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stress management - meditations.
Hi, I need some advice. I have had a really stressful past few years and I began meditation and yoga and did the final conversion to buddhism at the start of the year as I wanted to establish a new way of clearing my mind - however my old bad habits are coming back. I am still meditating but I wonder if anyone here did any other type of meditation to control their stress levels?
Basically I have an uncontrolled lung condition and every alternate month for the past few years I have had a round of ill health which would be like bronchitis and glandular fever and a sinus infection at the same time. Im ok now on a strong medication to keep this condition controlled while im doing the rounds between consultants - now that im fine im having these weird anxiety moments when im almost at a hypocondria stage and scared im going to have another round.
To top that off my employment contract was terminated at the start of Jan and therefore removing all distractions i would keep to stop feeling scared im going to have another bout. What methods do you use to control stress levels?
Basically I have an uncontrolled lung condition and every alternate month for the past few years I have had a round of ill health which would be like bronchitis and glandular fever and a sinus infection at the same time. Im ok now on a strong medication to keep this condition controlled while im doing the rounds between consultants - now that im fine im having these weird anxiety moments when im almost at a hypocondria stage and scared im going to have another round.
To top that off my employment contract was terminated at the start of Jan and therefore removing all distractions i would keep to stop feeling scared im going to have another bout. What methods do you use to control stress levels?
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Comments
My view is that mindfulness of breathing is a great help for stress levels.
You might find this helpful:
http://www.amaravati.org/abm/english/documents/nowisknow/03ana.html
With kind wishes,
Dazzle
Explain in detail what your current meditation practice is, as well as the duration and frequency that you do it.
the moment im doing a 30mins loving kindness meditation with the alternate nasal breathing to start off. I've kind of merged pranayama breathing techniques into the start of my meditation in the morning. I've been to see one meditation teacher who asked me to add in the chanting of the jewel in the lotus (om mane padme hum) 108 times. which is what has brought me to this discussion thread. Since meeting with this one teacher im sort of keen to get the right type of meditation going on.
I try to meditate at least one a day, but i need to work on my discipline clearly as I thought I had this anxiety fear thing conquered. But i dont, what i have been doing is substituting my moments of stress with a exercise work out to divert my mind. I basically need to reprogramme my mind to not think somethings going to go wrong which sparks my stress levels, but I just dont know how to get to that point.
Dazzle, I saw your link last night but then realised my printer is out of damn ink! (epic Doh!!) thanks for the link again!
light lotus
have you considered mindfulness/insight meditation?
Mindfulness meditation is the way to go. It is the meditation style promoted by the earliest form of Buddism (truest form, IMO). Here's a link to a free book that's one of the best for beginners. Give it a try.
http://www.urbandharma.org/udharma4/mpe.html
thanks for this, Ive done another yoga lesson this morning i just need to build up a schedule of stress relieving things i do (as well as the confidence boosting ones too!) and maintain them. Im looking for qi qong lessons now too!
take care
light lotus
a)Metta meditation its good. Anapanasati its also good.
One advice, dont mix so much, its better to dominate one technique, rather than
being average in many.
b)you can do even faster reduction of stress by changing some habits, we tend to forget that buddhism is about a noble eightfold path, if u practice "only meditation" u dont practice buddhism...in a practical way just watch how less stress there is in one month without Tv
c)in my experience the meditation becomes much more settled after passing the 30 minutes, going to 45, 1hr. 30 minutes is when u feel the need to get up, if u beat that, much of the struggle and the thinking of meditation its gone, and u really start to enjoy it.
Good luck!.
I believe it is vital to practice everyday. 20 min - 100.
You are taking yoga lessons? That's great. Weekly mindfuless yoga sessions I found made me extremely relaxed and calm. Of course I am just a teenager without kids or even a job.
I suggest finding a mindfulness yoga (physical movements with mindfulness) teacher who does public sessions if it's possible. Of course people say that physical excersice also helps with stress too.
That covers the meditation part!
Yoga is a good workout, but from my experience at gyms, it is taught much more as a physical exercise than as a mental one. Furthermore, even if it does stress mindfulness, I just don't think you can go as deep in that type of setting (however, doing yoga by yourself in a quiet environment is a different case).
Since your concern is stress reduction, you have to be VERY clear about the two types of stress reduction: short-run and long-run.
Some activities only reduce stress for a short period of time, after which the stress returns. "Concentration" meditation can reduce stress greatly while you are on the cushion, however, the stress will soon come back.
Mindfulness and Insight meditation uses concentration and cultivates a sense of calm, however, that IS NOT the objective. It is merely a stepping stone as well as a pleasant side effect.
The objective is NOT to relax, but rather to liberate yourself from the things that cause you the stress in the first place. This is the long-run solution.
That is why I am encouraging you to go full-steam ahead with mindfulness/insight meditation, since it will address both your short-run and long-run concerns.
Loving-kindness meditation is a great way to prepare the mind for a meditation session. However, according the Gunaratana (the author of "MPE"), it is of limited value if it is not accompanied by mindfulness training. (He says something to the effect of: it is a short-term solution, but not a long-term one).
I'm not sure about Qi Gong, but I'm still guessing it's better to focus on one thing first.
I am listening to the first CD in the mornings this week. And I thought it was EXACTLY what you are looking for provided you enjoy audio CDs. Its also in book form.
I found a deepak chompra version on Itunes. Still need to check it out though thanks for the reccomendation though.
light lotus.
