Another way to practice mindfulness: Retreats

Over the past few weeks I’ve been giving a lot of different ways that you can incorporate mindfulness into your life.  Some of you may be doing fine with these ideas.  But what if you’re looking for something more?  What if you’re looking to take the next step in your mindfulness journey?

One of the best ways to deepen your mindfulness practice is to go on a retreat.  Not only do these retreats allow us to meet people who enjoy mindfulness as much as we do, but they also allow you to learn firsthand from some of the leading mindfulness teachers.  Another bonus is that these retreats can last anywhere from a couple hours to a couple days.  This essentially allows you to have a long term exposure to mindfulness, which can really deepen your practice.

I found an organization that offers all sorts of mindfulness retreats.  It’s called Spirit Rock, and it is classified as an insight meditation center.  It is located about 45 minutes away from San Francisco.  While this may be a long trip for some of us (myself included).  Think of it as a vacation that will benefit you as well as relax you.

The next upcoming mindfulness retreat from this organization is titled: Well-Nourished: Mindful Practices for Heart, Mind and Body.  This event will be held on Sunday July 9 from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.  The description states that the program includes meditation, walking, and yoga.  The main theme revolves around eating and how being mindful of your eating can benefit both your mind and body.  The best part about this retreat is that young adults (ages 18-26) only have to pay $45 for this retreat which is a great deal!  Registration is still open so be sure to check it out!

Another event from Spirit Rock is called: Opening the heart, freeing the mind.  This event is on July 14 and is also from 9:30-4:30.  This retreat is centered around love and compassion for one another.  There will be a variety of sitting and walking meditations all geared toward compassion.  This seems very appropriate considering compassion is a very big topic in many different meditations.  This retreat also offers the young adult discount which is super helpful.  This event still has open registration, but I also feel like I should mention that you can register at the door.  However, it costs $5 more to do so, therefore I would recommend that you register online as soon as possible.

I found another retreat that could be particularly interesting if you’re a writer like me.  It’s called: Writing as a path to awakening.  This retreat is a little different than the others because it’s five days long.  However, the website does offer a link with more information on various hotels where you can stay during the retreat.  Unfortunately this retreat is also a bit more expensive.  But there is still a young adult discount available, however it only brings the price down to $225.  Although this price isn’t horrible when you consider that this retreat is five days long.  The meditations all revolve around writing and they offer different writing sessions with various prompts to really help you practice your craft.  They will also have educational sessions where they will discuss the writings of some of the pioneers of mindfulness.  This is definitely a retreat worth looking into if you enjoy writing.

The other retreat I found that seems particularly useful was the introduction to insight meditation.  This one will be on July 22 from 9:30 to 4:00.  It seems very useful because it’s all about being able to channel a state of calm and peace even in the most stressful situations, which is something that I think all of us could use!  There will be a variety of walking and sitting meditations, so there will be something for everyone.  This is another retreat that has a young adult discount and for those young adults it will only cost $45.

These are only a few of the meditations that are available, so be sure to check out their website to see the full list of retreats and other resources that are available.  I hope one of these retreats has piqued your interests!

Do you have a desire to go on a retreat like this? Let me know in the comments! (Seriously let me know I’d love to go to one of these with someone).

Remember: Everyone starts out as a beginner, if they can do it then so can you.

 

Mindful Musings

A mental health journey through mindfulness

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Mindfulness? Medication? What treatment do you choose?

Disclaimer: I’m not a licensed medical professional in any way, shape or form.  I’m just sharing my opinions and experiences in hopes that it will help someone else.

Whether you struggle with anxiety, depression, chronic pain, or addiction, the question is always: What kind of treatment to I want to use? This can be a hard question for many people to answer. I know from personal experience.

When I first began dealing with my anxiety and panic attacks, I didn’t seek any form of treatment for months.  It was miserable.  To be honest, for most of that time I wasn’t even aware that I needed treatment.  I didn’t know why I was feeling the way I was feeling.  The first step for me was actually coming to terms with the fact that I was dealing with anxiety and panic disorder (both of which run in my family so therefore it only made sense).  It was hard for me to come to this realization, and scary to think about where to go from there.

I was originally so afraid to take medication.  I was so scared of how it might affect me.  Eventually I decided to take the advice of my doctor and go on antidepressants.  However I didn’t give up on the solution of therapy.  It was in therapy where I discovered the benefits of mindfulness in regards to my anxiety and panic.

I think it’s important to note that neither of these treatments worked right away.  It took time to see results from both solutions.  The medication took awhile to kick in.  And getting into mindfulness was truly a journey.

