MEDITATION FOR ANXIETY
Racing heart, getting shorter and shorter of breath, insomnia, hot flashes… Do you recognize it? It’s anxiety knocking at your door! If you’ve ever experienced it, you know it. This physiological reaction to a feeling of fear or stress can quickly become overwhelming. Even worse, if it persists over time, it can mutate into a paralyzing anxiety disorder: agoraphobia, specific phobia, social anxiety, and others. To calm the effects of anxiety, various solutions exist. One of them is meditation, which has proven to be particularly effective.
But how does meditation help in managing anxiety, and how to meditate for anxiety? Three elements specific to anxiety meditation come into play here. The first one is purely physical, it is about concentrating on one’s breathing to calm the body. The second one is in resonance with one’s mind. It is a matter of anchoring oneself fully in the present to be free from the recurring, rambling thoughts and fears that paralyze us. The last one is based on acceptance. Because accepting one’s anxiety is undoubtedly the best way to get rid of it.
Your body is already equipped with an anti-stress mechanism. It is up to you to activate it or not. And if this makes you feel fuzzy, Yogilab is there to guide you.
MEDITATION FOR ANXIETY
Racing heart, getting shorter and shorter of breath, insomnia, hot flashes… Do you recognize it? It’s anxiety knocking at your door! If you’ve ever experienced it, you know it. This physiological reaction to a feeling of fear or stress can quickly become overwhelming. Even worse, if it persists over time, it can mutate into a paralyzing anxiety disorder: agoraphobia, specific phobia, social anxiety, and others. To calm the effects of anxiety, various solutions exist. One of them is meditation, which has proven to be particularly effective.
But how does meditation help in managing anxiety, and how to meditate for anxiety? Three elements specific to anxiety meditation come into play here. The first one is purely physical, it is about concentrating on one’s breathing to calm the body. The second one is in resonance with one’s mind. It is a matter of anchoring oneself fully in the present to be free from the recurring, rambling thoughts and fears that paralyze us. The last one is based on acceptance. Because accepting one’s anxiety is undoubtedly the best way to get rid of it.
Your body is already equipped with an anti-stress mechanism. It is up to you to activate it or not. And if this makes you feel fuzzy, Yogilab is there to guide you.
Breathe yourself out of anxiety
To be able to calm down, the nervous system needs to be oxygenated. Breathing helps us to relax and refocus on our thoughts. It is the most powerful tool to connect to the present moment and to forget about what is worrying us. Therefore, it plays a central role in managing stress and anxiety.
During a guided meditation for anxiety or any other kind of meditation practice, the breath acts as an anchor. While our thoughts are wandering, it is on the breath that we are invited to refocus our attention. As a result, the breath which is often mistreated in our daily lives where everything goes faster and faster finds its full meaning during meditation. No more short breaths and unconscious apneas. Little by little, it becomes deeper, but above all calmer and more regular.
By slowing down our breathing, the parasympathetic nervous system is activated. Its role? To calm and soothe the body by slowing down the heart rate and the breathing rhythm. In the end, the signals linked to stress sent to the body decrease, and anxiety is reduced through the practice of meditation.
Breathe yourself out of anxiety
To be able to calm down, the nervous system needs to be oxygenated. Breathing helps us to relax and refocus on our thoughts. It is the most powerful tool to connect to the present moment and to forget about what is worrying us. Therefore, it plays a central role in managing stress and anxiety.
During a guided meditation for anxiety or any other kind of meditation practice, the breath acts as an anchor. While our thoughts are wandering, it is on the breath that we are invited to refocus our attention. As a result, the breath which is often mistreated in our daily lives where everything goes faster and faster finds its full meaning during meditation. No more short breaths and unconscious apneas. Little by little, it becomes deeper, but above all calmer and more regular.
By slowing down our breathing, the parasympathetic nervous system is activated. Its role? To calm and soothe the body by slowing down the heart rate and the breathing rhythm. In the end, the signals linked to stress sent to the body decrease, and anxiety is reduced through the practice of meditation.
Focus on the present moment
Anxiety and stress are closely linked to our relationship with the past and the future. When these influence our perception of the present too much, it becomes difficult to enjoy the little things of everyday life.
By remaining turned towards the past, we tend to ruminate and dwell on our regrets. This is something we can do indefinitely since we no longer have any control over these past events. On the other hand, being too much in the anticipation of the moments to come can also spoil our life. Certainly, some people need to be better prepared than others to face these important events. But it is important to find the right limit between anticipation and unnecessary stress.
