One of the physical manifestations of depression is a caved chest. This appears to be a way that the mind-body naturally attempts to protect the heart. Unfortunately, this pattern can often become habitual, leading to defensiveness and an inability to feel positive feelings.
Read MoreFor those who have difficulty experiencing positive feelings, opening the heart can be very uncomfortable.
If you struggle to find something to feel grateful for, thinking of a memory to serve as a positive emotional anchor can be useful.
We think that somehow attempting to predict problems will alleviate stress. At the very least, we won’t be disappointed if things don’t work out the way we wanted. The reality is that the majority of those thoughts are fear-based stories that create an internal environment priming our brain to be stressed and anxious.
This is where mindfulness comes in. Can you become aware of the stories you are telling yourself in any given moment? Can you recognize that your thoughts are not facts? When you are unaware, you act out of habit, and old programming runs the show. When you are aware, you have a choice.
The speed of life continues to increase, and we are inundated with information and expectations that we should always be available by phone, text, or social media.
Many people use a frantic lifestyle as a distraction so they do not have to experience underlying feelings of sadness, grief, remorse, or fear. One of the most powerful practices to begin to shift out of the fast-paced stress mode is to slow down.
Do you ever feel anxious when doing relaxing activities like yoga, meditation, or getting a massage?
If you answered yes, you are one of the 15%-20% of people who experience anxiety during formal relaxation training.
When we breathe in, our heart rate increases. When we breathe out, our heart rate decreases. When we breathe at our resonant frequency, the heart and lungs synchronize. For most people, this synchronicity happens around 6 breaths per minute.
Breathing this way for 10-15 minutes causes a decrease in stress hormones (cortisol) and an increase in restoration hormones (DHEA). The brain regions involved in stress responses also begin to quiet down. Our entire system begins to change. Simply put, our breathing changes our state of consciousness
Find Relief from Ruminating Thoughts Using Focus Meditation.
If you or a client are experiencing ruminating thoughts as part of depression, relief may be found in a Focus meditation that shifts attention away from the ruminations.
Postponing unwanted thoughts gives them a time and place, helping keep them at an appropriate scale. When you find your mind ruminating on unwanted thoughts, find a 30-minute block in your calendar. Schedule a time to sit with these thoughts.
Read MoreLabeling the thoughts that arise during a Mindfulness meditation can be a helpful practice. For example, if you notice yourself thinking about what you will be doing later that day, you can label the thought “planning” and then let it go.
Read MoreHumans are meaning-making creatures.
We are constantly involved in this process of meaning-making by creating narratives about our life, ourselves, our surroundings, and the people we interact with.
We fill in the missing details of a particular situation based on our fears, unmet needs, memories, and expectations. These stories help us feel like the world is predictable.
But the majority of the stories we create are works of fiction. And they still hold tremendous power.
Read MoreThe actual object of attention in a Focus meditation practice is less important than maintaining attention on that object. In this post, we share some general guidelines that you may find helpful in selecting a focus.
Read MoreOpen Heart meditations involve activating positive feelings and focusing those feelings towards others. These types of meditative practices are distinct from Focus meditations in that they involve the intentional generation of caring, love, and compassion. Examples include lovingkindness and other compassion-based meditation practices.
Read MoreMindfulness involves paying attention to what is happening in the present moment. Most often when we consider mindfulness, we think about our own thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations, and behaviors in the moment. It is also important for us to notice what is happening in our environment, as our environment has the ability to impact both our thoughts and our emotional states.
Read MoreFocus meditations involve a voluntary and sustained attention on a chosen object. When your thoughts begin to wander from the chosen object, the goal is to recognize this has happened quickly and without judgement, and then to return attention to the original focus. Examples include focusing on your breath, a part of the body, or a strong visual image, word, or phrase.
Read MoreFeeling depressed, agitated, or anxious? It's no wonder! The brain is designed to focus on the threatening parts of life, leaving us feeling exhausted, discouraged, and depleted. The way to counteract this tendency is to intentionally focus on the positive. This practice is about savoring the good.
Read MoreMany beginning meditators have the idea that it is necessary to meditate for 30 minutes to get any results. But in the beginning, very few people can sit and meditate for more than a few minutes. Beginning meditators who try to sit for long periods of time often end up chasing thoughts and memories, relaxing, or taking a nap. This time might be enjoyable and relaxing, but it isn’t meditation.
Read MoreSometimes moving away from negative stimuli is just as important as moving toward positive stimuli.
Most television programs, including the news, are written to stir powerful, uncomfortable feelings. This tactic keeps your attention, and it works! Unfortunately, the brain responds to these images and messages by initiating a stress repose. Even if the images and stories are untrue, the brain responds as if they were.
How can we stay connected to the world around us while moving away from negative stimuli and allowing our brains to rest? To answer this question for yourself, try the thinking routine below.
Read MoreMindfulness meditations involve maintaining an open presence and a non-judgmental awareness of sensory, cognitive, and affective experiences as they arise in the moment. Studies examining brainwave patterns during Mindfulness meditation practices have found increased frontal theta power as well as increased frontal theta communication. Theta waves are between 4-8 hz and are associated with the subconscious mind, moments of creativity, and retrieving certain types of memory.
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