What do yoga and meditation do to help manage your anxiety? Does it work for some and not others?

[Aspergirl4hire]

WIth JuniperBug's permission, I'm creating a thread to explore a comment in the thread on top 10 techniques for managing anxiety and Asperger Syndrome.

"I was surprised that Parasympathetic practices (yoga, meditation, etc.) scored so highly. I'd like to know specifically people do. Whenever I've tried Yoga and meditation I find that my find is too active and I get bored. Is this a common issue? Perhaps something I'm just meant to preserver through? I dunno...but I never feel relaxed, just more anxious as if I've wasted time somehow. It's the same way feel about mundane tasks like laundry or showering..."

As she said, "What specifically do people do?"

Does yoga help? How? What do you have do to get the effect? How long did you have to do it to get the effect? As above, for meditation: how does the mental activity for meditation overcome the anxiety engine so many of us possess?

EDIT: For those of you with interviews, presentations, and similar events coming up, Warwick C. posted a nice piece that suggests everything we're told to do to fight stage fright is wrong.

EDIT: For those of you who have gone on meditation retreats, whale_bone is interested in your experiences.

 

[On the Inside]

I have practiced meditation and yoga for a long time, and I still suffer the "monkey mind". But I've also received so much from recognizing just how prone to inattention and agitation I am.

Even if a session goes by with me never stopping the motor mind, the body is helped. When a session is painful, or a struggle in some other way, I am exposing myself as I am. and that is never a bad thing, IMO.

There have been times when I've been able to practice intensively, and that is when I've felt the most benefit. But even now, years since I've been to an intensive, multi-day meditation retreat, I can dip back to that experience and have that experience of knowing myself.

 

[Warmheart]

For five years I have been doing T'ai chi ( a sort of moving meditation) each morning.
I am now off all anxiety/panic attack medications.
I am now off all colitis (from nerves) medications.
I am now off all anti-depressants.

This takes me only 20 minutes per day. The results, as with anything in Chinese medicine, are cumulative-- you feel better the more you do this. The benefits begin immediately. This is also a "right now remedy" I can do at home any time I am in need of some extra balance and centering of my nerves. T'ai chi is something I began at a time my anxiety was out of control. I will enjoy T'ai chi for my whole life.

 

[Spiller]

It's never mundane when it's for you!
I've meditated on and off for about twenty five years; a demanding partner, kids and long working hours tended to get in the way of that rather a lot.. so I found that I needed to be able to allocate a good hour or so a day to my practice, such that I could relax and focus, not be interrupted, not be thinking about the next task of the day, not be worrying.. that's important!
I had to want to do it. Your thinking and emotions can be like two spoilt kids, wanting to do their own thing; whatever you say, they'll do exactly as they please anyway! I hate exercise! I get up every morning at 7am and go for a 3 mile run, cos it makes me feel better - more alert, agile and happy. If I force myself to do it for long enough and tell myself it's good and I enjoy it, eventually, I find I actually do enjoy it and miss it when stuff gets in the way and I can't.. so perseverance and mental attitude are equally as important!
Specifically, I practice 'Mindfulness of Breathing', very easy, very profound effect on inner calmness. I did a day course at 'The London Buddhist Centre', rather than jump blindly into a random book or CD and it was well worth £100 to learn in the company of the like-minded.
Remember that thing I said ages ago, about thoughts and feelings occurring within the space that is your conciousness?.. well, for that hour, I am pure conciousness - no thought or feeling, just.. peace.. and that sense of peace comes to pervade your life

 

[113]

I'm doing yoga at the moment. Most days it is hard to focus, but some days I'm able to focus. I still force myself to do it. I think it has physical benefits.

The less chaotic my life is, the easier it is to focus.

 

[Harrison]

I practise Tai Chi/Qi Gong, both of which calm the body and mind. Qi Gong helps by using the control of one's breathing but both rely on the Chinese principles of controlling Qi (Breath, spirit). When it gets too tough I use acupuncture which directly influences the meridians of Qi within the body that cause effects to the mind, body and spirit as a whole. Even though I hold my degrees in Chinese Medicine I am not a fan of Chinese herb treatments.

