Meditation and Mindfulness

Armchair23

I'd say read the book so you have a basis to start from and know what you're aiming towards.
There are lots of 'guided meditations' around on youtube and as audiofiles.
John Kabat Zinn is the name to look for as the very best you'll hear. He is the founder of this particular typeof Vi!!!!ana meditation.

elsien

I've tried and failed using a short freebie guide that came with the paper.
Nothing wrong with the guide itself I don't think - basic as it is, it's a starting point which is what I wanted. My problem has been making the effort to put the time aside to do it. I work shifts which vary day to day and week to week, and when I'm at home there's the usual routine of housework, dog walking etc.
I think it would be easier to make time if it was a course I attended that I had to be at at a set place and time but with my working pattern that's just not possible. And there's always something "more important" I can find to do. I suppose you need the practice to feel the benefit, but without the benefit there's no incentive to make the time so it's a bit of a vicious circle.
Any ideas or suggestions as I need all the stress relief I can get at the moment? Other than getting my @rse off here and doing something more constructive obviously.:)

Maryland_Cookie

Hi Goldilockz, thanks for starting this thread, which I've read with interest. I bought the Mark Williams book a few weeks ago and have been "trying" to meditate with the CD. I wonder whether I might be trying too hard, because I can't seem to "do it" and my mind is/was all over the place. I must admit I've not tried it much and wonder if it's something that improves with practice? I've been finding it really hard to bring my thoughts back in, and to just think about my breath.

My job is really stressful and I manage a large team, I come home from work feeling stressed and am EXTREMELY over critical on how I've handled day to day situations and hope that meditation might be the key in helping me relax, and manage my self esteem issues.

The mindful courses you went on really interest me, could you PM the details please?

Thanks again for posting and I look forward to hearing how everyone is getting on.....

clairibel

@ ELSIEN Sorry forgot to quote your post.

Have you tried BO TAU? short for Breath Optimized Transformational Unblocking, it basically a breathing sequence to de stress you and you can do it anywhere.

Heres a short video of it, it is more in depth i think but the MSE way is free vids

I've been doing it a bit and slept very well last night after i did it. I don't hold my nose though as i read it from this article and it still worked psychologies mag

Armchair23

Marylandcookie, you can't 'fail' with mindfulness, it just isn't part of the concept.
Coming back to the breath every time you realise your mind has wandered IS mindfulness. Relaxation or some other specific state isn't at all what mindfulness is about. It's knowing and accepting the way the mind wanders, acknowledging it and still coming back to the breath.
Doing it is everything, thinking about it is probably not that useful. And there is no best in class or top of the form.
So very hard to explain but so very worthwhile.
Much better said by the guides and teachers so forgive my ramblings.

kkennedy

Deleted_User wrote: »

Hi there,

It's great you're thinking of doing a mindfulness course. I did mine in Glasgow at a yoga centre.

this is something i would love to try where in Glasgow is the yoga centre and how much is the course thanks

Rummer

I think I would really benefit from mindfulness and meditation. I have tried (through yoga) to meditate in the past however I find it hard to quieten my mind so I think it would be good to attend a group to help guide me

[Deleted User]

Maryland_Cookie wrote: »

Hi Goldilockz, thanks for starting this thread, which I've read with interest. I bought the Mark Williams book a few weeks ago and have been "trying" to meditate with the CD. I wonder whether I might be trying too hard, because I can't seem to "do it" and my mind is/was all over the place. I must admit I've not tried it much and wonder if it's something that improves with practice? I've been finding it really hard to bring my thoughts back in, and to just think about my breath.

My job is really stressful and I manage a large team, I come home from work feeling stressed and am EXTREMELY over critical on how I've handled day to day situations and hope that meditation might be the key in helping me relax, and manage my self esteem issues.

The mindful courses you went on really interest me, could you PM the details please?

Thanks again for posting and I look forward to hearing how everyone is getting on.....

Hi Maryland Cookie (your username makes me hungry!),

I had exactly the same problem as you when I first began meditating. It definitely does get easier with practise and I know that most people in my class struggled at first. It's not about 'trying' or anything like that but just 'letting be'. Whatever happens happens. This is something that took me a while to get my head round but now when my head fills with thoughts and I struggle to centre myself, I imagine myself meditating in front of a waterfall and all the thoughts are falling from the waterfall. A strange concept but it works for me, otherwise you could try picturing your thoughts on a cinema screen with you as an observer. The key is just to notice you're having thoughts and when you do, notice your breath, if only for a second before the mind starts again. It takes some practise.

I initially started meditating for the same reasons as you are: because of stress (not with work but with my MSc) and self-esteem issues. I find that mindfulness helps with both but it only works if you persevere. I had a big break after my first 8 week course and only began another course because I was desperate for some relief from my anxious thoughts. I have suffered from depression and OCD for many years. Mindfulness is the ONLY thing that has helped with both even remotely, after years of counselling and medications, so it is powerful but it has to be kept up. I believe in it so much that my new ambition is to eventually teach mindfulness and hold retreats. There is a lot of info about mindfulness courses at the following address: https://www.bemindful.co.uk so there should hopefully be one near you.
I'm afraid I have to turn in now but I will reply in more detail to other posts tomorrow. Best of luck everyone xoxo

joyfull

The mind is so tricky. It's easy to get into endless thoughts of
' I must find time to be mindful...'
'I can't do this properly...'
'It's not working...'

rather than simply return over & over & over to noticing the breath or whatever is arising presently.

The great thing about the breath is, it's always there - nothing to remember or think about.

Loving this thread. Thanks to everyone.

joyfull

Armchair23 wrote: »

Marylandcookie, you can't 'fail' with mindfulness, it just isn't part of the concept.
Coming back to the breath every time you realise your mind has wandered IS mindfulness. Relaxation or some other specific state isn't at all what mindfulness is about. It's knowing and accepting the way the mind wanders, acknowledging it and still coming back to the breath.
Doing it is everything, thinking about it is probably not that useful. And there is no best in class or top of the form.
So very hard to explain but so very worthwhile.
Much better said by the guides and teachers so forgive my ramblings.

Armchair, that is a brilliant post.

Doing it is everything - spot on