Mindfulness – Meditations to help ease stress
Stress, negativity, obsessive thoughts, anxiety, all of these things can be severely detrimental to our every day existence and make things more difficult for us to. There is a simple, yet effective practice called Mindfulness that can help us overcome these everyday obstacles and keep us present in our situations, not stuck in a never ending loop of “that horrible thing that happened last week” or “that anxiety inducing thing that’s going to happen a month from now,”
These simple techniques can make a whole lot of difference and I’d like to share them with you. I’d also love to hear about what works for you and what may not in the comments section, on FetLife, Twitter, or wherever else you may follow me on social media, even shooting me an email would be a great way to communicate to me if any of these things work well for you!
So – on to the Mindfulness techniques –
Stopping Rumination
Rumination is a powerful form of deluded thinking. You think about the past obsessively, despite the fact that you cannot change what happened. You stew in your resentments, replay conversations, beat yourself up, and relive an event over and over. It happens to all of us, and it can be quite painful. Mindfulness practice helps you to see those patterns clearly, respond to them with patient understanding, and begin to detach yourself from their power.
Ruminating often shows up as “background noise” – a constant stream of obsessive negativity shadowing you throughout the day. This practice will help you call that inner voice into the light, dissect it, and, hopefully, diffuse some of it’s hold over you.
1 – Close the eyes and allow the body to relax. Use the breath to help encourage ease in the body. With each exhale, soften the muscles of the body a bit more. You may bring special attention to the abdomen, shoulders and jaw.
2 – Look at the thoughts going through the mind. If you have been ruminating about something specific, acknowledge the event or situation about which you are thinking.
3 – Turn this over in the mind, examining it from a place of curiosity and interest.
4 – Begin cultivating equanimity, the state of balance and nonattachment in the midst of charged emotions. Ask yourself if you are able to change this situation in the past. Offer some phrases of equanimity and compassion:
I cannot change the past
May I be at ease with the mind
May I care about this difficulty
5 – After a few minutes of this, turn your attention toward the present. Although you cannot control the past, you do have power over your actions right now. Replace the rumination with the recognition that you can choose to act in ways that encourage happiness. Offer these phrases silently in your head:
May I act with wisdom.
May I respond with compassion.
May I move forward.
6 – Continue the phrases for five minutes or so. When the rumination recurs, return to the phrases and your intention to move forward.
7 – Finishing your period of practice, carry these phrases with you. Whenever the mind falls into that pattern of thinking about the past, offer a phrase of equanimity or wise action.
( Practicing Mindfulness, Matthew Sockolov)
Releasing the Pressure Valve
Some emotions carry an especially strong energy. The mind becomes highly active, and the body grows tense. This often happens when you are angry, anxious or overwhelmed. In these moments, you can benefit from “letting off some steam.” You can use this exercise to relieve pressure in the moment and bring some softness to your experience.
1 – Begin by closing the eyes and tuning in to the breath. Fill the chest completely and empty it smoothly and slowly. Take a few deep breaths like this, resting your attention on the rise and fall of the chest.
2 – recognize what you are feeling. In an effort to not own it completely or allow it to consume you, try to give it a name that evokes a little love. For example, if you’re feeling angry, you may notice that “Angry Buddha” is present. Or you can give it a name like “Little Johnny.” This will help you separate yourself from the emotion while also encouraging you to deal with it from a place of sweetness.
3 – See if you can find a location in the body where the emotion is present You may feel tightness in the chest, a pit in the stomach, or tension in the shoulders. Instead of trying to rid yourself of that feeling, make space for it. Picture the emotion as a dense ball in this spot and allow it to spread out and make it’s way through the entire body. Keep some awareness on the breath to stabilize you during this practice.
4 – Finally, breathe in the essence of the emotion, and exhale it’s energy out. You may picture yourself allowing the emotion to gently dissipate as you breathe. Don’t try to push the feelings away; rather gently allow them to continue on. You may even try saying goodbye to “Angry Buddha” or “Little Johnny.”
( Practicing Mindfulness, Matthew Sockolov)
What is this Emotion?
This exercise is an adaptation of body-scanning practices as well as emotion based exercises. It is especially useful when you feel overwhelmed by emotion and are unable to articulate what is going on. You will need a pen and paper or journal for this exercise.
1 – Set aside 10 minutes for this practice. You can use this practice anytime during your day, but it is especially useful when you notice a strong emotion present. You might be experiencing anxiety and stress, or something pleasant, like joy or gratitude.
2 – With the eyes open, drop your awareness into the body. Acknowledge the points in the body where you can feel this emotion. For example, many people experience anxiety in the chest, stomach and limbs. Anger or fear often arises in the stomach, causes tension in the shoulders, and results in a scrunched brow.
3 – Recognizing the emotional experience in the body, write how you feel. Jot down where you are feeling something and what it feels like. Continue alternating between observing the body and writing your observations.
4 – When you have covered the experience in the body, turn your awareness toward the mind. Look for both individual thoughts and overall mental states. A mental state may be something like anxiety, hope or the craving to fix something. The individual thoughts may be about a person, an event or a problem that needs solving. Again, write these down as you notice them.
5 – Finally, allow the eyes to close for a minute or two. Tune into the sense of sight with closed eyes. Notice if the sight feels dark or light, if there is movement, or if the mind is visualizing something. There isn’t a correct answer. As you open your eyes and write your experience on paper let go of any judgement.
6 – Read what you have written carefully and slowly. When you finish, see if you feel more clarity around you emotions.
( Practicing Mindfulness, Matthew Sockolov)
Ending Thoughts
I hope you have enjoyed these mindfulness exercises and that they may bring to you some healing and wellness, they have certainly helped others who needed some guidance.
Remember to stay in the moment and not allow your anxiety and depression or any other feelings of overwhelming stress win out. It is but a feeling and one that will pass. Right now is a difficult time for most and with the thick of winter setting in once again, it’s been extra hard to clear our emotions and make sense of things.
You have the power inside of you to stay within the present and not let things deter you from your path, you are strong, but you must see that strength.
I know this is unlike most of my other blog posts, but I felt it was necessary at a time like this to delve into some psychological health and well being for now.
As always – sending much love to all and I will be available for sessions and rentals should anyone need me.
XOXO
Mistress Scarlett
