Life is unpredictable. We all know it. We often hear stories of unexpected events happening in our day-to-day lives. We relate to many of these stories as they may have happened to us too.
Amidst all these, when we hear such a story, what is our expression?
Shocked, Panic, Feeling Bad, Overwhelmed, or more.
Most of the time, it is one or the other of the above, and that expression when defined summons up nothing but a reaction.
Yes, it's a reaction. We react to things happening around us. Just imagine, you are telling this story to someone and they have the same reaction, and you will just reply, even "I reacted the same way".
Reaction V/s Response
If you identified with the above, then let me tell you, it's a common trait between all of us.
Now, if you are thinking isn't it natural? Well, it is. However, is it the only way to deal with a crisis?
Absolutely no.
When we react to things, we are half-processing the situation. Maybe, we are in denial of what has happened and not ready to hear it out completely. Hence, all we do is react.
Although this is unintentional, we can change our expression of reaction and choose to respond instead.
Yes, a response is far better than a reaction. So, what is a response? and why should we respond more than we react?
A response is an expression where you are in control of your emotions and fully processing the situation and in acceptance of everything happening around it.
It allows us to express ourselves in a way, where we are more focused on the solution rather than the problem. When we become solution-oriented, we set an intention to find the good in the situation and do what is best in that given period. We take efforts to understand more about what has happened and what can be done rather than just knowing everything.
It makes a huge difference when we start responding, a shift from negative to positive, transforming from reacting anxiously to attaining peace. And that is what is mindfulness.
What is Mindfulness?
-
To be mindful is to be fully attentive.
-
Raise your awareness.
-
Be more considerate of your emotions and thoughts.
-
Live in the present moment.
-
Focus on your breathing.
-
Free yourself from any distractions.
Yes, everything mentioned above is a definition of mindfulness. However, mindfulness is not just its literal definition it's a way of living and implementing it in your lifestyle.
So, when you inculcate it in your life, you have to practice it and find out what works best for you. Maybe what worked for others won't work for you. Maybe what worked for you today maybe work in the future. Hence, mindfulness should be practiced regularly to experience its maximum benefits.
What is mindfulness meditation?
Mindfulness meditation is a perfect blend of meditation and being mindful. It is combining them both to experience a different level of awareness.
So, let's dive deep into understanding it:
Mindfulness meditation is a mental training practice. We all know we think a thousand thoughts every minute, our mind is constantly racing and we are trying to figure out these thoughts most of the time.
Sometimes, these thoughts led to frustration when they start to control us and hover over our minds every second. This leads to anxiety and a lot of unwanted stress. Hence, we should always learn to regulate our emotions and thoughts in a way that doesn't affect us. If we act responsibly and practice mindfulness meditation daily, it will be a win-win situation for us.
The whole process may seem complex in the beginning and it is not an easy task but with constant practice, one can achieve desired results.
Do it in a stepwise manner, don't rush into it. Start slow, be steady, and stay consistent.
Here are a few easy steps to follow:
-
Find a comfortable space, sit down on the floor, sit straight, and be relaxed. The body should not be stiff, make sure your muscles are loose, you are calm, and be as natural as possible.
-
Slowly close your eyes and focus on your breathing. While breathing, you should just be in a calm state. No heavy breathing or forceful breathing and not doing anything extraordinary, just simply breathe as regularly while you are doing any other task.
-
Once you have sorted out your breathing pattern, now is time to focus on your thoughts, whatever you are thinking at that moment should not be avoided.
-
Don't try to push away your thoughts, rather recognize them, and don't try to punish yourself for your thoughts. Let them come and flow through you and pass away.
-
One more effective way of dealing with this is by simply observing your surrounding. You can make a note of everything happening around you, what can you hear, the birds chirping, honks on the streets, the silence in your room, your phone notifications, anything that is happening around you just listen to it and make a list of it.
-
Become aware of the present moment, analyze the sounds of your surrounding and continue to stay in this position for a while.
-
Slowly open your eyes and bring your hands in front of your face and slowly rub them against each other. Feel the warmth and sensation between your palms and then simply place them on your eyes and allow them to relax.
The above steps are the most important ones to practice while getting started with mindfulness meditation.
Now, in the initial period, you can do this for 2 minutes, or 5 minutes, and then keep repeating it till you can do it for longer.
Like creating a system, you can do it 3 times for 2 minutes each and take a break of 1 minute in between. In the same way, you can repeat these time frames for longer after practice.
Why practice mindful meditation in times of crisis?
Yes, now that is the biggest question. Well, the answer is deeply rooted in its practices.
During times of crisis, it’s natural to feel tense and constantly worry about the problem at hand. However, is that going to make anyone feel better? Absolutely, not.
So, what is something that can be done?
It’s meditation.
When the mind is at peace, everything happening outside can be controlled. Peace of mind is a state that an individual can attain and implement for the best results. As one continuously practices meditation, they become aware of their emotions and also have control over them.
The emotions during the crisis don’t overpower their peace and hence they are able to face the challenges and also overcome them.
It’s like getting your inside scorecard correct. Meditation helps you discover your highest state of being, where you bring back all your focus to your inner self. This inner self helps you condition your thoughts and emotions in a more balanced manner.
Another benefit of practicing mindful meditation is that one doesn’t create an attachment with their problem and rather tries to learn how to detach, be more acceptant, and promptly find a solution.
There are many techniques in meditation that are useful. However, they vary according to person and situation.
To boil down to the zest of why one should practice meditation during a crisis is simply to bring peace, become calm, and be still.
The wide range of emotions like fear, sadness, anger, worry, and more that every individual goes through can be channelized and with the help of meditation can be released.
Let meditation become your beacon in the times of the dark and cultivate strong resilience within you. With these practices, you will welcome a new version of yourself that is brave and courageous to face the adversities of life.