Here are some approaches to exploring the mind:
Content of thought, stories (i) – through talk therapy of various kinds.
Content of thought, stories (ii) – through subpersonalities and parts.
Relationships and groups – exploring ourselves in relationships and groups and through relationship and group dynamics.
Body connections – exploring the connections between body and mind, through movement, shaking and more.
Earth connections – exploring our connections to the Earth (worldviews, experiential).
The dynamics of thought itself – through cognitive therapy or inquiry (leaving no stone unturned, questioning even the most basic assumptions).
Love – finding love for what’s here…. emotions, thoughts, subpersonalities, emotional and physical pain, and more.
Awareness – recognizing the content of awareness, including thoughts, emotions and subpersonalities, as awareness itself.
Each of these has their place and role. I may be more interested in the inquiry and love approaches right now, since they are helpful for me in the phase I am now, and I may write about them more than the other approaches, but that doesn’t mean they are more important than any of the other approaches. And although most of us tend to focus on one or a few of these at a time, it doesn’t mean that our approach is linear. I explored awareness first, then content of thought, love, and Earth connections, then group dynamics, and then inquiry and body connections. Also, these approaches tend to be complementary and mutually supportive. One informs and supports another.
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– content of thought, stories – talk therapy,
– content of thought ii – subpersonalities
– thought itself – cognitive + inquiry (no stone unturned)
– love
– awareness