The two practices that are beneficial to me are deep breathing and visualization whether it is self-generated or from listening to guided imagery. When I feel bombarded by the world, anxious, or stressed I can just start focusing on diaphragmatic breathing to calm down or just close my eyes and “go to my happy place.” Mini breaks reorient me and keep things in perspective. Having learned of the many benefits of mental fitness this term makes me aware of the need to work on my “inlook” to improve my “outlook.”
When I combine breathing and visualization I like to breathe in peace and happiness and breathe out my stress and pain. This helps me arrive at a more positive mind-body connectedness. This is a work at my inner development. When it matures I will be less resistant to the loving-kindness practice that asks me to do the opposite for others as I breathe in suffering and pain so I can breathe out health, happiness and wholeness. I have stumbled with that practice because I feel resistant to assuming anyone else’s dilemmas when situations will never change in reality. Can I really breathe out healing for my Mom with end stage Alzheimer’s? I am skeptical with that ideal.
Deep breathing gives me immediate release of tension. It also gives me a chance to process my thoughts before I verbally respond when I’m defensive in a situation. This has helped me to maintain my professionalism at work when I am dealing with challenging patients. The visualization of the Aesclepian meditation has been helpful to me especially on nights when insomnia keeps me restless. I find security and welcome the image of a wise, loving person that to me is usually a vision of the Lord holding me in the palm of His hand and “observe” Him in my mind’s eye.
Barbara, I like your post. I feel the same way about the many different meditation exercises. I meditate several times a day too and it helps me greatly. Its how I control pain. I can not take pain medication so this turned out to be a wonderful alternative to drugs. I meditate when I go to bed also and never have a problem falling asleep...Great post..Melissa
ReplyDeleteBarbara, I feel the same way, I have learned so much about relaxation in this class. My mind is so much more calm. I have the same problem with the loving kindness practices, but I like your thought that maybe as we get better at our own subtle mind practices, the loving kindness will get easier. I am so sorry about your Mom's illness. You will get through it, and these relaxation meditations will definitely help.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, Emily is one beautiful little girl. :o)
"I have stumbled with that practice because I feel resistant to assuming anyone else’s dilemmas when situations will never change in reality. Can I really breathe out healing for my Mom with end stage Alzheimer’s?"
ReplyDeleteYour comment is true, we cannot heal what medicine cannot fix itself biologically, but it can help the psychological and physical pain. People in this state tend to not want people to feel sorry for themselves, or ourselves get so caught up in the emotion of wanting to help, grief, and pain and cannot stand to see someone suffering. Getting caught up in these kinds of emotions, while sometimes unavoidable can be detrimental to your personal health and flourishing and I think that the loving kindness exercise is intended to help to alleviate some of these emotions and make a more positive situation out of one that may not be so. I hope that made sense for you.
Barbara,
ReplyDeleteDeep breathing has helped me as well. I suffer from anxiety and have used the deep breathing techniques to fend off an anxiety attack. I actually did this during my first flight which I had back in August. I started to feel myself panic and started to get very dizzy. I realized what was happening and calmed myself down using deep breathing and didn't have a full-on anxiety attack.
Buffy