When I started doing mindfulness meditation I was very skeptical and found it very hard to concentrate.  Of course now I know that’s completely normal, but it was very discouraging.  Eventually through lots of trial and error, I was able to figure out what kinds of meditations worked for me.

For example, if you remember one of my earlier stories I mentioned how I wasn’t a huge fan of the eating meditation.  But I gave it a try and learned I wasn’t a fan.  Along the way I found countless other meditations that I did like though.

This is how you should approach any sort of treatment you may be looking into.  Be open to trying anything at least once.  But more importantly, seek the advice of a medical professional.  That could be either a medical doctor or a psychiatrist.  I suggest going to as many different specialists as you want.  It’s great to get a second (or third) opinion from someone.

However you should also remember that, when everything is said and done, how you treat any sort of ailment you are dealing with is your decision.  Don’t let anyone pressure you into doing anything you aren’t comfortable with.  Honestly that can create more problems than it’s worth.

I guess what I’m trying to say is that there are benefits and drawbacks to any sort of treatment.  That’s the nature of modern medicine.  It’s up to you to weigh the risks and benefits for your personal situation.  Your solution may not be the same as someone else you know and that’s perfectly okay.  There isn’t a right or wrong answer, which honestly I think is pretty great.

I hope this article has lifted the stigma when it comes to the treatment of mental illness.  And if you’re someone who is considering seeking treatment, I hope this article has inspired you to reach out to someone.  Personally, I also hope that I’ve inspired someone to at least consider trying to add mindfulness to their life and begin their journey.

Remember: Everyone starts out as a beginner.  If they can do it, then so can you.

 

Mindful Musings

A mental health journey through mindfulness.

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How to use mindfulness when you’re wishing the days away

Sometimes you just have those days where nothing seems to go your way.  Or you just don’t like where you’re at in life right now. We’ve all felt like this at one time or another.  The mistake we make is wishing we were at some other point in time.  Sometimes we wish we were younger, while sometimes we wish we could just skip over a certain part of our lives.

There’s nothing wrong with reminiscing about your childhood.  However, I know there have been times where I wish I could go back to my childhood.  I didn’t appreciate how simple life was.  I also have my moments where I wish I could fast forward to a different point in my life.  This is usually at a point where everything seems up in the air.  For example, right now I have no idea where I’m going to be a year from now and it’s extremely frustrating.  I wish I could fast forward to that time so I could just have it all figured out.

There’s a problem with this way of thinking.  We are either dreaming about the past or wishing our lives away, neither of which brings a good result.  What can we do about feeling this way?

Well if you know anything about this blog, you know I’m going to say that mindfulness can be extremely helpful with this.  Mindfulness is all about being in the present moment.  You are supposed to focus on how you are feeling in the moment.  This not only alleviates worry but can also help you become content in your present situation.

Back to my situation, rather than longing for my childhood or wishing away my senior year of college, I need to just live in the moment.  I need to accept the fact that I’ve done all I can so far in regards to planning my future.  I need to enjoy where I am in life right now, because I’m never going to be at this exact point in my life ever again.

There’s always going to be something that we long to get to in life, it’s only human nature.  But if we keep wishing life away, we’re going to get older and realize that it’s almost over and we didn’t enjoy any of it.  What’s the sense in that?

Here’s a few ways you can incorporate mindfulness during moments like these.

Appreciate Nature

The world is changing all around us every day.  Take a moment to appreciate it and notice the little things.  Take in the vast sky and the beautiful plants nearby.  Enjoy the smell after rain or when the lawn is mowed.  Sometimes when we take time to enjoy these things, it can really give us an appreciation for the present moment.

Get active

Be in the moment and get moving.  Runners high is a real thing, and believe it or not, you can experience it too!  Dance, do aerobics, hula hoop, play your favorite sport, even if it’s just walking get moving! Breathe through the hard work and feel good about the fact that you’re doing something right now to better your life.

Spend time with family and friends

I hate to be blunt about this, but we all have a limited amount of time on this Earth.  Spend time with the ones you care about and really actually spend time with them.  Don’t be on your phone or just mindlessly watch tv.  Sit down and have a conversation or do something else together.  Whatever it is, be in that moment and spend time with them.  Later in life you will thank yourself.

Meditate!

When in doubt, I always find meditation to be a good way to gain some appreciation for the present!  There are many different kinds of meditations that are suitable for this.  One could be a gratitude meditation.  It allows you to be thankful for what you have in your life right now, and it can really put you in a better mood if you’re feeling down about your current state.

