Here’s My Exact Guide to Reduce Anxiety with Meditation
When I first started my yoga practice in 2000, I had NO desire to meditate. In fact, I didn’t think it was possible for someone with anxiety to completely quiet my mind. Each time I tried to meditate, I got frustrated because my overthinking mind would kick into gear and I didn’t think I was “doing it right.” So, eventually I stopped trying.
Has this happened to you?
Thankfully in the fall of 2016 I was required to take a 9-day meditation training module as part of my advanced yoga teacher training certification. Although I hated the idea of meditating, I had to take the plunge and give it a shot. To my surprise, I ended up absolutely loving it. I now use meditation as a regular tool to help manage my anxiety. And I want the same for you. Today I’m going to share the basics of meditation so that you can use it with confidence to reduce your anxiety as well.
What is Meditation?
According to Merriam Webster, the word meditate is defined as:
“To engage in mental exercise (such as concentration on one's breathing or repetition of a mantra) for the purpose of reaching a heightened level of spiritual awareness”.
Many people believe you need to quiet your mind and be all “zen-like” when you meditate to help you become a “better person”. This couldn’t be any further from the truth. When you meditate, you are not trying to turn off your thoughts or feelings. Instead, the goal is to let your thoughts and feelings come in and out of your mind, just as they are, and your job is to become more aware of them without judgement - you take the seat of the witness and simply watch.
I like to think of meditation as exercise for the mind. Just like you would go to the gym to strengthen your muscles or run to improve your cardio, you practice meditation to “work out” your brain. The key is to practice becoming more aware of your thoughts so you can learn to better understand them. And once you better understand them, you can begin to change your relationship with them.
Benefits of Meditation … Specifically for Anxiety
Over the years many research studies have been conducted to better understand the effects of meditation on our physical health, emotional well-being, mental clarity and intuition. It has been proven that meditation can create a deep state of relaxation and a calmer mind because it helps to slow down your nervous system, reduce your heart rate and lower your respiration rate.
Some of the benefits of meditation include:
Better focus and concentration
Increase self-esteem and self-awareness
Reduce stress
Improve immunity
Headache and general pain relief
Improve memory
Improve sleep
Greater empathy for yourself and others
Reduce high blood pressure
Improve emotional well-being
When we think about how meditation can impact anxiety, it’s important to remember that anxiety is the memory of fear or the anticipation of fear - it happens when you are focused on the past or future.
The present moment lives between the past and the future and it is the only thing that exists.
When you focus your awareness on the “here and now”, your racing thoughts about the past or future no longer have power, which will relax your body and mind.
The practice of meditation helps you notice when you are caught in an anxious thought or feeling. You can see the anxious thought for what it is - just a thought - and you can return your attention to the present moment. The more you practice this skill in meditation, the more likely you’ll notice these anxious thoughts during the day. And, once you start noticing them more often, you can return your awareness to the present moment, which will help to reduce your anxiety.
The other benefit of meditation for anxiety is that you start to understand the nature of your mind and your patterns of resistance. Once you can see these patterns and understand your triggers, you can engage in practices that will actually change the relationship you have with your anxiety.
Tips for Beginning a Meditation Practice
If you are new to meditation, here are a few tips that will help as you get started.
Create a schedule. Try meditating at the same time each day to see how it impacts you. You might meditate first thing in the morning or before bed, as an example. Once you decide on the time of day that works best for you, make sure to schedule it. This will help you create a routine.
Start slow. When you first start, set a time for only 5-10 minutes a day, and then work your way up to longer sessions. You don’t want to jump into a long sit right out of the gate.
Sit comfortably. It is not recommended that you meditate lying down because you will be more likely to fall asleep. Sit on the floor with your legs crossed or underneath you, or sit in a chair with your feet on the floor so that you can elongate your spine. The key is to make sure your body is generally comfortable since you will be sitting for a length of time.
Observe without judgement. I have a teacher that always says, “Your mind is like a bad neighborhood. You don’t want to go there alone.” As you meditate, thoughts and feelings will arise that will be unpleasant. Try not to judge them. Simply recognize that your mind’s job is to think! And when you notice these thoughts simply say to yourself, “Oh, just thinking again” and gently return your awareness back to the present moment.