Meditation is a mixed bag for many people but works for me, if you feel that your mind will not settle in meditation the best thing is to passively watch where it goes, it settles down of its own accord. Binaural sounds can help induce a meditative state if you are mentally restless.

I use no other medication.

 

[Datura]

I practice yoga at home (though I haven't been keeping up with it like I should) and it really helps put me in a calmer state of mind.

My ritual is to put on some relaxing ambient music at an audible, but low volume. It could be new age, electronica, or Tibetan singing bowls, they all work. My rule of thumb is nothing dissonant, no lyrics, and nothing you can tap your foot to. This keeps the music from being too obtrusive. The goal is to create a soothing background, not a focal point.

I then usually fix myself a small cup of tea and drink it mindfully before commencing my yoga. I then go through one of several routines. While there is a major focus on breath throughout the practice this is really more low impact physical activity than it is deep meditation. It helps to work out physical tension, strengthen muscles, increase flexibility, and reduce stress simply by being active.

The real meditation starts in shavasana, the corpse pose. I take a detailed inventory of how I am feeling, take deep breaths, and then let those thoughts and feelings go. I relax my entire musculo skelital system, from my toes to the crown of my head, telling myself "I am relaxing my toes, my toes are nice and relaxed." and so on, repeating these mantras until they become reality. I then do the same thing with my internal organs. After this I spend some time just being, feeling gravity pull me into the floor, noticing without judging, and letting my thoughts flow freely without fixating on them. I then get up and do three hand to heart invocations before wrapping up. Afterward I feel very light, calm, and happy.

 

[Tia Maria]

I practise Tai Chi/Qi Gong, both of which calm the body and mind. Qi Gong helps by using the control of one's breathing but both rely on the Chinese principles of controlling Qi (Breath, spirit). When it gets too tough I use acupuncture which directly influences the meridians of Qi within the body that cause effects to the mind, body and spirit as a whole. Even though I hold my degrees in Chinese Medicine I am not a fan of Chinese herb treatments.

Meditation is a mixed bag for many people but works for me, if you feel that your mind will not settle in meditation the best thing is to passively watch where it goes, it settles down of its own accord. Binaural sounds can help induce a meditative state if you are mentally restless.

I use no other medication.

Harrison, regarding binaural sounds. Do you have a favorite CD you listen to? Thanks!

 

[Harrison]

Harrison, regarding binaural sounds. Do you have a favorite CD you listen to? Thanks!

No, I have an app that lets me select sounds when I'm away from home. At home I do my own

 

[AsheSkyler]

Karate did so much more for my anxiety than yoga, but doing yoga, pilates, and general exercise helps me manage nearly as well. For me, it's simply the physical exertion. The stress and strain on my muscles gives me a release, the repetition and routine is naturally pleasurable for me as an autistic person, and the side effects of exercise, increased blood flow, and rhythmic breathing ain't too bad on a body either. And a wee confidence boost knowing I am able to kick like a mule in a bad situation if need be, that help's my social anxiety too.

Because I can never shut my brain down, I don't get the full benefits of yoga or meditation. If I'm not thinking, I'm not moving. If I'm not moving, my mind wanders into all sorts of dark places I don't like to be.

I miss Tai Chi, I'll be hitting it up again someday. There's not much of those Eastern stances I don't like.

 

[Aspergirl4hire]

...
I had to want to do it. Your thinking and emotions can be like two spoilt kids, wanting to do their own thing; whatever you say, they'll do exactly as they please anyway! I hate exercise! I get up every morning at 7am and go for a 3 mile run, cos it makes me feel better - more alert, agile and happy. If I force myself to do it for long enough and tell myself it's good and I enjoy it, eventually, I find I actually do enjoy it and miss it when stuff gets in the way and I can't.. so perseverance and mental attitude are equally as important!

