Tuesday, December 11, 2012
Music
“Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and that which cannot remain silent.”
― Victor Hugo
Music is one of the few things we do that involves the whole brain. Every culture uses music, and you don't need to understand their language to appreciate their music. Music has been shown to have psysiological benefits. Studies have shown that music can lower your blood pressure, reduce the sensation and distress of chronic and post-operative pain, reduce the frequency, intensity, and duration of migraines, and improve the post-operative recovery of strokes.
Of course, we don't all agree on what music is soothing or healing. What is soothing to me might be annoying to you. Be almost everyone could name a song (or type of music) that they find soothing. So today, find some time to listen to music that is healing for you. And if you are feeling stressed or in pain, take 5 minutes to listen to your favorite song. This is a treatment that is free and most people enjoy "taking." All that is needed is willingness to use your time to help yourself (spending time on what is important instead of what is urgent). If you don't have a way to play the music from a speaker, play it for yourself in your head.
Thursday, December 6, 2012
Loss
“You never know what you have till you've lost it.”
― Alyson Noel, Evermore
Loss is an inevitable part of live. So is the attachment to people and things. We must all learn to accept change and loss. But it is not easy. Feelings of sadness, denial, anger, fear, and confusion are common when you have lost someone or something that was precious to you. It's important to accept and experience these feelings rather than pushing them away. Some quiet time after a loss becomes more important. You can take the time to feel and to grieve.
Try the three minute breathing space. For about three minutes (and no, don't time yourself) take some deep breaths. Try to clear your mind from thoughts of what has happened or what you must do next. Just be......, feel....., breathe.... When thoughts come, acknowledge them, let them go, return your attention to your breath. Just be.... for about three minutes. Then .... name the feeling your are experiencing right now. Whether you like them or not, just name them. And try to accept the feelings as part of your life in this moment.
Describing what sensations feelings cause in your body can help you to accept them. Does the feeling make your breathing change, change your heart rate, make you warmer/colder, tenser, heavier/lighter, tired/more energetic, etc. For example, many people notice when they are sad their breathing slows, they feel tired or weak, and their heart rate slows. Others notice they feel colder. Your experiences may be different. Just describe the sensations you feel.
Through acceptance of feelings we can become more accepting of change.....and thereby more accepting of loss. Because.....
“eventually, everything goes away.”
― Elizabeth Gilbert, Eat, Pray, Love
It's not unusual to be afraid of loss and therefore, to become afraid of attachment. However, a life without people we love and things that we enjoy might not be very joyful or fulfilling. So continue to love. And continue to be aware of change. And learn to accept your feelings more and more each day.
“It's so much darker when a light goes out than it would have been if it had never shone.”
― John Steinbeck, The Winter of Our Discontent
― Alyson Noel, Evermore
Loss is an inevitable part of live. So is the attachment to people and things. We must all learn to accept change and loss. But it is not easy. Feelings of sadness, denial, anger, fear, and confusion are common when you have lost someone or something that was precious to you. It's important to accept and experience these feelings rather than pushing them away. Some quiet time after a loss becomes more important. You can take the time to feel and to grieve.
Try the three minute breathing space. For about three minutes (and no, don't time yourself) take some deep breaths. Try to clear your mind from thoughts of what has happened or what you must do next. Just be......, feel....., breathe.... When thoughts come, acknowledge them, let them go, return your attention to your breath. Just be.... for about three minutes. Then .... name the feeling your are experiencing right now. Whether you like them or not, just name them. And try to accept the feelings as part of your life in this moment.
Describing what sensations feelings cause in your body can help you to accept them. Does the feeling make your breathing change, change your heart rate, make you warmer/colder, tenser, heavier/lighter, tired/more energetic, etc. For example, many people notice when they are sad their breathing slows, they feel tired or weak, and their heart rate slows. Others notice they feel colder. Your experiences may be different. Just describe the sensations you feel.
Through acceptance of feelings we can become more accepting of change.....and thereby more accepting of loss. Because.....
“eventually, everything goes away.”
― Elizabeth Gilbert, Eat, Pray, Love
It's not unusual to be afraid of loss and therefore, to become afraid of attachment. However, a life without people we love and things that we enjoy might not be very joyful or fulfilling. So continue to love. And continue to be aware of change. And learn to accept your feelings more and more each day.
“It's so much darker when a light goes out than it would have been if it had never shone.”
― John Steinbeck, The Winter of Our Discontent
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