It’s human nature to wish time away, but being mindful can really make life worthwhile!  I hope I’ve inspired you to be more mindful in your day to day life.

Remember: Everyone starts out as a beginner, if they can do it then so can you!

 

Mindful Musings

A mental health journey through mindfulness

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Virtual Reality Mindfulness Exists. Here’s why you should want to know.

We’ve all heard the term virtual reality in video games, but this kind of virtual reality is a bit different.  With most virtual reality it’s about seeing a new world.  This method is actually about not seeing anything.  Regardless, why do we need to know about virtual reality mindfulness?

Maybe you’ve been in a rut in your mindfulness journey and are really looking for a way to deepen your practice?  Or maybe mindfulness meditation hasn’t quite registered with you and you are looking to take a different direction in your mindfulness journey?  Either way, virtual reality mindfulness is the way to go.

Today I will highlight the features of virtual reality mindfulness, and I will also attempt to show how and where you can begin this practice if you are interested.

This device for virtual reality mindfulness is actually called the sonic cradle.  You sit in a hammock like chair in a dark room, and listen to music that is controlled by your own breathing.  How crazy is that?  Personally I think I would have a hard time adjusting to this, because I would end up being too focused on my breath.  However this works perfectly for some people, so it really just all depends on your own preferences.

It’s certainly clear to me how the sonic cradle can help improve your mindfulness skills.  By having nothing to focus on except the music which is controlled by your breathing, you have the chance to focus and practice being mindful through the breath.  It’s like a new twist on an old favorite.

In addition to being more mindful, some people noticed other effects.  According to the writers of iSpace, “par­tic­i­pants also reported per­cep­tual illu­sions, feel­ings of float­ing, and emo­tional responses.”

This reminds me of those floating chambers.  I don’t know if any of you are familiar with those, but you float in water and are devoid of all your senses.  Many people have similar experiences in the sonic cradle as they do in these floating chambers.

Unfortunately the sonic cradle is still in its prototype stage, so most people won’t have access to it for a while.  The only exception might be if you happened to be selected for a study regarding mindfulness.  However all hope is not lost.  There are plenty of audio tracks available on youtube and Soundcloud.  These tracks are the recordings of other being using the ambient noise and breathing technologies.  While it’s not as good as being able to control it yourself, it still gives you something to focus on.  These could be especially beneficial if you like to meditate with music.  It can even just be a new way to regain focus on the breath.  These types of tracks can also be purchased on Amazon if that’s something that interests you.

According to the research papers published, it seems like they have a lot more testing to do before this concept is officially released to the public, but that’s okay.  I’d rather wait for a truly profound product than have a rushed and not well done prototype.

Jay Vidyarthi is the main brain behind this concept, and I would highly recommend checking out his website.  He has many great insights into mindfulness, and all of it seems very modern in its approach.  If you’re like me you’ll find that anything that can relate to current technology while still being good for you is a huge benefit.  There you’ll also find his teaching credentials, and any news on his musical endeavors.  He even has his own blog so be sure to check that out as well!

I hope this has enlightened you on some of the newer technologies regarding mindfulness!  While unfortunately we may not have direct access to the sonic cradle, there are still plenty of other ways we can get in on this great new discovery.

Have you ever tried anything like this or the floating chambers?  Or would you ever be interested in trying something like this? Let me know in the comments!

Remember: Everyone starts out as a beginner, if they can do so can you!

 

Mindful Musings

A mental health journey through mindfulness

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Minimalism and mindfulness

I’ve talked about many different approaches to understanding mindfulness.  However, maybe these ideas just haven’t resonated with you yet.  That’s perfectly okay, everyone have different preferences.  That’s what makes us unique and human.  But what if I told you that there’s another way to connect mindfulness to your everyday life?

That’s right folks, there is yet another way.  I’m talking about minimalism.  Some of you may be familiar with the term, and others not so much, but thats okay!  Today I will be breaking down what minimalism is and explaining how its practices can relate to mindfulness.  Then I will be referencing another source’s minimalist mindfulness challenge, explaining how it works and the different activities involved.

In the words of Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus, minimalism is, “a tool to rid yourself of life’s excess in favor of focusing on what’s important—so you can find happiness, fulfillment, and freedom.”  Many of these components are similar to mindfulness.  First of all, excess distractions cause us to not focus at the task at hand.  In these circumstances we are not being mindful of our actions.  I’ve mentioned this before in reference to multitasking.  By using minimalism to weed out excess distractions, we can become more mindful.  Mindfulness is also about focus.  Focus is also mentioned in the definition of minimalism.  We could argue that by focusing on what’s important we are being mindful of our values, which is very important to our mental and spiritual well being.  The one thing I’d really like to focus on from this definition is freedom.  Minimalism really capitalizes on freedom.  When you let the unnecessary things go, whether it be possessions or habits, you allow the rest of your life to fall into place.  This can be a freeing feeling, very similar to the freeing feeling you get from meditating or living in the present moment.  I think that once you connect all of these ideas together, that’s when you find the happiness and fulfillment.

