Finding stillness...again

 

Last week absolutely sucked... full blown stinky, icky, wtf monkey feet.  We lost a member of our family mid-week after two weeks of intensive care and back-and-forth in the hospital.  My brother was and is a huge part of who I am.  I became a psychologist in part because of him.  I admire his kindness, his strength, and his depth of compassion and devotion to service.  He is very missed.

The last two weeks have been a roller-coaster of emotions, and I'm finding myself dealing with both the psychological and physical symptoms of anxiety and grief (ie. lack of motivation, lack of focus, headaches, heartburn, etc.).  So, it's time to find stillness...again.  My meditation practice has very much been one of hit-or-miss the last two years (mostly miss).  The pandemic has had me, like many of us, focused on surviving rather than thriving.  And, I've let things slide in favor of less productive coping mechanisms.  But, now that I'm having physical manifestations of my stress, it's time to remedy that.  Yes, I am as guilty as everyone else of downplaying and ignoring my mental health.  This is where I draw the line, though.  Besides, my brother would kick my butt if he knew I wasn't taking care of myself. ;) 

Meditation offers a lot of cognitive advantages.  It's been shown to help with focus, cognitive function, memory, and to aid in the prevention of dementia.  In fact, it's even been shown to increase grey matter in the frontal cortex and hippocampus (Gallant, 2016).  From an psychological standpoint, research shows that mindfulness can help with improving mental health including issues surrounding anxiety, depression, rage, and PTSD (Brown & Gerbarg, 2009).  And, physically it helps people learn how to engage the relaxation response, helps with insomnia, increases expiratory volume, and reduces asthma symptoms (Mohan, Sharma, & Bijlani, 2011; Gupta, Gupta, Sood, & Arkham, 2014; Epstein et al., 2004).  Engaging the relaxation response can also help decrease inflammatory reactions within the body which, in turn, can help with a number of other physical issues and body functions.

So, for this week I'll be renewing my meditation practice.  I'm committing to 15 minutes a day. I plan to start with a guided meditation rather than jumping into a silent breathing meditation.  If that still sounds like too much for you, try just 5 minutes or even 3.  If you're looking for an app to try, here are a couple of my favorites below.  There are a ton out there, so try to find something that works for you.

Just remember - 

Mindfulness is about being in the present moment in a non-judgmental way.  Wherever you are and whatever you experience simply is.  It's not good or bad. And, meditation/mindfulness is a practice, not a perfect.  It's not about being perfect.  It's just about continuing to try.

App and Website Suggestions:

1) Simple Habit - App Store or https://www.simplehabit.com 

I like this one because it has several free options.  Yes, you can subscribe for more access.  But, the free options are all great.  My favorite feature is the "On The Go" option where you can select 5-10-20 minute options and find a meditation suited towards how you're feeling at the moment (ie. getting ready for bed, SOS!, at work, taking a break, tough day, etc.).  

2) Breethe - App Store or https://breethe.com

I haven't really given this one an intensive exploration yet.  But, I've seen several ads lately offing a year of free access.  So, if you're interested in a completely free app, this is one to try.

3) Yoga with Adrienne - https://yogawithadriene.com/free-yoga-videos/

Yoga is a moving meditation.  So, if you're looking to incorporate movement into your practice, try some yoga.  This site offers a number of free videos for yoga and meditation for you to try.  She has a YouTube channel and subscription options as well.

References:

Brown, R. P., & Gerbarg, P. L. (2009). Yoga breathing, meditation, and longevity. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 117254-62. doi:10.1111/j.1749-6632.2009.04394.x

Epstein, G. N., Halper, J. P., Manhart Barrett, E. A., Birdsall, C., McGee, M., Baron, K. P., & Lowenstein, S. (2004). A Pilot Study of Mind-Body Changes in Adults with Asthma Who Practice Mental Imagery. Alternative Therapies in Health & Medicine, 10(4), 66-71. 

Gallant, S. N. (2016). Mindfulness meditation practice and executive functioning: Breaking down the benefit. Consciousness and cognition, 40, 116-130. 

Gupta, A., Gupta, R., Sood, S., & Arkham, M. (2014). Pranayam for treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: Results from a randomized, controlled trial. Integrative Medicine: A Clinician's Journal, 13(1), 26-31.

Mohan, A., Sharma, R., & Bijlani, R. L. (2011). Effect of meditation on stress-induced changes in cognitive functions. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 17(3), 207-212.