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magueuleenstock t1_iuahqi5 wrote

Stopped meditating recently after doing it everyday for 5 years. Anxiety has been slowly creeping back, and my sleep is getting utterly fucked.
I'm pretty sure meditation is the key to 90% of my mental problems at the moment, but one of them is task paralysis, which also includes meditating... Damn that brain...

Edit : people interested should definitely check out the vipassana method of mindfulness meditation. They also offer free 10-day meditation courses, but that's quite extreme, though immensely valuable.

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KyleGamma t1_iubw4bx wrote

Why did you stop?

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magueuleenstock t1_iucs1y4 wrote

Scheduling conflicts since I was doing it before sleeping, even though I used to do it no matter where I was. It helped me tremendously with a depression I was battling at the time.
Easy to do when I was single, got more lenient when I was not. Missed a session here and there, it obliterated the habit.

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BaconComposter t1_iubvd44 wrote

I just run and listen to music so it puts me in the mental space.

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Imafish12 t1_iuc1ajo wrote

Running or lifting weights is my mediation. For 60-90 minutes I think about nothing other than my weights, distance, or what song to listen to.

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lurkerfromstoneage t1_iuce8ao wrote

I completely agree with all of you that exercise is incredibly helpful but I also believe that we need a couple or multiple “tools” in the box to use for centering/grounding/peace. Because we aren’t always going to have the ability to hit the gym or go for a distance run sometimes (sick, injured, no gym access, poor weather, spending important quality time with loved ones, travel, etc whatever the case may be that’s restrictive)- so instead of being anxious because you can’t do the one anxiety-reducing activity, more skills are developed to select a different mind calming activity that’s helpful. You know? I checked myself on this years back when I began to recognize I felt super out of sorts and emotional when I couldn’t exercise - that’s when I had to reevaluate and pull back so I wasn’t “addicted” because I realized I had “relied” on the gym to be there for me as The Best outlet. I still work out absolutely. But I use the gym plus other movement (like even yard work, dancing, yoga and stretching, going for a walk with a friend, bike rides with my SO, etc) along with mixed meditation, music therapy, +++ and am much happier, less anxious and more involved in life instead of seeking refuge in the gym. (not saying your experiences are mine!!) Just my 2c.

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EcoMika101 t1_iuchh7i wrote

I searched YouTube months back when I just could NOT go to sleep. “Sleep guided mediation” or “anxiety sleep meditation” and videos by Jason Stephenson or Lauren Ostrowski Fenton are great. Lauren is English, a very calm and soothing voice. She has body scan meditations we’re you close your eyes and focus on your feet, maybe point and flex your toes, feel the weight of your feet on whatever you’re laying on. Then move up to the knees etc. it’s a good way to connect w the body and what you’re physically feeling, taking deep breaths and being present

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Photomancer t1_iubxpu6 wrote

I like wearing my stinky workout shirts because they put me in the mood to exercise!

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tarnok t1_iucqyqb wrote

What kinda meditation

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magueuleenstock t1_iucssns wrote

Mindfulness.
I started with just sitting down a pillow, knees confortably below my hips, eyes closed, breathing in through the nose, out through the mouth (though I just used my nose after a while).
Focused on the feeling of my chest calmly moving as I breathed. Every thought that crossed my mind was allowed, however I would not be allowed to develop it. I would just refocus on my breathing.

Some sessions would be only thoughts, some would be alright. Didn't matter, I just had to do it every day. I even started a decoy meditation habit at one point when I was overly stressed : I would start meditating for 30s, then stop, write down every "important" thought I just had to empty my head, and then start the real meditation.

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