Stress, Mindfulness and Meditation

Many people complain of stress, sometimes just because of a situation, oftentimes chronically. It seems endemic in our modern day society, with people balancing many responsibilities and demands and not taking time for their own needs. Too much stress takes its toll on our relationships, our bodies, our work and our mental health.

I usually see the need for both a coping strategy, alleviating the symptoms of stress, and delving deeper into the reasons behind stress, the psychological work that allows you to be free of old, automatic reactions and take control over your life. Both need to be addressed for adequately relieving stress. Finding balance in life is an art, between yourself and other people, between your outer and inner life, between putting energy out in the world and self-care. Stress management is always unique, as every person, their needs and their process of change, is quite unique.

Mindfulness means awareness, being aware of what’s happening inside you as well as outside you, between you and others. Becoming more aware allows you to take action to effectively deal with a problem. It also means being aware of the different parts of you, even if they are conflicting. If stress is coming from over-working your brain, then being mindful of your emotions and body allows you hear what they are yelling at you for attention. Learning to find and nurture that place of mind-body-spirit balance allows you stay connected to all parts of you. Many methodologies help develop mindfulness.

Meditation comes in many forms, but all work with softening the grip of the demanding head and its constant thoughts, letting them move into the background, strengthening your connection to your deeper self which is always there. This is not a quick or easy process, but instead takes a lot of practice and commitment. Like any difficulty, either you enjoy the learning process, and decide to weather the challenges, or not. Meditation can really change lives because it allows you to recognize your own inner guidance, lets you release stored emotions, gives you perspective so you can make conscious choices, allows you to become aware of the flow of life energy inside you, and opens you to the spiritual dimension.