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celestica
Canada
38 Posts |
 Posted - 10/22/2005 : 13:23:01
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Hi everybody,
I'm trying some new things that are working quite well so I thought I'd share them...
I'm using the meditation CDs and Full Catastrophe Living, by John Kabat Zinn, which were a lovely gift from AnneG in England. I use the CDs according to the book, and they are amazing for reducing anxiety and allowing unconscious feelings to rise to consciousness. I was so impressed by set #1 I bought set #3, which has some shorter meditations (10, 20 and 30 minutes as opposed to 45 minutes on the first set)
I'm also taking a Kundilini Yoga class at the local community centre, which is free of charge.
Some examples of feelings that are coming up recently...
During my bodyscan meditation I felt very intense anger at having been beaten as a child by my father...which I noted, accepted, then moved on.
I then felt intense fear....meditated on that, and found that I was still feeling afraid that someone would hurt me today...meditated some more until it floated away. I never would consciously say that I am afraid of this, but I guess I carry this fear around with me without knowing it.
Scary eh?
Last week in Yoga we were doing alternative nostril breathing, and the left nostril breathing is supposed to put you in touch with the feminine side...I smiled while breathing, thinking of a joke, then saw my newborn son smiling at me as he breastfeeds, then WHOA!!! I feel myself a newborn smiling up at my mother as I nurse. That was a very comforting and beautiful vision and feeling.
The weird thing is, I used to make fun of people who do yoga and meditate (secretly, in my head, of course), thinking they were flaky and all that.
Well, all of my TMS pain is going away as I continue to meditate and do yoga.
The newest research by Bessel Van der Kolk, the foremost trauma researcher in the world, indicates that the best therapies for trauma are body oriented, including meditation, movement, etc.
in addition to talk therapy. I know this is controversial on this site but I am inclined to agree with him from both personal experience and from working as a therapist with traumatised children and adults.
Peace, everybody, and good health.
Amelia |
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art
1903 Posts |
Posted - 10/22/2005 : 16:11:39
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I'm the world's worst meditator, but I so agree that movement is helpful. I've had a nasty case of post traumatic syndrome and running, biking, etc. has been a life saver, and a life restorer.
When I run, I feel reborn. And after each and every run I feel restored, and just a little bit further down the road to healing.
I thank God I have the health necessary to do these things...
I think these activities are my form of meditation. |
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marytabby
USA
545 Posts |
Posted - 10/23/2005 : 13:52:56
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Celestica,
What meditation titles would you recommend? I am a beginner meditator. I am looking for cd/tape format. |
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n/a
374 Posts |
Posted - 10/24/2005 : 03:16:35
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It's good to hear that Kabat Zinn's programme suits you, Amelia - he really knows how to get right to the core of things. It's interesting that he has some shorter meditations - I found that as time went on and I recovered that I didn't need the full scan. I wonder if he developed shorter ones as a result of people asking him for something less time consuming. When I first got the book and tapes they were exactly right for reducing the terrible anxiety and, as you say, allowing unconscious feelings to rise to the surface.
I don't know if I have mentioned before that it was my psychotherapist who put me on to 'Full Catastrophe Living'. One of the things that I had asked her to help me with was my inability to live in the present - the book and tapes were brilliant for that.
It's interesting to hear about different approaches to healing from TMS that have worked for people who post here - maybe different things are needed depending how far down a person has fallen. I tend to think that had I read Dr Sarno years before I 'broke down' with physical and emotional pain I may have been able to heal with just the knowledge and acceptance of what was going on.
As it was - I was in a mess and really needed to work on the anxiety.
I like the word 'restored', Art. used in relation to how you feel after you run etc - that's a good description of how I felt after a Kabat Zinn meditation.
Best wishes
Anne
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celestica
Canada
38 Posts |
Posted - 10/24/2005 : 19:29:18
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HI Mary,
I like John Kabat-Zinn's because they are simple and his voice is both boring and kind. I am a Canadian, and find that many American accents on meditation CDs distract me because of their unfamiliarity. So JKZ's is not distracting, only pleasantly different.
THere are three series, I have the yellow and green one. I did the 45 minute meditation daily for a month, then bought the shorter ones and vary between the 10 minute one when I'm rushed, and 45 minutes when I really feel stressed and like I need to transform that into a more peaceful OK feeling.
The book Full Catastrophe Living by him helped to inspire me. I don't know about you but all the hospitals around me (in Toronto) have mindfulness based stress reduction programmes that are based on this doctor and his work. If you are in Canada they are free included in Medicare, or if you have insurance in the US, they may be covered too.
Good luck,
Amelia |
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Meditation and Yoga (Hi AnneG)
