Effective meditation techniques are highly useful tools for keeping anxiety and panic at bay.
Yet, there are a lot of misconceptions and myths about meditation.
What People think Meditation is
Meditation is often thought of as forcing yourself not to think and any thoughts in meditation show that it is NOT working. Many people also expect some kind of ‘experience’ and its absence makes them feel that they have failed.
As a result, most people try too hard or feel they can’t meditate and give it up.
What Meditation Really Is
Well, effective meditation and freedom from anxiety and panic comes from a few basic skills.
- Observe any thoughts in your mind and sensations in your body instead of letting those thoughts and feelings overwhelm you.
When your thoughts and feelings overwhelm you, you start identifying with the pain or anger and so on. These become a part of you rather them seeing them as simply experiences. Remember that you can choose not to give your attention to these experiences if you so wish.
- Meditation also helps you develop present moment awareness. This gives you the ability to let unhelpful thoughts leave as easily as they arise.
Even if you don’t feel you have mastered your meditation practice, but you have started taking some time for it, half the work is done. You have given your body the opportunity to normalize, to unwind and for its own healing and recovery processes to operate effectively.