Remember that thing I said ages ago, about thoughts and feelings occurring within the space that is your conciousness?.. well, for that hour, I am pure conciousness - no thought or feeling, just.. peace.. and that sense of peace comes to pervade your life

Yes. I do remember. -A4H

 

[Aspergirl4hire]

Karate did so much more for my anxiety than yoga, but doing yoga, pilates, and general exercise helps me manage nearly as well. For me, it's simply the physical exertion. The stress and strain on my muscles gives me a release, the repetition and routine is naturally pleasurable for me as an autistic person, and the side effects of exercise, increased blood flow, and rhythmic breathing ain't too bad on a body either. And a wee confidence boost knowing I am able to kick like a mule in a bad situation if need be, that help's my social anxiety too.

Because I can never shut my brain down, I don't get the full benefits of yoga or meditation. If I'm not thinking, I'm not moving. If I'm not moving, my mind wanders into all sorts of dark places I don't like to be.

I miss Tai Chi, I'll be hitting it up again someday. There's not much of those Eastern stances I don't like.

I miss martial arts. I see now that imagining myself in the focus of a combat technique was a way of giving myself permission to be aggressive instead of sublimating aggression (as a "nice girl" "should"). Paradoxically, it made me a little more peaceful when I wasn't at practice.

 

[AsheSkyler]

I miss martial arts. I see now that imagining myself in the focus of a combat technique was a way of giving myself permission to be aggressive instead of sublimating aggression (as a "nice girl" "should"). Paradoxically, it made me a little more peaceful when I wasn't at practice.

It's pretty nice, ain't it? Getting out all that frustration with the satisfaction of hearing an audible "kathunk". I was almost as relaxed as hot butter after I was given a few minutes with the punching bag and I was quite mellow on the drive home. My aggression has gone down again now that I am working out again. And admittedly, a few bits of Karate are mixed in with part of my routine now. One of the things I really miss about the real deal is point sparring. That was FUN! Fighting without anybody mad or getting hurt? That was great. I love to playfight with people.

 

[Aspergirl4hire]

It's pretty nice, ain't it? Getting out all that frustration with the satisfaction of hearing an audible "kathunk".One of the things I really miss about the real deal is point sparring. That was FUN! Fighting without anybody mad or getting hurt? That was great. I love to playfight with people.

Chuckling...I studied tai chi for a time, and they called it "push hands." I once threw a green belt (I was yellow belt) and I still remember feeling the gap opening when he lost his focus. Oh yes.

 

[Julia 27]

WIth JuniperBug's permission, I'm creating a thread to explore a comment in the thread on top 10 techniques for managing anxiety and Asperger Syndrome.

"I was surprised that Parasympathetic practices (yoga, meditation, etc.) scored so highly. I'd like to know specifically people do. Whenever I've tried Yoga and meditation I find that my find is too active and I get bored. Is this a common issue? Perhaps something I'm just meant to preserver through? I dunno...but I never feel relaxed, just more anxious as if I've wasted time somehow. It's the same way feel about mundane tasks like laundry or showering..."

As she said, "What specifically do people do?"

Does yoga help? How? What do you have do to get the effect? How long did you have to do it to get the effect? As above, for meditation: how does the mental activity for meditation overcome the anxiety engine so many of us possess?

EDIT: For those of you with interviews, presentations, and similar events coming up, Warwick C. posted a nice piece that suggests everything we're told to do to fight stage fright is wrong.

EDIT: For those of you who have gone on meditation retreats, whale_bone is interested in your experiences.

Maybe start by just going sitting closing your eyes and breathe really deeply and slowing for 30 seconds
see how you go with that for calming. if it works remember to do it when you are waiting agitated in a traffic jam etc it is really hard to breathe deep and slow and be agitated at the same time try it

 

[AsheSkyler]

Chuckling...I studied tai chi for a time, and they called it "push hands." I once threw a green belt (I was yellow belt) and I still remember feeling the gap opening when he lost his focus. Oh yes.

Heheh, we might have to start a martial arts thread. Throwing was fun, but I hope I never get thrown for real. I never could get the arm angle right, so I'd probably end up with an overextended/broken elbow in a serious throw.

 

[Aspergirl4hire]

We might indeed want to start a martial arts thread...I think I've answered my own question. I need meditation in motion that changes energy fields. When sparring, it was more like finding the hole that existed in the air, and putting the body in the right orientation to fill it. Then I pushed without force, and the opponent fell without resistance. (And frequently, I was the falling one, as I was more than a little clumsy.)