Skip to main content

Cognitive Balance

  • Chapter
Creating Wholeness

Abstract

Through the process of learning dynamic relaxation, you may have observed that body tensions are part of mental tensions. The process of somatic relaxation encourages awareness, mindfulness, and passive attention. Thinking patterns are intertwined and part of somatic patterns; this process is more easily observed when you become quiet. When the soma is quiet, the effect of thoughts and feelings can be more easily felt in the body. The content of thoughts can have a dramatic effect on our body tensions; just notice how differently your body feels when thinking about an anger-provoking incident as compared to thinking about a peaceful scene or a lover.

A human being fashions his consequences as surely as he fashions his goods or his dwelling. Nothing that he says, thinks or does is without consequences.

Norman Cousins

We are what our thoughts have made us; so take care about what you think. Words are secondary. Thoughts live; they travel far.

Swami Vivekananda

Beware of psychosclerosis: the hardening of the attitudes.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 39.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Suggested Readings

  • Beck, A. T., Rush, A. J., Shaw, B. F., & Emery, G. (1979). Cognitive Therapy of Depression. New York: Guilford.

    Google Scholar 

  • Borysenko, J. (1987). Minding the Body, Mending the Mind. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Burns, D. (1980). Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy. New York: Signet.

    Google Scholar 

  • Davis, M., Eshelman, E. R., & McKay, M. (1982). The Relaxation and Stress Reduction Workbook. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dobson, K. S. (Ed.). (1988). Handbook of Cognitive—Behavioral Therapies. New York: Guilford.

    Google Scholar 

  • Easwaran, E. (1981). Dialogue with Death. Petaluma, CA: Nilgiri Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kabat-Zinn, J. (1990). Full Catastrophe Living. New York: Delacorte Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lynch, J. J. (1985). The Language of the Heart. New York: Basic Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pennebaker, J. W. (1991). Opening Up: The Healing Power of Confiding in Others. New York: Morrow.

    Google Scholar 

  • Seligman, M. E. P. (1991). Learned Optimism. New York: Knopf.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith, M. J. (1975). When I Say No, I Feel Guilty. New York: Bantam Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tannen, D. (1990). You Just Don’t Understand. New York: Morrow.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 1993 Plenum Press, New York

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Peper, E., Holt, C.F. (1993). Cognitive Balance. In: Creating Wholeness. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-3004-6_3

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-3004-6_3

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-0-306-44172-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4615-3004-6

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics