Several months ago, during a particularly hectic period at work, I was fortunate enough to be offered an opportunity to add some calm into my life.
This came in the form of an eight week mindfulness courses, taking place for two hours every Friday morning.
For those unfamiliar, mindfulness is essentially an awareness of what's happening in the present moment; practised in the form of meditation, focusing on the breath as an anchor point.
Many people find the technique an effective way to manage stress, anxiety and depression - along with ruminative thinking and chronic pain.
No matter what chaos is going on in our minds and the world around us, breathing is consistent. It happens all the time, yet it's impossible to think of a past breath - nor one that's yet to occur. It just is. Once you can accept that concept, it's a skill that can transfer back to the racing mind.
One of the better analogies I've heard is that your thoughts are like cars on a road. As the road gets too busy, the tendency is to try and rush out into the road to control the traffic. In reality though you'll just end up getting run over. If you accept that the cars will always be there in some form, eventually the traffic will calm to a manageable level.
As I learnt in week one, the technique was developed by Jon Kabat-Zinn to support patients at the University of Massachusetts Medical School suffering with chronic pain. After exhausting traditional treatments, a hybrid of yoga and meditation provided a solution with positive outcomes.
Throughout my eight week course, a trained practitioner took me and the group of ten through several variant practices to help settle the mind and accept things we cannot change, with self-compassion.
During the final session we were encouraged to write ourselves a letter, which the tutor would post to us in a random point in the future. Mine arrived a couple of weeks ago and I think it's something worth sharing for some inspiration on World Mental Health Day. Here's what it reads:
This came in the form of an eight week mindfulness courses, taking place for two hours every Friday morning.
For those unfamiliar, mindfulness is essentially an awareness of what's happening in the present moment; practised in the form of meditation, focusing on the breath as an anchor point.
Many people find the technique an effective way to manage stress, anxiety and depression - along with ruminative thinking and chronic pain.
No matter what chaos is going on in our minds and the world around us, breathing is consistent. It happens all the time, yet it's impossible to think of a past breath - nor one that's yet to occur. It just is. Once you can accept that concept, it's a skill that can transfer back to the racing mind.
One of the better analogies I've heard is that your thoughts are like cars on a road. As the road gets too busy, the tendency is to try and rush out into the road to control the traffic. In reality though you'll just end up getting run over. If you accept that the cars will always be there in some form, eventually the traffic will calm to a manageable level.
As I learnt in week one, the technique was developed by Jon Kabat-Zinn to support patients at the University of Massachusetts Medical School suffering with chronic pain. After exhausting traditional treatments, a hybrid of yoga and meditation provided a solution with positive outcomes.
Throughout my eight week course, a trained practitioner took me and the group of ten through several variant practices to help settle the mind and accept things we cannot change, with self-compassion.
During the final session we were encouraged to write ourselves a letter, which the tutor would post to us in a random point in the future. Mine arrived a couple of weeks ago and I think it's something worth sharing for some inspiration on World Mental Health Day. Here's what it reads:
"Hello Dan,
Are you mindful?
When things are kicking off and getting too much, take a step back, take a deep breath. Is it all that important?
Remember that small things, like traffic or incompetent people, don't have to be your burden. Reflect and let them go. Acknowledge and accept the things you can't change and you'll be much happier - and less stressed.
Don't forget to try regular practices to keep your mindfulness skills up. Use the things you enjoy to keep you sane - keep writing, discover new music.
Most importantly, think of the past with fondness and positivity. Everything happens for a reason and everything is going to be ok.
Love, Dan x"
Are you mindful?
When things are kicking off and getting too much, take a step back, take a deep breath. Is it all that important?
Remember that small things, like traffic or incompetent people, don't have to be your burden. Reflect and let them go. Acknowledge and accept the things you can't change and you'll be much happier - and less stressed.
Don't forget to try regular practices to keep your mindfulness skills up. Use the things you enjoy to keep you sane - keep writing, discover new music.
Most importantly, think of the past with fondness and positivity. Everything happens for a reason and everything is going to be ok.
Love, Dan x"
Hard to believe I can be so profound after a few weeks of dumping unhelpful thoughts into the abyss. But I have to say the sessions were effective.
I noticed the difference in simply travelling to and from the sessions. On the way, every motorist was an enemy, an inconvenience. Yet on the way back I floated along, at the speed limit, without letting useless drivers irk me.
I can honestly say that it has taught me a few skills that I've used to ground myself when I'd previously have flown of the handle.
I'm not saying it's for everyone, but if everything's feeling pretty hectic then it's worth a try. There's plenty of resources online so you can practice adding some calm to your life.
I noticed the difference in simply travelling to and from the sessions. On the way, every motorist was an enemy, an inconvenience. Yet on the way back I floated along, at the speed limit, without letting useless drivers irk me.
I can honestly say that it has taught me a few skills that I've used to ground myself when I'd previously have flown of the handle.
I'm not saying it's for everyone, but if everything's feeling pretty hectic then it's worth a try. There's plenty of resources online so you can practice adding some calm to your life.