From here I’d like to discuss the minimalist mindfulness challenge and how we can seamlessly incorporate minimalism and mindfulness into our everyday lives.

The thirty day challenge was created by Anuschka Rees.  Many of these minimalism challenges directly relate to mindfulness.

One of them is staying offline for a day.  This allows you to eliminate multitasking.  Think about how many times you’re on the computer while doing something else.  Probably a lot right? By staying offline you would be able to be more focused at the task at hand.

One of the challenges is to actually meditate for fifteen minutes.  This just proves that mindfulness and minimalism go hand in hand.  Getting rid of the clutter in your mind can motivate you to get rid of the physical clutter in your life and vice versa.

One of the challenges is about identifying your priorities.  As I’ve mentioned before, when you narrow down what’s important you can more easily eliminate distractions.  This is certainly important when it comes to mindfulness.

A couple other challenges are about cleaning out various areas of your home.  Again this relates to the clutter concept.  Cleaning out the clutter in your home will allow you to be more mindful.

Practicing single tasking is also part of this challenge.  By now I’m pretty sure it goes without saying that this is a huge part of mindfulness.

There’s also a challenge to go on a mindful walk.  This can really help to clear your head, which is beneficial for both mindfulness and minimalism.

There’s even a challenge to practice gratitude.  Gratitude is an important part of mindfulness as well.  Being grateful for what you have can really put you in a better mood, and put some of your anxieties in perspective.

Leaving a whole day unplanned is another suggestion.  This could be a great way to just live in the present moment and not worry about what’s going to happen next.  I know I find this very difficult, and I’m sure many others feel the same.

These are some of the many different challenges available on the thirty day mindful minimalist challenge.  It’s a great opportunity to try and link the concepts together.  I hope this has inspired you to take a stab at both mindfulness and minimalism.

Have you ever tried minimalism? What do you think of these ideas?  Let me know in the comments!

Remember: Everyone starts out as a beginner, if they can do it then so can you.

 

Mindful Musings

A mental health journey through mindfulness.

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There’s a triathlon for mindfulness, and it’s as cool as it sounds.

We’ve all heard of a normal triathlon right?  Some of the most talented athletes compete in these three part competitions, but what about the rest of us?  What if we want to have an exhilarating experience like these athletes do?  Well, today I’ve discovered an extremely cool event that gives us the best of both worlds.

This event is hosted by Wanderlust, an organization dedicated to promoting mindfulness in all of its forms.  They host events like these all over the world.  The event is titled Wanderlust 108 Twin Cities.  It is taking place at Harriet Island Park in St. Paul, Minnesota on July 1st.  Wanderlust has a variety of activities prepared from 7:30 am-3:30pm.  The tickets are $45, but there is a bright side: some of the money does go to No Kid Hungry.

The main segments of the triathlon are as follows:  First there is a 5k that you can walk or run.  This is great news because it means that we don’t have to train for a marathon prior to attending this event.  The next segment is a yoga flow session, and based on the description, it basically sounds like it just turns into a huge dance party.  They even have a DJ playing music during it.  Make sure to bring your yoga mat with you!  The final segment is a 30 minute meditation.  Their website claims that these meditations are conducted by world renowned professionals.  The meditation session for the event will be conducted by Noah Levine.  I’d imagine this could give you a real sense of community in the world of mindfulness which is super important if you’re a beginner.

After the triathlon, there are also a variety of bonus classes that you can take.  There’s an acroyoga class, meaning it combines acrobatics and yoga.  Apparently there are a lot of partner moves in this class, so this would be a great one to try out with a friend.  There’s also an AlReal yoga class.  This is essentially an aerial yoga class where you do everything in mid-air! It certainly would be a unique experience.  There’s an essential oils workshop where you can learn the basics of how to incorporate essential oils into your everyday life.  They have a flow and restore yoga class, which is a type of cool-down yoga.  This would be especially beneficial if you’re one of the brave souls that actually ran the 5k!  My favorite exercise would have to be the hooping session.  The instructor would teach you how to hoop and you’d learn a few tricks.  You don’t even have to bring your own hoop!  I’ve recently gotten into hooping and I absolutely love it! I’d highly recommend it to anyone.  There will also be a discussion regarding how music is selected by the DJs that work the triathlon.  This is a great way to learn how to make your own playlists for when you practice yoga.  There’s a session called OM walking which will basically be a walking meditation.  I would highly encourage people to try this one out because I’ve always found walking meditations to be really satisfying.  The final workshop is a photography workshop.  Personally, I’m not exactly sure how this relates to mindfulness, but if you’re like me and find photography interesting, I’d imagine this would be a cool class to take.

