mindfulness

[ny biker]

Interesting article from the Washington Post Health section. It's written specifically regarding cancer, but it could apply to many situations.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/06/29/AR2009062902623.html

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Wow, thank you so much!
I just forwarded it to a dear friend of ours who seems to be losing his cancer battle. He dreads his treatments almost as much as the other aspects, so this is very mindful indeed.

[indysteel]

Thank you for sharing that. Even for those of us who are not ill can benefit from that concept.

[beccaB]

Thankyou for that. Very much so. I spend so much time second guessing myself and ruminating on what I might should have accomplished that I don't live for now. And I should know better.

[Crankin]

I took the mindfulness meditation class a couple of years ago when I was having all my weird medical issues. It was a 2 month course. I fully admit i was not the most engaged student (i.e a whole day of not talking and walking meditation??), but it does work. I use the mountain and sitting meditation cds pretty frequently. Somehow, I am able to do it at home with no issues.
I am studying holistically based counseling theories in my grad program; the whole premise of what we are learning is based on mindfulness. I will be definitely be using it in my internship practice this coming year.
I think for someone who is a type A person like myself, it has to be a process, that is taken very slowly. Sometimes, I just use some of the breathing techniques.
I am now taking a yoga/meditation class that uses a lot of the mindfulness principles. I find that it is harder for me to focus in the class than when I practice at home; part of it is that I didn't realize that this class was going to include some "sharing" at the beginning and end. While I don't mind talking about how the meditation practice is going, I didn't go into it with the idea that it would be a group "session." But, it is good for me to experience the things I intend to use with clients.

[nolemom]

NYbiker, I just wanted to thank you for posting this article. I read it the day that I came home from a very uncomfortable medical procedure that was scheduled to be repeated today. As the thoughts of the upcoming appointment would come into my head, I would reflect on the ideas in the article. Within days, I was rarely thinking about it. Even today as I was sitting waiting for the procedure, my blood pressure remained low. When the doctor came it to discuss the biopsy results from the last procedure and my symptoms, she decided the additional procedure wasn't even necessary. All of my test results were negative and I got a clean bill of health. What a waste it would have been, if I had spent the last 3 weeks letting the anticipated pain ruin the joy of my everyday life. I am very grateful to you for sharing with me this valuable lesson!:)