Many years ago, in the '80's I did a six month course that made ordinary citizens into Lifeline Telephone counselors. Lifeline was set up as a Suicide Prevention line in Australia but all kinds of people ring Lifeline with all kinds of questions and queries and just sometimes because they are lonely and need a listening ear and have no-one else to turn to. I did my own first course and later five more as a group leader. In one of the courses we were introduced to the concept of the gatekeeper and I thought I would share it with you. As we had a different leader for each course I cannot attribute it to anyone as I don't know which wise person brought the concept to us. This is not a tested idea but one of the many imaged meditations we did.

I guess we are all familiar with the idea from Biblical and medieval stories of the gatekeeper who guarded the gates of fortified cities or large houses and let in only those who had the right credentials, the invitation, the password or whatever was needed to gain entry. The gatekeeper refused entry to those who were not authorised to come in. He (or she in the case of nunneries and convents) would be backed up by men at arms or other stalwarts who could enforce the prohibition order.

So this concept can be used against re-occurring thoughts, especially those that come and taunt us in the middle of the night. So you are having a recurrent thought that you are worthless, no longer the person you used to be or in my case not the person needed to do the job. Okay. So you don't want that thought entering your head. Appoint a gatekeeper. This is the biggest person in your family, neighbourhood or an imaginary figure. He has to have a name. When the thought comes knocking at your mind, holler the name. Not out loud...we do not want to scare the neighbours. Holler the name, in comes the gatekeeper ready for service. You give out the ground rules. Every time you hear the word "worthless" you will toss that varlet out. Yes Sir (or Yes Ma'am) you wish will be carried out.

If you keep it simple it seems to work. Don't give the gatekeeper a shopping list,just a single task and after the thought has gone fill your mind with something else, pick up a book, listen to your favorite music, promise yourself you will sit out in the sun in the morning. You need to reward yourself for a job well done. That thought has gone and every time the thought tries to get in at your command the gatekeeper will muscle it out again. Soon you will no longer have that thought. You can if you want replace it with a positive one but you do not have to, it is your decision.

As a praying person I pray for all sorts of people, I pray for their operations, their grandchildren, their illnesses, their bereavements and just sometimes their ability to get up in the morning. I have done this from a young child. I have explained in a previous blog that I was taught JOY. which stood for Jesus, Others, Yourself. Obviously I wasn't from the "ME" generation...lol. I have found it hard over the years to do that, I am as self-centered as anyone, but it has helped me in times of crisis, I know to pray first, look what I can do to help then afterwards take care of my own needs. I had to do that a lot as caregiver for Ray.

So when an emergency arose I would call the ambulance, make Ray comfortable, let the ambulancemen (or women) in, help with the paperwork and see him loaded on board. The ambulance goes off with Ray in it and I DON"T follow it immediately. I make a cup of tea and sit down for a few minutes. It will take them a while to check him in and I don't need to be there. I need to take care of myself. It is another form of gatekeeping. There are rules and processes I need to follow if I am to remain well and strong myself. The gatekeeper's orders are : "Don't let panic in."

I hope this is helpful and someone can use this method to get rid of some of those unauthorised thoughts that prevent us from sleeping or to put off or lessen a panic attack. This method is not something that will get rid of any mental health issues is is more a tool for wellness. I am not a doctor, I am not a counselor, that training was a long time ago. But this is just one of the tools in my wellness kit that has served me well and I hope it does the same for you.