Overcoming Anxiety

Anxiety is something that impacts millions of people each day. When we experience it, we are often swept away by negative thoughts of the future and this leads to emotional responses like fear, sadness or anger. As well as behavioural responses like avoiding situations, or lashing out reactively. It’s hard to problem solve when we are swept away by an anxious mind. But anxiety can be a teacher so we want to hear what it has to say and tend to it gently so it doesn't overwhelm us. Mindfulness offers us the opportunity to learn how to listen to anxiety and respond to it in a more skilful way. When we hear what our anxiety has to say in a safe space, with a calm mind, we can offer it reassurance and release it. 

Here is an experiential practice to work with anxiety as presented by Tamara Levitt on the Calm App, which I listen to daily.

From my personal perspective, it delivers a sense of calm and fresh perspective, which has given me greater clarity and self control, inspiring me to share this with you.

Find a comfortable position and close your eyes.

Take a few full deep breathes. Inhale deeply. Exhale slowly. 

Feel the sensations of the breath as it’s released.

As thoughts arise, observe them like you are sitting on a river bank, watching the leaves flow down the river. Remain on the side lines as a witness, observing the water and watching whatever it carries down-stream, without getting caught up in it. 

Let thoughts flow in and watch them drift away.

There is a good chance you may be pulled away by thought. Some of those thoughts may be worry or anxious thoughts, so it’s a useful practice to learn how to let thoughts come and go without getting swept away. 

With anxiety, our general habit is to react. To get caught up in the undertow and taken on a ride, so we want to learn how to calm the mind and become less reactive to anxiety.

It is also helpful to turn towards our anxiety at times. 

Create a safe space to do so by settling the mind.

Allow a worried thought you are holding to surface. It can be something that came up during meditation practice or an anxious thought you had earlier, just allow a moderate concern to arise in your mind. Now notice where you feel it in the body. There is always a physical sensation connected with an anxious thought. Sometimes in the chest, other times in the tummy, you might feel it anywhere. 

Locate where your anxiety is being held, in this moment. 

Tune into the sensation, feel it. Stay with it and notice its shape, size, it’s texture, it’s colour. Connect with the felt sense of it in your body.

Now notice, what is the feeling associated with it? 

Anger. Fear. Sadness or shame. Just notice what’s here.

Now listen to what this emotion is trying to tell you. 

Allow it to be an open-ended question and just hear what arises.

Now having listened to what the emotion is trying to tell you, see if there is anything you can say to calm it. Know that our anxious thoughts are often exaggerated fears and we never really know how life will evolve. If you don't notice a magnification of thought, simply acknowledge the emotion. 

So, if you are holding fear you would say, “I see you are afraid, of course you afraid, and it’s OK”. 

Take a moment to calm or affirm whatever feeling you are experiencing in this moment.

Now provide some reassurance, telling that part of you that it’s not alone. 

"I see you, we will figure this out, we will get through this. 

Offer reassurance to that part of you. And if it’s possible, allow your worries to rest now, knowing that they have been acknowledged and understanding our biggest worries rarely manifest. There are always steps that can be taken, and although not all answers arise immediately, with time they will come.

As a last step, rest your attention on the area of your heart. Acknowledge the courage it takes to face difficult emotions and send yourself gentle waves of loving kindness.

Allow the feeling of peace and compassion to shower your whole body as you take these next few breathes.

Bring your attention back to your surroundings and open your eyes.

If this has resonated with you, consider downloading the Calm App and take 10mins out of your day to connect with your di#vine self through mindfulness and guided meditation.