Change
While we cannot gain control over the world around us, we can navigate our inner world, which in turn strengthening our ability to be present for what is in our lives.
First off, acknowledging that we all may be feeling mixed emotions. Anger, confusion, hypervigilance, love for humanity,skepticism, doubt, relief, fear, forgiveness…all can come in and out, and sometimes be happening at the very same time. There are many reasons our reactions can vary from person to person and within our individual experience. Some of what influences why we feel the way we feel include:
- Early childhood conditioning
- Traumatic experiences, in the past or due to current environmental or social stressors
- Identity based and race based trauma
- Exposure to social and other media
- The beliefs, opinions, and sentiments of our social circle
- Pandemic exposure (i.e. being on the frontlines)
- Pandemic shared trauma
- Factors in our environment (i.e. shelter in place state, loved ones being unwell, transition to work at home, home school, etc.)
- Underlying personal factors, such as mood, beliefs systems, and mental health
- Much, much more!
Find Peace Amidst the Intensity & Change: Finding peace amidst COVID-19 times is not always easy; however, with openness, patience, and presence, we can begin to unveil it moment to moment. This journey into a more tranquil place internally will look different for each of us as we all have unique challenges to face during this time. For those moving back into the workplace, or already there, finding peace might begin with a few mindful breaths during a bathroom break. For those with loved ones who are unwell, it might begin with witnessing and nurturing emotions like, grief, anger, and confusion. For all of us, as we move through not knowing and change, it may be taking little steps to manage stress and find calm, such as below:
Some small steps you might want to begin with include:
1. Mindful Breathing One of the most direct and tangible tools we can use to find peace is the breath. Whether you have 30 seconds or 30 minutes, coming back to the breath will help direct your attention towards the peace of the present moment. There are a variety of specific breathing exercises we can explore, one of which is belly breathing. As we breathe into the full capacity of the stomach, we start to activate the body’s relaxation response. Breath deeply into the lungs, as low as your belly button even! This helps us to find peace, release, and renewed focus to propel us forward with greater ease.
2. Compassion Practice Coming back to the heart is crucial in these difficult times. Harnessing our inner capacity for love, kindness, and patience helps to remind us we are all in this together – and that we are all after the same thing. Compassion practice can be directed towards the self or to others – This helps to remind us of our shared humanity, a necessity in these trying times. Take a moment to drop in to how you truly feel, starting with those around you that you love, and give some space to offer that feeling toward others in your life.
3. Body Awareness Another wonderful grounding practice for times like these is a basic body scan or body awareness practice. Many of us experience the feeling of being ‘caught up in our heads’ – and so if that is the case for you, see how it feels to come back into the body through a simple scan. Resting on your back, close your eyes and take a few breaths to ground yourself. Then, scan your body from head to toe – slowly and mindfully. Where you observe any tension or tightness, see if you might gently relax that area. If the tension does not naturally release, send your loving thoughts that way to nourish this bodily contraction.
4. Mindfulness of Emotions Getting to know our emotions – as it feels safe to do so – is another great way of becoming more balanced within our experience. Even when waves are moving through us, can we find peace and equanimity beneath the surface? We can enhance mindfulness of our emotions by turning towards our raw experience rather than denying it. Again, explore this when it feels safe to do so (in cases of heavy trauma, it might be best to stick with a compassion practice and use your other supports to work with you on tools). Turn towards the emotion, and see if can you witness this flow as if you were an observer of them. Rather than noting ‘I am afraid,’ can you simply note the presence of fear? Notice where the emotion is present within the body, breathing love into that area as well. Ensure you are practicing patience and compassion as you explore this. Try the exercises below.
In the face of change we might:
- Talk ourselves out of it, rationalizing and justifying our experience,
- Withdraw from the outside world and from support systems,
- Distract ourselves with activity or technology, or
- Drown out and/or numb the rising sensations with food, drink, or other substances.
Thanks to Mindfulness Mastermind for these tips!
Minding Our Emotions
Opening to Emotions Mindfully: Mindfulness of emotions are part of the human experience. In and of themselves they are neither good nor bad, so becoming mindful of them does not have to entail condemnation, judgment, or suppression; in fact, mindful awareness of our emotions is quite the opposite. Opening to our emotions mindfully is possible only from a place of unconditional love. It is a continual practice that offers us a new vantage point from which to relate differently to these energetic flows.
When mindfulness of emotions arise consider these four ways to open up to them mindfully. Remember, if you are feeling triggered or trauma comes up from any of these steps, please find support and consider moving back to a simple breathing exercise:
1. Turn towards the emotion. We often want or need to move away from difficult emotions when they arise. While this may serve as an effective defense mechanism, we can help ourselves to move through the emotion more effectively by turning towards it. If this feels safe to do so. By taking a few deep breaths and gently opening ourselves to whatever is present, we are able to transition through our emotional landscape with greater understanding and acceptance. The key here is staying open to whatever arises.
2. Create space by identifying the emotion(s) – without judgment. It is easy to become caught up in the story associated with the emotion – why we feel it, who is responsible, and how it could have been avoided. While there is a time and place for this inquiry, it can be useful to detach from the mindfulness of emotions when we are in the heat of them. We can practice this by becoming aware of what exactly is moving through us. Rather than saying to ourselves, “I am angry,” which often leads to, “because…” we can instead simply notice what is present. Simply witness ‘anger’, ‘grief’, ‘sadness’, or whatever is the case as though it were a separate entity. Open to this presence with compassion and curiosity, noticing if the mind intervenes with judgment.
