From Reaction to Reflection: Building the Muscle of Witnessing
How Compassionate Inquiry and Pain Reprocessing Therapy teach us to pause and observe, not just react
Why Do We React So Quickly?
Have you ever said something in anger you didn’t mean?
Or shut down completely when you felt hurt?
Reactions like these often feel automatic. That’s because they usually are.
When old patterns or emotional triggers get activated, our nervous system goes into fight, flight, or freeze — leaving little space for choice.
But here’s the good news:
We can train ourselves to pause, reflect, and respond with awareness instead of reacting.
This is what we practice in Compassionate Inquiry (CI) and Pain Reprocessing Therapy (PRT).
The Power of the Pause
In CI and PRT, the first step toward change is learning to create space between what happens and how we respond.
Instead of reacting immediately, we practice:
- Noticing what is happening in the moment (thoughts, sensations, emotions).
- Acknowledging our feelings without judgment.
- Reassuring the nervous system that we are safe — even when our brain sends “threat” signals.
This pause may only last a few seconds — but it opens the door to deeper reflection and rewires the brain to feel safer in the present moment.
Reflection: The Witnessing Mindset
Reflection means moving from:
“This is happening TO me!”
to
“This is what I am experiencing right now — can I witness it instead of getting lost in it?”
In CI and PRT, we explore:
- What is really underneath my reaction or pain? (fear, sadness, old beliefs)
- Where do I feel this in my body? (tight chest, clenched jaw, restless energy)
- Can I reinterpret this pain or sensation as safe?
This reflective process loosens the grip of emotional reactivity and chronic pain patterns — helping us calm the nervous system and respond with clarity.
Building the Muscle of Witnessing
Like yoga for the body, witnessing is a practice — a muscle that strengthens with time.
In The Art of Witnessing using Compassionate Inquiry & Pain Reprocessing Therapy, we use:
- Guided questioning to uncover emotional triggers and pain-related fears.
- Body awareness to sense how reactions and pain live in the body.
- Reprocessing techniques to teach the brain that painful sensations are safe, not dangerous.
- Compassionate dialogue to reframe our stories with kindness.
Over time, you learn to observe yourself without judgment — turning emotional triggers and pain signals into opportunities for healing.
Why This Matters
- Stop being ruled by old emotional patterns.
- Reduce fear and hypervigilance around pain sensations.
- Gain more control over your responses.
- Feel less overwhelmed by emotions and discomfort — and more connected to your deeper self.
Final Thoughts
Pausing doesn’t mean suppressing your feelings or pain.
It means holding space for them — giving yourself the chance to understand, reprocess, and respond with clarity.
If you want to explore this in a safe, supportive way, I invite you to experience:
The Art of Witnessing using Compassionate Inquiry & Pain Reprocessing Therapy — where you’ll learn to slow down, calm the nervous system, and respond to life with greater ease and compassion.
With awareness,
Amulya Parmesh
Join Glitz Arogya and begin a journey of authentic living — through the Art of Witnessing.
About the Author :
Amulya Parmesh, MSc Psychology (BPS), YCB-certified Yoga Teacher & Evaluator, and Holistic Therapist (CI, PRT, CBT), is the founder of the Glitz Arogya Mind-Body Program. She brings a unique blend of scientific understanding and yogic wisdom to her practice. Glitz Arogya is dedicated to empowering individuals to achieve holistic well-being through integrated mind-body therapies.