Use a guide. There are so many awesome meditation apps out there right now! If you find it hard to sit alone to meditate, try a guided meditation. My favorite apps are Headspace, Calm and Insight Timer. Gosh, I think even Matthew Mcconaughey is on the Calm app and will guide you to fall asleep faster! Yes please!
Types of Meditation for Anxiety
There are literally hundreds of different meditation techniques from a range of traditional, cultural, spiritual and religious practices. The most effective type for you will really depend on your individual needs, since the practice of meditation is truly different for everyone. And, it can even be different for you depending on the time of the day, week or year. The key is to learn a few techniques to keep in your “toolbox” and then tune in to see what your body and mind need at any given moment. Then, grab the meditation technique that will meet those specific needs.
Personally, I find the meditation techniques that keep your mind or body “busy” work well for people struggling with anxiety. Here are a few that might be helpful to try on yourself.
Mantra Meditation
A mantra is a sound, word or phrase that is chanted out loud or used internally as an object of meditation. It can be more tangible - like chanting or using beads - or more subtle - like connecting a phrase in your mind that you repeat with the rhythm of your breath. If you choose to practice with a word or phrase, know that it doesn’t matter what you use. However, the phrase or word should resonate with you. And try to stay away from phrases that have strong mental associations like “money”.
Suggested phrases you can try are: “I Am”, “I am relaxed”, or “I am at peace.”
First, settle in and make yours comfortable. If it feels ok to do so, close your eyes and bring your awareness to your breath. Take a few long, deep breaths to settle in and relax.
Gentle bring the mantra into your awareness. You might want to imagine it spoken out loud and then feel it getting softer as you internalize it. At first, you may want to connect the mantra to the breath. For example, using the phrase, “I am relaxed”, as you inhale, say to yourself “I am” and as you exhale, say “relaxed”. You can keep this connection or eventually let it fade away and just notice the rhythm of the mantra.
Rather than forcing yourself to “think” the mantra, simply hold the mantra in the foreground of your awareness and release thoughts, feelings, or sensations as you become aware of them. Also know that your mind will wander! Remember - that job of the mind is to think! When that happens, gently without judgement bring yourself back to the awareness of the mantra.
Walking Meditation
Walking meditation is really beneficial for people with anxiety. The focus is to learn how to pay attention on purpose. When you are feeling anxious, your mind is distracted, scattered and unfocused. Walking meditation provides a deep level of focus and concentration, allowing you to really get absorbed in the present moment.
This type of meditation can be done anytime and at any speed. You want to be aware of the body as it moves through space and simply breathe naturally. There is a tendency to make this practice more “interesting.” Remember that it’s just walking and you want to keep it very simple. Keep your eyes cast down to avoid distractions and when you notice you are lost in thought, simply come back to movement.
There are two options for walking meditation.
Option one - count your steps. Count off each number as you take a step, beginning with one. Then count, “one, two” and then “one, two, three” and so on. Continue this until you reach ten and repeat back at one. If you lose count, simply start again at one.
Option two - movement of the feet. Label each step, breaking down the step into three distinct sections. “Lift” while lifting. “Move” while moving. “Place while placing. When your mind wanders, bring your awareness back to the labeling and awareness of the direct sensation you feel.
Sound Meditation
Sound can be a great anchor for meditation, especially when your mind is scattered. It deepens your concentration and focus and is an excellent way to practice your awareness of the witness.
Sit comfortably and gently close the eyes. Bring your awareness to the sounds around you. Notice the sounds closest to you, and then notice the sounds at the edge of your awareness. See if you can hear the sounds without the narrative mind. For example, try not to label “bird chirping” or “car driving''. Try to simply reflect on the direct vibration and experience of the sounds in the body. When you get distracted, which will happen, gently bring your awareness back to the direct experience of the sound.
So there you have it! You now know the basics of how a meditation practice can help reduce your overall anxiety and better manage it during your day-to-day activities. Take it from me - meditating can be challenging! AND, it’s benefits will also have you feeling more freedom from your anxious mind so that you can start to live the life you deserve.