ACT Made Simple
Dr Russ Harris, M.B.B.S., M.A.C.Psych.Med.
www.actmindfully.com.au
www.thehappinesstrap.com
Three Senses of Self
1. Physical self (commonly called ‘body’)
2. Thinking self (commonly called ‘mind’)
3. Observing self (not commonly talked about:
the part of you that notices/observes
whatever your body or mind is doing)
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Three Senses of Self
You can never know the word outside of
yourself directly. You can only know it in two
ways:
1. How you perceive it through the 5 senses:
touch, taste, smell, sight, sound. This is the
domain of the physical self.
2. How you perceive it through the mind:
thoughts, beliefs, assumptions, deductions,
ideas, memories, images etc. This is the
domain of the thinking self.
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Three Senses of Self
Thinking Self
(Mind)
Thinks, judges, visualizes,
remembers, imagines,
feels, senses, fantasizes,
analyzes, etc.
Three Senses of Self
Physical Self
Thinking Self
Sees, hears, smells,
tastes, touches,
senses, moves, takes
action, etc.
Thinks, judges, visualizes,
remembers, imagines,
feels, fantasizes, analyzes,
etc.
Three Senses of Self
Observing Self
Physical Self
Physic
Thinking Self
Observing self: the ‘aspect of you’
that notices whatever your
physical self sees, hears, touches,
tastes, smells etc, & whatever
your thinking self imagines,
remembers, thinks, believes etc
Three Senses of Self
Observing Self
Physical Self
Thinking Self
Values
The thinking self is VERY USEFUL. Especially when it comes to values
and goals. Values = your heart’s deepest desires for how you want to
behave with your short time on this planet ...
Three Senses of Self
Observing Self
Physical Self
Thinking Self
Struggle
Values
The thinking Self can also be very problematic, because it easily pulls you
into fruitless, life-draining struggles.
Struggle = whatever your mind does that sets you up to struggle with
reality: with your own thoughts and feelings; with your body; with other
people; with the world around you; with life itself
Three Senses of Self
VITALITY
Observing Self
Physical Self
Thinking Self
Effective
Action
Values
When your physical self takes effective action guided by your
values, you experience vitality: a sense of being fully alive and living
a meaningful life
Three Senses of Self
VITALITY
Observing Self
Physical Self
Thinking Self
Struggle
Effective
Action
Values
Ineffective
Action
SUFFERING
When your physical self gets pulled into fruitless
struggles with yourself, others, life itself, and/or
your own thoughts and feelings, then you
experience suffering
Three Senses of Self
VITALITY
Observing Self
Physical Self
Thinking Self
Struggle
Effective
Action
Values
Ineffective
Action
SUFFERING
From the stance of the observing self, you can
‘step back’ and notice: are you heading in the
direction of vitality or suffering?