. […] How you deal with what happened is up to you but I think that you have the courage to find ways to help you heal. In the meantime please try to do plenty of self-care and lashings of self kindness. Also try to be present to joy when it happens. As well as feeling hurt, sad, angry, abused, you’re also allowed to sometimes feel light, joyful, and free. Just feel the feelings as they come and try not to make yourself have the feelings you feel like you should have. My mate Meg-John wrote a really great zine about this https://www.rewriting-the-rules.com/self/new-zine-staying-with-feelings/  […]