Photo Source: terrepruitt.com
The thing that helped me get through my hospital stay the most was practicing Principle 5 of Nia - Awareness. Specifically, Living Meditation.
When I woke up from surgery I was in so much pain that not even a combination of powerful drugs helped much. So I turned to just being still and silent, resting in the "non-doing."
In Living Meditation there is no inner dialogue, no negative thoughts, no attachment to anything external. In this state, the body becomes calm and free from desires, goals, and fears.
When I woke up from surgery I was in so much pain that not even a combination of powerful drugs helped much. So I turned to just being still and silent, resting in the "non-doing."
In Living Meditation there is no inner dialogue, no negative thoughts, no attachment to anything external. In this state, the body becomes calm and free from desires, goals, and fears.
"Living Meditation has a physical sensation, one of stillness that brings great pleasure to your body and mind. It is a special kind of energy which, while not 'stimulating,' is deeply empowering.: the energy of healing."
~Embody and Share
That night, when I couldn't sleep because of the weight of the surgery sitting on my chest, I breathed through the pain. I quieted my mind, sat in the dark, cool stillness of it and just breathed.
Hydrocodon and morphine didn't work, but Living Meditation did. That's saying something.
This also helps ease panic attacks. I've battled these for longer than I can remember, but now have more control and am able to work through them without reaching for the bottle of Xanax first.
When I feel panic surfacing, I practice Living Meditation by going into my head, turning off the switch, the one labeled "activity," and focus on my breath. This helps even if I'm outside the house and not able to sit down. Just the other day I was walking down the street when out of nowhere the anxiety arose and all I could do was meditate while moving. It worked.
But you don't have to be in a hospital bed or panicking to practice Living Meditation. In fact, the fundamental practice is to pay attention to moments of "non-doing" and use them as opportunities for meditation.
That means that instead of becoming angry during a traffic jam, you see it as the perfect time to meditate. Just get still in your body and mind, notice how the air blowing through the vents feels on your skin or how the seat beneath you cushions your body. Practice opening yourself to this stillness and the feeling of neutrality. Before you know it, the traffic jam will become "me time."
Whether you're a Nia student or not, I urge you to listen to the silence. Use it to heal, to relax, to notice the sweetness of stillness.
Hydrocodon and morphine didn't work, but Living Meditation did. That's saying something.
This also helps ease panic attacks. I've battled these for longer than I can remember, but now have more control and am able to work through them without reaching for the bottle of Xanax first.
When I feel panic surfacing, I practice Living Meditation by going into my head, turning off the switch, the one labeled "activity," and focus on my breath. This helps even if I'm outside the house and not able to sit down. Just the other day I was walking down the street when out of nowhere the anxiety arose and all I could do was meditate while moving. It worked.
But you don't have to be in a hospital bed or panicking to practice Living Meditation. In fact, the fundamental practice is to pay attention to moments of "non-doing" and use them as opportunities for meditation.
That means that instead of becoming angry during a traffic jam, you see it as the perfect time to meditate. Just get still in your body and mind, notice how the air blowing through the vents feels on your skin or how the seat beneath you cushions your body. Practice opening yourself to this stillness and the feeling of neutrality. Before you know it, the traffic jam will become "me time."
Whether you're a Nia student or not, I urge you to listen to the silence. Use it to heal, to relax, to notice the sweetness of stillness.
