I need an idiot’s guide to meditating

[TurnipsMyArse]

Overseas on holiday and something is occurring that is totally stressing me. That’s another thread for another day…

In the meantime my heart is thumping, my old
chest pains are back (I always get them when I’m stressed), stomach is like a washing machine and I can’t sleep.

When I’m at home I’ll potter in my garden
and take Rescue Remedy.

The only thing I can think of to get me through the next 5 days is meditation. I’ve been Googling but I don’t really know how to do it.

Maybe bodyscan meditation? There are sites that will give you an audio recording to listen to to take you through it, but this is the basic gist here - I find it useful when I'm stressed and can't sleep: https://www.verywellmind.com/body-scan-meditation-why-and-how-3144782

But also it might be good if you can take some walks too, even little ones, to get your body moving and get yourself out of your head.

So sorry to hear this. 💐 Can you just lie there and listen to this as a starting point perhaps, and try and breathe deeply and slowly?

Sit in a chair, feet flat on the floor. Make sure you won't be disturbed.
Set a timer for 15 minutes.
Close your eyes and focus on the area around your nostrils. See if you can feel the air coming in and out of your nose, like a slight cooling and warming of the skin as air passes in and out.
Your mind will drift. Just come back to your mind resting on the breath, breath resting on the mind.
That's it! Failing that, I swear by Michael Sealey who has lots of relaxing hypnosis recordings on youtube.

Thank you ❤️

Bless you @TurnipsMyArse Sending relaxing thoughts your way x

Headspace app basic course. Brilliant way to learn it.

This organisation is well respected and provides free online courses (mindfulness, which is the essence of meditation).
https://www.oxfordmindfulness.org/learn-mindfulness/

Meditation always does the trick for me but I will say it takes a bit of practice and the more you do it the easier and faster it gets to feel relaxed and get the benefit of it.

One of the most helpful things I found was when I realised its not about trying to have nothing in your head. It's totally fine for thoughts to come across your mind, you just accept them neutrally as they come in and i try to picture them washing over you and away again. I love a guided body scan. You can find them on YouTube if you want someone to talk you through or you can do it yourself lying comfortably (I find the dark and quiet or white noise helps ) and start from your toes and tense and then relax each body part little by little. I also like breathing exercises. Breathe in count to 3 breathe out count to 6 then work up to breathe in for 4 out for 8. Focus on the feeling of your chest rising and falling and the temperature change of the breath as it enters and leaves again. Just really noticing your body neutrally and what you feel. Eg how firm and solid the ground is underneath you. I also like meditation to music, the lark ascending by Vaughan Williams is one of my faves.

I have previously really enjoyed guided meditation using therapists on YouTube. Search for Yoga Nidra (you don't need to move!) and look for Aly Boothryoid (sp?). Her voice is like molten chocolate and it's impossible not to relax!

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Meditation will not make you calm in the short term. Longterm it helps. For now you need to breathe in through your nose and out slowly through your mouth with pursed lips. Watch a comedy and laugh will also help regulate. But the breathing, long and slow and as above works best.