Meditation and Mindfulness

joyfull

Thanks for the replies. I KNOW I really would benefit from doing this in a structured and regular way. Especially when mentally I'm feeling relatively more on an even keel as it would help to develop the habit of not getting so caught in thought created maelstroms, so that when the rocky times come I'll feel more anchored.

Right.... Note to self..... from tomorrow I'll do a couple of sessions a day of at least 20 mins.

One more question, if you don't mind. Do you do the longer sessions at the same time each day, if so what time.

Thanks so much.

Racheldevon

Hi All,

Really happy to find this thread, i've been practicing mindfulness mediation since last summer, and it's made a big difference to a wide range of things, but it's something that's a real challenge!

In terms of resources others might find useful:

www.mindfulspace.co.uk is a resource with the option of newsletters which have links to interesting articles, upcoming workshops on mindfulness etc

Also, there's a place in Devon called the Sharpham Trust, which is where i did my first Mindfulness Meditation Retreat as a way of really immersing myself in it so that it would become a mroe regular habit - until then i'd read bits and tried but hadn't really understood what it was all about. There are various options, I did the Sustaining Ourselves through mindfulness one which was aimed at people in Health, Social Care, Education & voluntary sectors etc. Bursaries are available, as is a discount if you work in the voluntary sector. The tutors were very experienced, and the residential element I really enjoyed, it's a beautiful venue. http://www.sharphamtrust.org/page.php?id=7

There's also the Barn retreat, details can be found on the above website, but if you're new to it i'd recommend the above one I did, or they also run the MBSR (mindfulness based stress reduction) courses that others on here have done.

There's also Gaia House in Devon, although a lot of these retreats are silent ones http://gaiahouse.co.uk/ but it does do the MBSR

In terms of free courses etc, there is due to be a drop in evening workshop set up in Exeter shortly, PM me for details. There's also some one day weekend workshops starting at the end of January.

On the NHS, you can also access mindfulness support through Exeter University, who offer MBSR course, plus other specific mindfulness training for depression - if you're local ask your GP to refer you. http://www.exeter.ac.uk/mooddisorders/acceptclinic/

In terms of CDs that i've found good:

Mindfulness Meditation for Pain Relief by Jon Kabat Zinn http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mindfulness-Meditation-Pain-Relief-Reclaiming/dp/1591797403/ref=sr_1_3?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1326648266&sr=1-3 is a good 2 disc CD for thsoe with chronic pain

Meditation for Optimum Health: by Jon Kabat Zinn & Dr Andrew Weil http://www.amazon.co.uk/Meditation-Optimum-Health-Mindfulness-Breathing/dp/1564558827/ref=sr_1_4?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1326648266&sr=1-4 is also very good, 2 discs

Guided Mindfulness Meditation by Jon Kabat Zinn is good and has 4 longer meditation sessions (approx 45 mins each one, so best to start with the above) http://www.amazon.co.uk/Guided-Mindfulness-Meditation-Jon-Kabat-Zinn/dp/1591793599/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1326648266&sr=1-1

Also Mindfulness for Beginners by Jon kabat zinn
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mindfulness-Beginners-Jon-Kabat-Zinn/dp/1591794641/ref=sr_1_2?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1326648266&sr=1-2

I've tried the cds by pema chodron and these are also pretty good, I think you can download on Itunes too, but probably helpful to have some understanding of it all first.

Hope this is helpful (no idea why my text has changed colour, and has also made every word start with a capital half way through typing - but can't make it change back!)

joyfull

Thanks Racheldevon for all those useful links.

I'm on day 3 of starting a regular practice and already feeling benefits. I'm finding that throughout the day there's a returning to a sense of quiet & 'unmovingness' that's almost physical. The mind chatters on & there's been a flurry of fear /anxiety stories that want attention, but somehow, by just noticing the sensation of breath, over and over, the tight suffering stuff kind of evaporates eventually. As does everything else.

It's weird. The sense of well being is not a 'high' but just a deep okayness with just this moment. Feels strange even talking about it as it feels so normal.

It's nice to share this with some of you.

[Deleted User]

Hi Joyfull,

This is really inspiring to read, long may it continue! I'm glad you're experiencing the benefits already and you described it perfectly: a sense of quiet and unmovingness. When I meditate, I notice afterwards that I am less wrapped up in 'me' thoughts and am move appreciative of the world and things around me that are not related to my ego. I had a real problem with noisy neighbours in my last house. They would have parties, play music really loudly and let their kids stomp about and scream constantly. I am sensitive to noise as it is but this pushed me over the edge: I was constantly angry, believing my neighbours to be selfish and thoughtless and experiencing frequent moments of panic and anxiety when I heard noise coming from their house, to the point where I spent most of my time out of the house. When I started practising mindfulness, I found that often I could just 'observe' the noise without placing any interpretation on it or what it meant to 'me', how it posed a threat. I think mindfulness makes you more accepting and aware of your surroundings without the need to tell a story about them, if that makes sense. I wonder if this is something anyone else has noticed.