I'll try to stay with my fear or anxiety and try not to run. Not always easy but I try not to flinch.
Then as I stay more with the 'bad' feeling, it'll start 'talking' to me. I write down those things that come to me. Usually, they are the things that seem to be causing the feelings (but not always; don't take them at face value), sometimes they are just random stuff. I continue writing whatever comes to me until the feeling dissipates, which it always will.
Then, I run through the list. I see what are the things that are really giving me griefs and strike out those that are not. Not all of them are. Often, I find that things I fear about are purely imaginary. I've a tendency to scare myself, don't know why.
At the end, the list is very much smaller and those that remains are often those that are either insignificant or are completely out of my control (like other people, the environment, weather, transport). So I tell myself why should I worry myself sick if I've no control over these stuff. Then, I feel much better.
Plus, I find the act of writing is actually very therapeutic and calming. Instead of keeping everything inside, I pour them out on paper. If you don't like writing, you can choose other modes of self-expression. I should think they may have the same effect.
I hope this form of writing 'meditation' will be useful to you. Take good care.
thanks, I been to the point of self destruction due to poor health and meditation has just snapped me out of it. Ive done something similar to what you reccommended and it lead me to convert to buddhism. I tell you what my life has drastically improved - yet im thinking it may lead me to have complicated it a bit. But the overall quality of my life as improved!
take care.
Light lotus.
Perhaps you would like to tell us more about what has become more complicated after converting to buddhism? Those who have been through the same thing would then be able to share their experiences. Thanks.
i think a lot of you have probably experienced a lot of what i am feeling. Since officially converting to buddhism a few months ago now a lot of the things in my life make sense. Im able to move on and let go of a lot of the stresses I used to carry around with me as baggage to hold me back.
I was very ill in hospital having a ECG test done at hourly intervals - i had to sit there and listen to an aunt preach at me how 'God is testing me! all the more i suffered all the more my sins are being reduced' I couldn't tell her to shut up as i had an oxygen mask on (I have a yet fully undiagnosed lung condition) but i was on the internet thing they have at some hospitals in the UK and i was reading up about the four noble truths and the eightfold path. I glanced over the dharmapada too while she was irrating me. I basically was drawn in instantly and within weeks started meditation and constantly learning more about buddhism to the point where i officially converted at the start of this year (although that hospital experience was the start).
The complex elements of my official converting is now that I see things so much more clearly and realize how my previous way of life was totally wrong and its because of the lifestyle i lead that was adding a stress to the illness. I now seem to disagree with most of my family and relatives on so many points now that its causing mini clashes.
I havent had much choice but to push people out of my life as I can now suddenly see that they were such a negative aspect in my life and would literally bring me down. Do I just avoid people who are just wrecking all the benefits from my meditating and new calmer less stressful lifestyle?
light lotus
This all started a good few weeks ago when both my friend and sister kept me up all night needing to moan. Since then its being so obvious that I've let people take advantage of me and been a little to compassionate when I never seem to get that care back at all.
The most recent event is that ive started to avoid the friend as she keeps coming out with these comments that are just wrong (critising other friends and their quality of marriage - that was the conversation to justify her need for a divorce). When my mum has answered my mobile for me (while I was in the shower) I came out to hear her moaning about her divorce to my mum! I dont need to be some kind of life coach to anyone. So Im pushing people out of my life - there is no getting through to people.
I feel like post conversion to buddhism, I have been seeing things so clearly and I can see where I've been going wrong. Am I doing the right thing in pushing these people away who are adding suffering to my life!
light lotus
Yeah it sounds really extreme to do but im actually really happy with the thought of being isolated from them all. Thats whats sort of making me think I may end being a total recluse, previously i was attached to everything and the thought of being alone or doing things alone were scary now i just kinda feel like the influence of the people around me (esp. Family) were leading me down this road of Doom. I was basically in this mode to feel as though I had to be like everyone else in my family now I just wanna be me (and different).
I was as near a mental breakdown as I could possibly be last year and I got a taste of reality - you can only really help yourself and not rely on others...even though you might do that extra bit more for them.
light lotus
I had a moment in December where the week running up to Christmas where I started a nice pattern of waking up calm and meditating to stop hyperventilating. I had a week of hospital appointments which naturally had me feeling anxious so my idea was meditating and doing Yoga on the Wii fit (as the snow caused my lessons to be cancelled) in walks my sister to come and stay over as the new boyfriend was being in her words 'weird'. I had her moan at me for the snow...for the snow on her car. Thats a personality thing which i let go off. Then it was watching tv moaning about what the presenter was wearing and i thought ok im going to have to find some distration. I was clearly stressed out at the prospects of getting test results and she did not see that or care to ask. The most recent thing is she has declared my sudden calm and clear method of thinking ( and drasitic health recovery due to meditation) as a act of god (like she is one to preach!) and its like a sign she has now seen the light!! i sit there smirking while i think 'hell no, i've just found a better lifestyle. we've seen different lights!' my sister just irratates me! She's seven years older than me - but acts way younger.
So since then i've made my life really calm and simple and more like a recluse and im so much more peaceful I kind of feel like my brain is not running at a 100mph pre - meditation anymore. So its more me trying to avoid people now as im sick of being taken advantage of.
LL
I think reclusiveness is a good start. However, your negative experiences relating to other people are probably the product of some type of unwholesomeness. So in the near future that's probably something to look into.