For this, meditation is a valuable tool. It is a matter of fully reconnecting to the present moment. Mindfulness invites us to reconnect with our five senses in order to feel each moment more intensely, whether during meditation to train our attention or during daily activities. Eating, walking, cooking, or showering can also be done in mindfulness. It is the best way to get out of the frantic rhythm in which we sometimes find ourselves absorbed.
Focus on the present moment
Anxiety and stress are closely linked to our relationship with the past and the future. When these influence our perception of the present too much, it becomes difficult to enjoy the little things of everyday life.
By remaining turned towards the past, we tend to ruminate and dwell on our regrets. This is something we can do indefinitely since we no longer have any control over these past events. On the other hand, being too much in the anticipation of the moments to come can also spoil our life. Certainly, some people need to be better prepared than others to face these important events. But it is important to find the right limit between anticipation and unnecessary stress.
For this, meditation is a valuable tool. It is a matter of fully reconnecting to the present moment. Mindfulness invites us to reconnect with our five senses in order to feel each moment more intensely, whether during meditation to train our attention or during daily activities. Eating, walking, cooking, or showering can also be done in mindfulness. It is the best way to get out of the frantic rhythm in which we sometimes find ourselves absorbed.
The Benefits of Meditation for Anxiety
Meditation is the best tool to heal your anxieties since it allows you to get used to the very idea of having to face them. The fact that you look fear in the face on a regular basis allows you to gradually put the negative emotions into perspective and distance yourself from them. You start seeing reality as it is, without attaching particular emotions to it, and without reacting to the triggers.
Mindfulness meditation for anxiety has a 3-fold benefit:
You’re not reacting to external or internal sensations, If you are anxious, it is difficult for you to maintain your attention on a particular object or task. The slightest stimuli, whether coming from outside or inside, disturb you and do not allow you to concentrate effectively on your activities. Meditation invites you to integrate and accept these disturbances as such so that they can no longer be a problem for you.
You’re able to focus and see reality as it is, When you’re anxious, you cannot observe a situation in a calm and relaxed way. Instead, you’re in a watchdog attitude. You’re wary of what might happen to you. You’re very tense, vigilant, and careful to inspect the smallest elements of the environment because you could potentially face the source of your fear. But paradoxically, when the object or situation of your fear surfaces, it becomes very difficult to focus your attention on it because you are used to avoiding it. Meditation is a solution that allows you to overcome the process of avoiding the painful emotion by directly confronting the images, thoughts, and sensations that worry you.
You develop the ability to accept negative emotional states,The present moment in which you learn to live prevents you from dwelling on ideas about the past or the future. As mentioned above, the practice of meditations for anxiety consists in letting the thoughts, sensations, and emotions that you find unpleasant arise. You learn to accept them all without trying to push them away or to avoid them. With time, you’ll see that the negative charge that was around them will fade away. Any phenomenon experienced from beginning to end will become empty.
The Benefits of Meditation for Anxiety
Meditation is the best tool to heal your anxieties since it allows you to get used to the very idea of having to face them. The fact that you look fear in the face on a regular basis allows you to gradually put the negative emotions into perspective and distance yourself from them. You start seeing reality as it is, without attaching particular emotions to it, and without reacting to the triggers.
Mindfulness meditation for anxiety has a 3-fold benefit:
You’re not reacting to external or internal sensations, If you are anxious, it is difficult for you to maintain your attention on a particular object or task. The slightest stimuli, whether coming from outside or inside, disturb you and do not allow you to concentrate effectively on your activities. Meditation invites you to integrate and accept these disturbances as such so that they can no longer be a problem for you.
You’re able to focus and see reality as it is, When you’re anxious, you cannot observe a situation in a calm and relaxed way. Instead, you’re in a watchdog attitude. You’re wary of what might happen to you. You’re very tense, vigilant, and careful to inspect the smallest elements of the environment because you could potentially face the source of your fear. But paradoxically, when the object or situation of your fear surfaces, it becomes very difficult to focus your attention on it because you are used to avoiding it. Meditation is a solution that allows you to overcome the process of avoiding the painful emotion by directly confronting the images, thoughts, and sensations that worry you.
You develop the ability to accept negative emotional states,The present moment in which you learn to live prevents you from dwelling on ideas about the past or the future. As mentioned above, the practice of meditations for anxiety consists in letting the thoughts, sensations, and emotions that you find unpleasant arise. You learn to accept them all without trying to push them away or to avoid them. With time, you’ll see that the negative charge that was around them will fade away. Any phenomenon experienced from beginning to end will become empty.
