Meditation - Breathing is my Blessing!
Ugh! its morning again??!!
As someone with OCD and GAD there are many mornings I wake up afraid to get out of bed. My brain starts its "what if" generator specifically curated for the day - if I'm working its "what if I don't do a good enough job today," if there is a doctor's appointment its "what if I'm late" - even visiting the hair salon can be a stressor, "what if I don't like the cut and have to tell my stylist..." Hooray for Anxiety!!!
And as soon as the "what ifs" start so do the heart palpitations and the sweating, etc. etc. etc...
Needless to say I have never been a huge fan of mornings but like everyone else I have to get out of bed (sometimes more sloth-like than human) and start the day. I needed to find a coping tool to make this process a little easier for me.
I have used a form of meditation for many years but it wasn't until 2019 that I became a regular practitioner. Now every morning when the "what ifs" start and my body responds with its "fight or flight" business, I have a method to quiet both body and mind. My morning meditation is simple and requires little time. However, the beauty of this mental practice as I have learned after further research is that meditation is limited only by your own creativity and personal preferences. One can incorporate words, music and even nature sounds to name a few variations.
Getting back to my personal morning mediation - its basic but effective for me. All it involves is breathing, counting and focus. I start slowly counting to 100 - taking two deep breaths for each number and focusing only on the inhalation and exhalation of breath. Sounds easy right- not so fast... As anyone with a brain can tell you sometimes the hardest thing to do is maintaining focus on one concept. Every time my mind wanders off my breath - I focus it back on the process of inhaling and exhaling. And I guarantee your mind will wander and wander and you will have to refocus many times in just one session.
But at the end of this simple daily exercise, I find that I am calmer, my body's nervous system a little quieter and it is easier to embrace the day at hand.
The beauty of meditation is that it takes only minutes to learn but a lifetime to master. As a daily practitioner you learn that it is neither a race nor a contest to be won - simply a mental exercise to continue practicing daily. And as a daily practitioner you are rewarded with a calmer, more peaceful demeanor.
If you are interested in learning more about mediation I have listed several good books and apps below - which can be used by beginner to long-time practitioner alike...
Several books to read:
Wherever You Go There You Are - Jon Kabat-Zinn
Meditation is Not What You Think - Jon Kabat- Zinn
Two apps to explore
Calm
Headspace
I wish you peace on your future meditation journey...