What is your experience with meditation? What works for you?
Meditation is a very well known way to relieve stress and focus on the problems one may have. I used meditation to reduce the effects that my ADHD had on me and now I live an unmedicated life for my ADHD which used to be pretty severe. I found my own way through meditation and didn't use and books or support in order to get to where I am at but I believe that I could have progressed to where I am at much quicker if I had resources to guide me along the way.
@HealthyStoic
Meditation has sooo many health benefits!
That's so nice that you are able to utilize meditation as a way to reduce the effects of ADHD!
Personally, I want to get more into it! I am making an effort to practice it more. Hopefully it will help with anxiety! :)
Thanks for sharing your experience with it! It's very encouraging to hear! 💛💫
@HealthyStoic
I would like to know more about your experiences with meditation first. How much do you meditate? What type of meditation do you do? What are the benefits of meditation for you?
@AnonCompanion6720 I meditate three or four times a week. I switch between sitting on a chair and sitting on the ground depending on the goal of the meditation. When I feel stressed, have negative thoughts or emotions, or want to dispel something from myself I sit in a chair and keep my feel firmly placed against the ground. I then do deep breaths and imagine myself sitting in the chair in both 1st and 3rd person perspective. When I have a clear image of myself, I imagine whatever is bothering me as a color in my body and I send that color out while keeping my natural colors (I chose my favorite colors for this one). With every breath I take I intake a clean and pure color and push the negative color out through my feet into the earth. If I am outdoors, I do the same technique, but I let the wind take the negative color from me as it passes by.
@HealthyStoic
I will get back to you another time. I have been busy with other activities, I apologize. Your style of meditation is intriguing and interesting. Hopefully it works for you.
@HealthyStoic That is a very interesting way to meditate. Have you tried any others? How long do you meditate for? What are the benefits of meditation for you?
@HealthyStoic For shorter sessions I just do mindfulness/breathing stuff. When time allows, I have been trying some of the guided meditations I've been finding on youtube. Some use frequencies and hypnosis type stuff. Some have positive affirmations. Some just have soothing music and nature sounds. It's all good. It all helps.
The thing is, I went through some trauma not too long ago that is going to take a while to heal. So now I sometimes find myself crying during meditation. It was alarming at first, but I've been reading stuff about how this is normal and it is healthy... letting out suppressed emotions/etc. That's all great and everything, but it feels like it saps the energy I'm trying to gain from the meditation for productivity and focus.
@TheRuminator3909
That is very interesting and insightful TheRuminator. What types of meditation do you like to do? Why do you go with mindfulness/breath meditations for shorter time periods?
@AnonCompanion6720 Hello, sorry it has taken so long to get back to you. Lately, I am enjoying some of the guided ones on youtube by Jason Stephenson & sometimes do the hypnosis ones by Michael Sealey when things feel extra extra.
The shorter mindfulness/breath stuff... that just comes down to time constraints. Sometimes anxiety/panic comes out of nowhere, distracts me from my work and I need to get my s*** together ASAP to meet deadlines, be present for family/friends, etc. etc.
Well I listen morning and evening to help me wind down and wake up; to set a positive and grateful, calm and serene tone to the day
@HealthyStoic
@HealthyStoic
My current favorite form of meditation is doing easy Tai Chi.
- I really like it. It's a dynamic way to engage the whole body.
- The coordinated breathing and movement helps me relax fast.
I like it so much that I made a 60 second GIF shown below to share here.
It shows the moves and explains how to do them.
Below is the 60 second GIF and some tips:
- I do the moves much slower and coordinate breathing too.
- I repeat each move 4 times rather than doing each just once.
- The moves are easy to learn by name. Then just do from memory.
- One can do the moves standing or sitting. Yay!
-
https://www.7cups.com/path/exercise/learn-tai-chi-in-60-seconds-to-relax-1670098126/
@HealthyStoic
My experience with meditation was a vipassana retreat which was 12 hours meditation daily, no talking for 11 of those days (Unless it is to a facilitator or something.) and no cooking or strenuous exercise.
After that I meditated for two hours a day for six months until I broke my foot doing it.
After that I was squeamish to get back into it but with some help, books, workshops and much more I have started meditating in the morning and evening for however long I can.
I find it helps keep my symptoms in check - I can stay pretty calm and collected no matter what is happening without the need for medication or even supplements.
Journaling goes well with meditation, the way a biscuit goes with tea or coffee.
Little time outs help too - maybe five minutes every two hours just to check in with the self and make sure I'm not completely derailing my life.