Hello, I have recently gotten into meditation, reading about it, listening to stuff about it, and i just discovered that there is a buddhist temple near me that has free classes 2-3 times a week :2thumbsup: Anyways, does anyone have any experience with meditation and anxiety? I tend to overthink things, and i get a little anxious when meeting new people or am in unfamiliar situation. Do you think meditation can help me with this? Like kind of keep my mind calm Along with meditation I will also be exercising more, and practicing putting myself in uncomfortable situations when talking to people. Thanks for any responses!
There are a few people I know who have an issue with being uncomfortable in new settings and with new people. Some of it seems to be a control issue These particular people I know are also the same people who take delight in seeing authority wielded onto other people, such bosses chewing out a worker, police beatings, and the like. It's as if their preoccupation with authority and control is a manifestation of their own weaknesses of not being able to deal with people effectively in a social context, and they find approaches for trying to control the behavior of others as a crutch to lean on.
meditation doesn't really do it for me, i prefer cbt for anxiety, but for general stress levels (around exams or something like that), i sometimes pop in for some guided meditation, which can be quite relaxing, but i don't do it regularly.
meditation may help you a lot. in particular, if you have social anxiety, meditating in a group setting may be especially helpful meditating every day is important. the ideal thing would be to meditate for about an hour every single day I've read that if you can keep that up for three years, you can develop a life-long immunity to stress. Your body just reacts differently to stressful situations hope things can get better soon!
it seems that you are insinuating here that anyone who has anxiety is weak or morally flawed, based on your observation of a "few people" you know, and what it seems "as if" the cause of their anxiety is. this is pure ignorance and bigotry. anyone who knows a damn thing about anxiety knows your theory is full of crap. you are simply spouting discrimination against people with disabilities
yeah best to ignore what egger said, i don't see how that would help meditation can be a really great practice, i've been doing it for a few months now. i've found it really clears out a lot of the noise that goes on, and while my immediate reactions are basically still the same as they've always been (mostly negativity, criticism of myself and others, etc) it's been easier to realize that at any moment, i can redirect that and kind of "start over" if that makes sense so if i'm talking to someone and realize i'm just being my usual stressed out anxious over analytical self, it's easier to take a step back. not always, but more so than before
Meditation has really helped me a lot. The hardest part is clearing your head of thoughts. But like with everything else, it just takes time and practice. Good Luck.
i agree. and the catch is, the more you *try* to clear your head of thoughts, the harder it is to do the best analogy i've heard is this: it's like a glass of water that isn't settled. the more you move the glass to try to settle the water, the less likely the water is to actually settle. you have to let it be and settle on it's own it's really easy to get frustrated. some days when i've had a lot going on, i have to take a break for a few minutes and just chill out and get a glass of water or something. otherwise it's more counterproductive than anything else
Meditating to "clear thoughts"? Yeah, make sure you don't be hit by a bus when you come out of the temple. Meditate to reach a higher level of consciousness. I think one problem where people don't get much out of meditating is because they try a method that doesn't culturally adhere to them. Say a Norseman who meditated to the mighty Ygg will use the practices of his ancestors which benefits him because of the cultural significance etc. The energies he relates to during meditation are of his own make up. He understands them and they understand him. Now the Norseman turns to Buddha.. and he feels nothing. So he gets Thor to smash his head in with Mjolnir! >.> Also you should understand the environment you're living in. It'd make sense to me to look into American Indian traditions if you're in America for the same reason the energy of Eiropean Paganism lacks in the Souhern Hemisphere. Different environments hold different energies.
I find art and yoga meditative. They have also been good ways to expend and be vulnerable at times alone or at times around others.
Meditating to "clear thoughts"? Yeah, make sure you don't be hit by a bus when you come out of the temple. Meditate to reach a higher level of consciousness. I think one problem where people don't get much out of meditating is because they try a method that doesn't culturally adhere to them. Say a Norseman who meditated to the mighty Ygg will use the practices of his ancestors which benefits him because of the cultural significance etc. The energies he relates to during meditation are of his own make up. He understands them and they understand him. Now the Norseman turns to Buddha.. and he feels nothing. So he gets Thor to smash his head in with Mjolnir! >.> Also you should understand the environment you're living in. It'd make sense to me to look into American Indian traditions if you're in America for the same reason the energy of Eiropean Paganism lacks in the Souhern Hemisphere. Different environments hold different energies.
heh the whole "different energies" thing doesn't have to apply, depending. the meditation i've done doesn't call for using any energies or anything like that. it's pretty fundamental and basic- breathing is at the core after that, it's not magic or supernatural. it doesn't call to take you away from the world you live in, but to bring you closer to what's around you. instead of building up more in your life to distract you it takes away what you built up which isn't actually there- fears and assumptions we have day to day. anxiety isn't just a disorder (although in some people it's severe enough to become one), it's something we all go through, in small ways, every day, and meditation *can* help to begin to shed that
I work next to a freeway and one of my favorite things to do is meditate out there on the deck in the sunshine with the loud world rushing around in nature. All of the sounds make an om. The universal sound that is peace. It's very calm in the chaos there. I just try to remember my breath and just be.
Most people who are receptive to meditation do find that it helps them. It is really nice to find that quiet place in yourself and just allow that time to be where you need to be. Hope it helps you and give it time to work for you.
