readerbaby71

Yesterday I woke up with horrible anxiety. Just fear and negative thinking about everything that could possibly go wrong in my life. I'm not sure why; it just happens to me sometimes. I had the sick feeling in my stomach and a tight feeling in my chest and all of that.

I took my dogs for a walk but it didn't help at all. I was still jumping out of my skin. I looked up a guided meditation for anxiety on youtube and decided to give it a try. The first ten minutes or so I just kept thinking,"this isn't working. I feel the same. argh! Please let it work." I finally settled down and by the time it was over I felt much better. Over the next hour or so my anxiety had completely dissipated.

Since I started going to a Heart of Recovery Shambhala meeting once a week, I have tried to incorporate meditation in my life at least once a day, even if only for ten minutes. I can't believe how it's changing my life. I don't mean to sound dramatic, but it is. I am so grateful to be on this path to serenity. My relationship issues with my BF and his alcoholism have been really tough but this whole situation has taught me soooo much about myself, what kind of person I want to be, and how I want to live my life. It has been a blessing in disguise. No matter what happens I've gotten something positive and life-changing out of it and that's never a bad thing.

For those of you who would like to try meditation but are intimidated or think you can't do it (my mind races almost 24/7), give it a try. Keep trying. Before you know it you'll be doing it and will see changes in your way of thinking and how you react to things. I never thought I'd be on this path. I thought I'd always be *&^%$@ up beyond repair. I'm realizing this is not true. It's possible to change destructive patterns of thought. I'm not going to say it's easy, but it's happened gradually, without me having to over think it. If anything meditation helps me to UNDER-think it.

On another happy note, I got my new bike yesterday. LOVE IT!

I hope everyone has a good day.

BlueChair

Your post is making me feel happy just reading it. I wasnt familiar with Shambhala and went to look at the website in our area. Look what I found:

We humans have come to a crossroads in our history: we can either destroy the world or create a good future.

I love that, it comes from The Shambhala Principle by Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche . It sounds like the place Im at in life with my husband.

Can you share some about the meetings you go to?

Ive tried to do meditation on my own focusing on breathing and clearing my mind to a quiet place. It was saying they have open meditation times and can teach you the proper way.

readerbaby71

I go to a meeting called "The Heart of Recovery" which is for anyone suffering from any kind of addiction. It is not a 12-step meeting. Shambhala centers also have open houses weekly and offer meditation sessions a few times a week. Here's a snippet of the one in my area:

Public group meditation sessions are held on Monday evenings and on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday mornings. Group meditation sessions are free and open to the public. If you have not had meditation instruction, or if you would like to learn how meditation is practiced in the Shambhala Buddhist tradition, instruction is available every Monday at 6:30 pm and every Sunday at 10:30 am, free of charge. Please visit us and find out more. All are welcome! Donations are gratefully accepted but not required.

The Heart of Recovery:

Group Format

The format of this meeting is a 20-minute meditation, 5 minute walking meditation, a reading and group discussion, and a brief closing meditation, followed by tea and snacks.

Recommended reading:


Taking A Leap by Pema Chodron
When Things Fall Apart by Pema Chodron
The Places That Scare you by Pema Chodron
Shambhala: The Sacred Path of the Warrior by Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche
Great Eastern Sun by Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche

cleaninLI

Thank you for this post readerbaby. While I was attending IOP we had a meditation instructor come in twice a week for guided mediation. That was my first experience and I couldn't believe how relaxed it made me feel. Between that and the yoga, really made a difference in my anxiety. I'm interested in the video, could you send me the link? Not sure if its allowed here on the forum, if not do you mind PMing it to me?

Thanks alot!

readerbaby71

Guided Calming Meditation for Anxiety Panic Stress Emotional Insecurity Anger Spiritual Healing - YouTube

BlueChair

Good Stuff and I think this would fit into more of the relaxation and stress reduction Im looking for Quiet Time

((CleaninLI)) you never told me you did directed meditation and yoga. Do your daughters do anything like this?

Whats good about both these is you can learn to do them at home and they dont take all kinds of equipment. I have started exercising and doing yoga poses again. Im going to add in some of the meditation and chakra too. I found a Shambhala center but Im not sure how far it is from us, going to have to map it. also said they had directed instruction and once you learned it only took practice .

One more positive, A good reason to buy new workout gear. Im not sure if my Lululemon is still on trend

m1k3

Thanks for the useful info. There is a Shambhala center not far from me here in Memphis. I think I'll check it out.

Your friend,

BlueChair

Last night he went to his counseling session and I was home alone for a few hours. Decided I would try to practice meditating along with some of my normal yoga. I was reading at work yesterday and tried to use some of the ideas suggested to direct my mind, help clear it. Im happy I tried it because I could tell a difference in how I felt adding that to the normal yoga poses I do. I can tell it will take practice but I read a lot online about how as little as 10 minutes devoted can make a positive impact on health.

allthatsgood

Reader Baby- thank you so much for posting the link. I think this will be the answer to relaxing and falling asleep at night!!!!

KariSue

That was nice. I just tried it. I learned TM (transcendental meditation) 20 years ago and was just thinking of starting it up again.

There was a segment on ABC news about a girl who does videos that are similar to the one you just posted. Here is the link for her YouTube channel. TheWaterwhispers - YouTube

Kari

caboblanco

i used to practice meditation for over an hour every day. I also did walking meditations. This was part of my yoga practice. Things happened to me that were truly astounding. It was to the point that I didn't know how to handle it. i quit the whole practice one day about 4 or 5 years ago and never looked back...my heavy drinking became a problem soon after. I'm still afraid to start practicing again

KariSue

That's interesting. I don't know anything about walking meditations or maybe I do because I take a regular walk every morning. I think it is as much a psychological thing as physical exercise. Sometimes I'll work out problems unknowingly (meaning I just am walking along and realize I am thinking of something), I'll get ideas, etc. I sometimes call my walks "getting out the cobwebs" of my mind.

Kari

caboblanco

walking mediation...you can function walking or even doing simple tasks like grocery shopping using very little thought...you can alter your brain waves like in regular meditation..i would usually do a regular meditation then take a walk..maybe run some errands in a walking meditation..if done properly

walking meditation borders on lucid dreaming. i wouldn't recommend doing this at first in a busy place like say Manhattan....when practicing the physical stances of yoga i also would be meditating later in my practice