3. Feel into any bodily sensations that are present.When we become caught up in mindfulness of emotions, we can open our awareness to the entire body. What do we notice? Where do we sense increased or decreased activity? Even numbness can be observed. Feeling into the way the emotion presents itself in the body can help us to create some sort of distance in-between ourselves and the energy moving through us. As we practice creating this distance, strengthening our awareness of it, we come to realize that our emotions are just a happening that can be witnessed from a quieter, more peaceful place.
4. Become aware of "this too shall pass." Feelings, thoughts, and sensations all come and go; such is the nature of life. When mindfulness of emotions rise, we can heighten our awareness of the transitory nature of our experience. Through this opening to the flow of our emotions, we become less consumed by them. We start to loosen our grip on the beliefs we hold about them. We come to realize that we are not, in fact, our emotions; and through this realization we find strength to journey through the storm in our sails.
Some of the benefits include the following:
Mindful breathing reduces stress.When we breathe mindfully, the mind starts to slow as we harness our concentration on the life force within us. This focus helps to deepen the breath, which engages the relaxation response and reduces the production of cortisol in the body. Cortisol is well-known as the primary ‘stress hormone,’ so reducing it reduces our experience of stress.
Mindful breathing positively impacts thought and mood.Research has found that mindful breathing both reduces anxiety and increases positive automatic thoughts, both of which have the power to impact our mood. Since mindful breathing provides us with an anchor into our direct experience, the mind slows as we harness our focus. As the mind slows, we gain greater perspective over the habitual thoughts that move through us subconsciously.
Mindful breathing may improve sleep.What holds many people back from falling asleep at night (or keeps them up in the middle of it) is a racing mind. Mindful breathing provides an anchor for these racing thoughts. Helping us to let go of the past and future so that we can fall more effortlessly into sleep.
Thanks to Mindfulness Mastermind for these tips!
When mindfulness of emotions arise consider these four ways to open up to them mindfully. Remember, if you are feeling triggered or trauma comes up from any of these steps, please find support and consider moving back to a simple breathing exercise:
1. Turn towards the emotion. We often want or need to move away from difficult emotions when they arise. While this may serve as an effective defense mechanism, we can help ourselves to move through the emotion more effectively by turning towards it. If this feels safe to do so. By taking a few deep breaths and gently opening ourselves to whatever is present, we are able to transition through our emotional landscape with greater understanding and acceptance. The key here is staying open to whatever arises.
2. Create space by identifying the emotion(s) – without judgment. It is easy to become caught up in the story associated with the emotion – why we feel it, who is responsible, and how it could have been avoided. While there is a time and place for this inquiry, it can be useful to detach from the mindfulness of emotions when we are in the heat of them. We can practice this by becoming aware of what exactly is moving through us. Rather than saying to ourselves, “I am angry,” which often leads to, “because…” we can instead simply notice what is present. Simply witness ‘anger’, ‘grief’, ‘sadness’, or whatever is the case as though it were a separate entity. Open to this presence with compassion and curiosity, noticing if the mind intervenes with judgment.
3. Feel into any bodily sensations that are present.When we become caught up in mindfulness of emotions, we can open our awareness to the entire body. What do we notice? Where do we sense increased or decreased activity? Even numbness can be observed. Feeling into the way the emotion presents itself in the body can help us to create some sort of distance in-between ourselves and the energy moving through us. As we practice creating this distance, strengthening our awareness of it, we come to realize that our emotions are just a happening that can be witnessed from a quieter, more peaceful place.
4. Become aware of "this too shall pass." Feelings, thoughts, and sensations all come and go; such is the nature of life. When mindfulness of emotions rise, we can heighten our awareness of the transitory nature of our experience. Through this opening to the flow of our emotions, we become less consumed by them. We start to loosen our grip on the beliefs we hold about them. We come to realize that we are not, in fact, our emotions; and through this realization we find strength to journey through the storm in our sails.
Some of the benefits include the following:
Mindful breathing reduces stress.When we breathe mindfully, the mind starts to slow as we harness our concentration on the life force within us. This focus helps to deepen the breath, which engages the relaxation response and reduces the production of cortisol in the body. Cortisol is well-known as the primary ‘stress hormone,’ so reducing it reduces our experience of stress.
Mindful breathing positively impacts thought and mood.Research has found that mindful breathing both reduces anxiety and increases positive automatic thoughts, both of which have the power to impact our mood. Since mindful breathing provides us with an anchor into our direct experience, the mind slows as we harness our focus. As the mind slows, we gain greater perspective over the habitual thoughts that move through us subconsciously.
Mindful breathing may improve sleep.What holds many people back from falling asleep at night (or keeps them up in the middle of it) is a racing mind. Mindful breathing provides an anchor for these racing thoughts. Helping us to let go of the past and future so that we can fall more effortlessly into sleep.
Thanks to Mindfulness Mastermind for these tips!
Taking it to Real Life
Pick a task you need to do today, Anything will do. A report, an email, dishes. During the task, practice focusing all of your attention on the task and notice when your attention wanders, gently bringing it back to the task at hand. Wander/Wonder: Each time you "wander", wonder about it. Meaning have curiosity about your thoughts or feeling, then STOP, take a breath and bring your attention back to the task. A simple mindfulness practice to train your brain for attention & focus.
Pause when you first arrive at your desk. Notice the weight of your legs in the chair and the pressure of your feet as they contact the floor. Take a few calming breaths. Try counting to three on the inhale and on the exhale.
During hand-washing, stand still and pause. Pay attention to the moment: reach or the soap, spreading it on your hands; the motion, the feel of the soap, the temperature, the texture. Stay with the experience and not your thoughts. Take a breath.
More Mindfulness
Take time to reflect after taking it to your real life. Write it down, or just make a mental note of how it went.
Walk it out. Take a walk to move with your thoughts. Often this helps to free your head of the business.
Mindful Doodling Here or Here!