Monday, December 8, 2014

Mindfulness ~ coping with stress

Source of photo
Mindfulness helps teens cope with stress and anxiety, according to an article I read last week.  The photo (from the article) shows a room that I find peaceful because of the painting on the wall of what appears to me to be autumn leaves blowing in the wind.  See the swirls of "white wind" and loose leaves of all sizes?  I think I'll start alternating days of exercise with days of mindful meditation.  I'll let you know how it goes.

Monday ~ exercise an hour        Tuesday ~ mindful meditation
Wednesday ~ exercise              Thursday ~ mindful meditation
Friday ~ exercise an hour         Saturday ~ mindful meditation
Sunday ~ a day of rest

3 comments:

Emily said...

good idea Bonnie! I have added water exercises to my schedule. Might need some mindful meditation too.

Bonnie Jacobs said...

My one-hour exercise class met yesterday (Mondays and Fridays, which explains my chart), so today I meditate. That works for me, since I have nothing on the calendar today. From my little meditation book "Always We Begin Again" by Jon McQuiston II, page 73:

"We do not know what this day will bring —
life is the great enigma;
life is the great good;
we expect good from this day."


A year ago, my friend Jane was reeling from being told she would likely not live out the month (she died on the 29th of December). This year, my new friend Joan is reeling because her husband was taken off his medications yesterday and will likely die today or tomorrow.

As I meditate today, I'm well aware of death and dying and grief. Where is the good we can expect from this day? Maybe it's the day my granddaughter's twins will be born, for one thing. Maybe it's good that Joan's husband will no longer be in pain.

(Hmm, does it mean something that the "prove you're not a robot" text is 1214? Twelve-fourteen could indicate December and 2014.)

Unknown said...

I tried meditation and yoga to get rid of stress. For anxiety related issues, gardening worked like a therapy for me!