Dr Dosti Regmi Blog

Silencing our inner critic with self compassion: Each of us carries within us an inner voice —a running commentary on who we are, what we do, and how we fall short. Sometimes this voice is gentle and discerning, helping us reflect and grow. But often, especially under stress or failure, it transforms into a harsh inner critic —a relentless judge that magnifies our flaws, replays our mistakes, and whispers that we are not enough. This inner critic doesn’t arise out of malice. In fact, it often develops early in life as a misguided form of self-protection. It tries to push us toward achievement, perfection, or social acceptance, fearing that without its control, we might become lazy, unworthy, or unloved. Yet paradoxically, the critic’s harshness can make us anxious, ashamed, and disconnected from ourselves. The antidote to the inner critic is not silence or suppression—it is self-compassion . Self-compassion, as defined by psychologist Dr. Kristin Neff, involves three ...

Recently, I took the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ). At first, the questions seemed   deceptively simple—things like ‘Do you notice the sunshine?’ or ‘Can you identify when you’re feeling sad or angry?’ These centered around observing and labeling emotions, and I scored well. It gave me a sense of confidence, even a quiet pride in my awareness. But as the questionnaire progressed, it became more revealing. The later questions probed deeper—asking whether I stay truly present during routine actions, whether I judge myself harshly for my thoughts and feelings, or whether I get carried away by them. These touched on acting with awareness, non-judgment, and non-reactivity. And that’s where the cracks showed. It was humbling to realize that while I might notice the sunshine or name my emotions, much of my inner life still runs on autopilot—often reactive, self-critical, or entangled in thought loops. The FFMQ became a mirror, gently but unmistakably showing me ho...

A Monk's Guide to Happiness Gelong Thubten (From Binklist) Gelong Thubten is a Buddhist monk and meditation teacher from the United Kingdom. After receiving an education at Oxford University, he became an actor in London and New York. He led a party-hard lifestyle until suffering burnout at the age of 21. At this point, he joined the Kagyu Samye Ling Monastery in Scotland, where he became an ordained Tibetan Buddhist monk. Thubten has practiced and taught mindfulness meditation ever since. This path included 25 years of training, six years of attending intensive meditation retreats and 20 years of teaching mindfulness in settings as diverse as schools, hospitals, prisons, addiction counseling centers and corporate offices. About Happiness: Happiness has three components: Feeling of fullness and content. We don’t wish for anything we don’t already have – whether it’s a material object, experience or circumstance. Feeling anchored to the present. This means we don’t drift away into...

The Practice of Not Thinking - Ryunosuke Koike There is a distinction between thinking and awareness. Thinking is useful when needed, but becomes harmful when constant. On the other hand, awareness connects us with reality, especially through the body and senses. Thoughts are distractions from reality. Thoughts are often arising from the three poisons or fires, as Buddha says: RAGA clinging/grasping/greed); DYASHA (aversion, anger), and both of them arising from MOHA (ignorance/delusion) Greed: Greed is not only a craving for material things but also a mental attachment to outcomes, approval, success, or even happiness. Greed arises when we believe that something outside us will complete or fix us. The mind spins in desire, constantly seeking, which fuels overthinking. By not thinking, we stop feeding this constant seeking. Returning to the body and the present moment weakens the pull of desire. Anger: Anger is tied to the ego’s resistance to reality—wanting things to be other than t...