Thank you again for sharing your experience Joyfull.

joyfull

goldilockz, you & I sound similar in that we are highly sensitive, which definitely does not make for a comfortable existence on this earth in my experience. I've spent much of my life feeling so isolated that I feel that I have a screen between 'me' and the world. Soooo wrapped up in MY thought created universe - a very tight, contracted and painful place to be.

You describe very well how it's possible to relax into something more spacious that is responsive rather than reactive. I meditated for over 20 years, but so intense was 'my' suffering that it was all I could bear to do just to sit still, through the back pain, let alone notice the breath. Now, into middle age, & the living with an ageing body with it's many discomforts & attendant fears, there feels a renewed sense of urgency about cultivating this priceless gift.

Thank you too, for your inspiring sharings & openness.

[Deleted User]

Hi Joyfull,

I can really relate to your experience and agree that living in this world, which is often busy, noisy, fast, emotional, is often very difficult and painful for everyone, but this is perhaps enhanced for people who are highly sensitive. I often feel isolated and as if I can't relate to the world or that the world cannot relate to me, but every now and again I find some evidence to the contrary and your posts definitely make me feel like there are more of us out there! I love mindfulness because it allows me to take a break from being 'me' and all the things I identify so tightly with, and just...be. A lot of people think that meditation is about stilling the mind, but for me it is more about having a bit of distance from the mind, which is even better. I tend to become very involved in my thoughts and believe even the most absurd ones, thinking that because they have appeared, they must have some weight. I am learning that this isn't true or helpful and that my anxieties stem from being so consumed with 'what ifs' and rarely just appreciating the moment.

I definitely think you're onto something with your practice: it sounds like you're really determined and are already experiencing the benefits. I'm really looking forward to reading how mindfulness benefits you as you continue. I've just done my daily mindfulness and am experiencing a kind of stillness just now that I rarely feel, like I am seeing the world from new eyes. I usually do the practice just before bed because I procrastinate so much about it and leave it to the last minute, but today I did it at 4.30pm and am glad I did because instead of falling asleep during it as a normally do, I participated more and feel like I benefitted from it more too. Hopefully that'll be the last time I procrastinate! x

[Deleted User]

Hi Joyfull,

Just wondering how the mindfulness practise is going? I am finally starting to notice results with mine: slowly but surely I am feeling a little less stressed. Long may it last! Hope you are well xx

joyfull

Deleted_User wrote: »

Hi Joyfull,

Just wondering how the mindfulness practise is going? I am finally starting to notice results with mine: slowly but surely I am feeling a little less stressed. Long may it last! Hope you are well xx

It's slightly tricky to comment on 'how it's going'. Seems to me that the old mind & it's habitual patterns may well carry on for the rest of the life. Possibly, it's more about noticing the unchanging amidst the flux & flow of a life. There is always an aspect of 'me' that is constant and always present & then there's all the stuff that comes and goes. What's your feeling about this?

Having gone all deep...... I've fried my brain today grappling with the bookeeping side of being self employed. Totally forgot to watch the breath, just got all stressed!

Armchair23

It's a difficult one to comment on. It's not like you can say 'I've lost two pounds' or someone has said how good your new haircut looks.
It just really comes down to how you feel at the end of a day or week with or without your meditation.
That's a bit of a tough one if you're used to someone else telling you how you're doing, by passing exams - meeting targets- being a good daughter or wife- getting compliments or criticism, whatever it might be.
I know I need to invest time in keeping my mind 'healthy' I was widowed recently and I don't want to let myself be defined by circumstances.
The trouble is this can all sound so vague and airey fairey but it really is worth giving it a try to see what it can do for you.
Sorry but sometimes I think the more you say about meditation and mindfulness the less it helps !

Maryland_Cookie

Hi Goldilockz, thought I'd up date you on how things are going for me, seeing as I've not posted for a few days. I have progressed to week 2 of the Mark Williams CD, and really feel like I'm "getting it". I also did a fantastic yoga class yesterday which incorporated meditation and chanting, and I feel so much more grounded and centred. I feel like I'm surrounded by a physical presence of calmness if that makes sense, and have found that I am much more tolerant and not as stressed at work.

I'm struggling to fit in 2 meditations a day, but finding that just one is working for me at the moment.

It's great to hear how everyone is getting on, and reading such inspiring posts. Thanks all xx