You can pick from the four different time slots of these classes to take after the triathlon.  If you’re thinking about doing this I would register online for these classes quickly because spots are already filling up!  There’s also a Kula market you can visit.  There will be vendors selling a variety of items from essential oils to yoga gear.  There’s also plenty of places to get food including the True North Cafe.

This event is unlike anything I’ve ever seen before and I think it’s a great opportunity for someone who wants to deepen their mindfulness practice and meet people with similar interests.  If you end up going to this event and want more from Wanderlust, they have four studios worldwide, they have an online shop, and they provide instructional videos on their website.

What do you think of this event? Have any of you been to an event like this before? I’d love to hear from you in the comments!

Remember: Everyone starts as a beginner, if they can do it so can you!

 

Mindful Musings

A mental health journey through mindfulness

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What you need to understand about people who are against mindfulness.

As I’ve been online recently, I’ve noticed a couple articles that shocked me.  They degrade mindfulness as a practice.  Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying people aren’t entitled to their opinions.  I just think people need to back their opinions up with facts in order to truly sound credible.

What makes matters worse is that the sources spreading this information are some very well known sources.  Some of their information is very likely to highly influence viewers, and I just want to make sure everyone understands all sides of the issue.

Well I guess that’s enough of a disclaimer, I’d like to discuss some statements made in an article from the Washington Post.  Before I get in too deep, I’d like to say that their point made regarding mindfulness being more or less effective than antidepressants is valid.  They have done plenty of research to show that there isn’t enough evidence to make a clear correlation.  What I want everyone to keep in mind is that treatments for mental health issues should be approached in a very individualized manner.  If you prefer not taking medication, and would rather use a mindful approach, then you have every right to do so and vice versa.  The same concept applies to using both medication and mindfulness (which is what I do).  There’s nothing wrong with any of these options so long as they work for you.

Later on in the article there was a statement that I personally had a problem with.  I’d like to share it with you all, then discuss my personal take on (and rebuttal to) the statement.

“Is it the meditation itself that causes the positive effects, or is it more to do with learning to step back and become aware of our thoughts and feelings in a supportive group environment? And why does it only work for some?”

I’m going to break this statement down into parts.  Based on the beginning part of the first sentence, it seems that they are trying to claim that mindful mediation is separate from awareness.  If that’s the case then they couldn’t be more wrong.  The whole point of mindful meditation is to use the guidance to increase our awareness of our thoughts and feelings.  So I would say that both of those things are what cause the positive effects.  Another thing I want to make note of is that in this article they are discussing the effectiveness of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy.  This is essentially set up like a group mindfulness class.  So in this quote they ask if the supportive group environment is actually more effective than the mindfulness itself.  I’d like to say that this isn’t necessarily true.  There are many people who practice mindfulness alone, with or without audio guidance.  And many of them find just as much success as the ones who take classes.  Therefore I think it just depends on what works best for the individual.  Also, they ask why it only works for some.  Well, as I said before everyone is different.  Many antidepressants don’t work for everyone, so it’s only natural that the same goes for mindfulness.  Treatments for mental illness are so individualized, and I think more people need to realize and accept this.

At the end of the article they even make note that mindfulness is not very individualized, however I think this is inaccurate.  Many meditations allow you to really take it however you want.  Also, they make the claim that mindfulness can be bad because it brings anxieties to the surface, but I think one of the first steps to getting over anxiety is recognizing it.  Now, I’m not a therapist, but I have been to therapy, and a lot of my initial sessions were about uncovering the roots of my anxiety.  A lot of times this was painful, but I can confidently say that it was extremely helpful.  A lot of these sessions involved mindfulness as well.  I personally feel that bringing up what scares and upsets us is super important, and that’s exactly what mindfulness allows us to do.

There you have it folks that’s my take on this article.  Again I’m not a licensed professional.  I feel that everyone is entitled to their opinion and I’m simply sharing mine with you.

What did you think of the article? What do you think of my interpretation?  I invite you to share your opinions with me in the comments.

 

Mindful Musings

A mental health journey through mindfulness

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