To ask if anyone meditates?

[Ohnoredundo]

I'm a total skeptic but have been suffering really badly with anxiety since the birth of my son. The doctor suggested yoga or 'mindfulness'. I tried meditating last night and shoot me down - it WORKED! Felt at peace, at one etc etc. Lovely but bizarre. Am now freaking out slightly as was such an unusual experience and I'm wondering if it's risky with an, erm, fragile state of mind. Anyone else tried it? What are your experiences?

I used to regulary meditate and use 'path journey' sound tracks, i found it got rid of any anxiety and just relaxed me. I used to do different classes, crystal healing etc and we would often finish with a group meditation. I have never heared of anyone not benefitting from it or that there are any risks. I was in hospital for months and used what i learned to help me sleep and stay relaxed during tests.

I am starting a new job in September and i am definatly going to start again.

I cannot imagine what harm mindfulness meditation could do. It tends to (for a while) stop you from stressing from past events, and worrying about the future.

If it felt good, then go for it.

I think the only problem would be if you became obsessed with achieveing a certain state of mind, and couldn't function without that.

Meditation calms the mind, and body. You can feel quite refreshed afterwards. Just remember to turn off the phone./mobile as there's nothing worse than a phone ringing half way through!

In this frantic world we live in, I think it is a good idea. Keep it up.

A charity near me runs mindful mediatation and when I did a course with them it really helped. I had it on my ipod to help me at nights too

I really want to start doing it. My dad's second ex wife (who I'm in contact with because she is my younger half-sisters mother) started doing it after her second divorce and it has made her into a different person. She is so relaxed about everything (well, almost) and seems to be really at peace with her self. I'm really impressed with the woman. Would never have thought that when I was a kid and hated her

I wouldn't worry too much, after all you're totally in control and you're on the look out for weird side effects. I meditate sometimes and it is good, given how little time it takes.

I use mindfulness as a tool to manage my depression/borderline personality. It really does work and I'm one of the most practical people you could find. I do it as suggested by my psychologist (NHS and everything!).

I'm also a Christian and find meditating on for example, the names given to Jesus really helpful - but I think thats more a me thing.

Just goes to show it can be not just "wooooooo" and "hey, maaaaaaan, spiiiirityoall" you know.

I'm actually a fairly academic type and find mindfullness a really good counterbalance to my mind thinking things over - learning to "put them aside".

Hope your anxiety continues to improve.

Meditation is freakin' great.

Do it regularly and the effects gradually build up too. I'm guessing, but I reckon it pushes your body into a calmer equilibrium with lower levels of stress hormones.

I do mindfulness/meditation too - it really does work, and I feel a lot better when I remember to practice it regularly.

I have heard it said that it isn't a good idea for people with severe depression (not sure if this is true or not) but for anxiety certainly it's fantastic, and I don't think there's anything 'risky' about it at all.

tried briefly- for a few weeks

ended up thinking. Not just thinking, thinking twaddle

am going to lurk on your thread in hope it will spur me on to having another try

I really couldn't believe it. Now this is going to sound really bizarre and hippy - and I promise I'm not like that at all; I'm a pretty normal woman with full time job on mat leave who lives in suburbia - but it was actually a bit orgasmic!!!! It was blissful - like being on some kind of opiate I'd imagine! Being the worrier I am have now started looking on tinternet about positives and negatives - and found that it can send people with predisposition to depression/anxiety doolally. However thousands swear by it as a tool to control anxiety. Why don't more people talk about it; it's surreal!

I used a candle, banished all thought from my mind and chanted a word out loud and then in my mind after reading this: www.pickthebrain.com/blog/4-reasons-you-should-meditate-and-how-to-get-started/

So please don't anyone shell out for a course.

YABU for putting this in AIBU. Otherwise, well done you.

I know picnic - sorry. Just wanted to hijack AIBUs exposure.

Like you I used to be a very sceptical person about all things a bit 'hippyish' and to be honest I still am about a lot of things. However, I recently suffered quite badly with depression and anxiety was a huge part of this. I ended up trying meditation as a last resort and was amazed to find that it really did work for me.

I now meditate most days and go to a weekly group. After a month of starting it was like I was a different person.

What I would say is that some meditations can be very intense and over time you can find it bringing up some issues that you have spent a long time trying to hide from. For me this was at times very difficult but also very rewarding as it helped me to address some of the things that lay at the bottom of my depression and anxiety in a controlled way. If at any stage you do feel overwhelmed then just step back and take things slowly.

I would also really recommend joining a local group if you have one nearby. Meditating in a group is a whole different experience and it is great to have other experienced people to answer questions. The group I attend is Buddhist lead but does not at all push it on you. I am very respectful of their beliefs and they seem happy to leave me to my atheism.

I have tried meditation but I just can't do it.
My mind just won't shut up IYSWIM, it just drifts of to a hundred other things.

Lady meditation is not really about not thinking about anything, it is about learning how to let your thoughts pass without engaging in them. When I have a lot on my mind I tend to use a total awareness of thought medition as in this you allow a thought to come into your head, acknowledge it and then let it go without atributing any particular feeling to it or engaging in a dialogue with it. This is very useful for letting go of a particulary stressy day.

LadyBeagle, I had to find something for mild-moderate pain, but I'm like you and my mind won't shut up, so I am trying 'guided imagery' which is basically having a story picture to focus on, with good results.

I have a favourite that wouldn't work for other people, but it's something like imagining a cool blue sea lapping over the inside of your forehead if you have a headache; or a black night with distant stars and every time one of them twinkles the pain diminishes.

I wish I could 'clear my mind' of clutter but I need a distraction for that!

HidingInThe U, Is that like the CBT technique I learned, that when a long-standing troubled thought starts to fuck with worry my mind, just to say, 'No', and leave it alone?

It certainly helped, although I'm still a worrier.....

Yes but not every day. I find it very helpful.

Line, yes I think it is a similar principle. I tend to breath out difficult thoughts or use a phrase like 'let go'. I know other people like to give the thought a name as this creates a sense of distance.

never ever tried, but would like to :)

YES, SOME PEOPLE DO.

Meditation is brilliant, give it a go, but as previous poster has said, it can be

like a spring clean for the mind, so expect some emotional turbulance.

I would say on balance if you stick with it, you can only "feel" better.

I remember the first time i "emptied" my mind and got it, it was a crisp

cold dark winters night, i came out of my class, looked up at the stars and

felt so small, so big, so full, so empty,so heavy and light all at the same

time.Amazing.

Oh bloody hell just re-read that, i just sound " so stoned " don't i .

Give it a bash, don't let my mentalist post put you off. .