Mindfulness, meditation and anxiety

[contrarymary]

I have taken advice from beyond blue help line and from my GP both have recommended mindfulness and meditation. I have been trying this for the past 2 months but It doesn't work for me. I read all the instructions and try to follow the exercises eg breathing and relaxing but I can't do it. I went also to some meditation classes followed the teachers instructions everyone else was relaxing but not me, the teacher gave me some extra instruction but no use

any ideas on working it out or any suggestions for other ideas to try.

my GP referred me to a councillor and they suggested mindfulness.

am I the only one who doesn't understand mindfulness

[Ggrand]

Dear contrarymary,

I find mindfulness and meditation is an on going daily practise that works some days and other days not..

We have a thread it’s titled..”Mindfulness, even if you don’t know”..if you search that title in the search bar..you’ll find so many people sharing what works for them or what doesn’t..their is so many great suggestions and different ideas to try....that might help you to understand mindfulness a little better...I’m still learning myself...

I use meditation from you tube nightly followed by a gentle sleep story..to calm my thoughts before sleep...

The mindfulness thread is their for anyone who wants to read or wants to post suggestions, ask questions or chat about mindfulness...I hope that the mindfulness thread will help you in some way to better understand it..

My kindest thoughts..

Grandy..

[Here2Talk]

Hi Mary,

I have been trying mindfulness lately too. I find it frustrating too, especially without using audio guidance. I’ve been using the headspace app recently - I’ve done it 19 days in a row at the moment. It isn’t free though.... like $20 a month or $91 for a year.

I find that mindfulness/meditation is part of the solution, not the “entire” solution.

What else is going on in your life contrarymary? Anything you’d like to talk about here?

[contrarymary]

Thank you, I have had a look at the thread and found it useful and I am going to give mindfulness another go as well

[littlepenguin]

hi there contrarymary,

I suffer from generalised anxiety I have been advised that meditation and mindfulness could be of benefit to me. Meditation I find really hard as well. Mindfulness I do find it can help when I am in an anxious state or I find myself in a loop of negative thinking or ruminating. I find it can be great to bring you back to the present, and out of a state of worry and be in the present moment. The way I understand it , and how I practice mindfulness is I start paying attention to what is around me, I start to feel the fabric of the seat I am sitting on , what does it feel like under my fingers. I feel my feet planted on the floor, I wiggle my toes in my shoes. I listen to what I can hear can I hear birds in the background, is there a tv or radio in the background- listen to sounds around you. I look around what can I see is there something happening out of the window, or out on the street? focus on that. Hopefully noticing these immediate things in your environment will distract you , and pull you out of an anxious state of mind and bring you back to the present.
Another purpose for mindfulness is that is helps you live and exist in the present moment..... that is all we have ... the past has already happened, there is no going back... the future has not happened, no one knows what will happen or even if it will happen. The only thing you know for sure and that you can live in is this moment. I hope this helps. good luck