What ever happened to "Om"?
Feb. 3rd, 2011 01:38 pmSo I took ![[profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
shadowkat67's advice and bought the CD Healthy Sleep by Andrew Weil MD and Rubin Naiman Ph.d. It's got some interesting things to say about insomnia and healthy sleep. But when it gets to the parts on meditation, that's where they're losing me.
I am really hoping they have some meditation suggestions on this disc that aren't about "mindful breathing." (Passively observing the natural process of breathing as opposed to doing voluntary breathing exercises). Because *GASP*, I can't turn my attention to my breathing without bringing the autonomic process to a grinding halt. Then I'm not breathing at all, so my voluntary muscles take over and start doing the job instead. That causes discomfort after a few seconds because those muscles are doing work they shouldn't have to do. And the work they do isn't sufficient, so then I find myself yawning to get sufficient breath. This process continues until I stop paying attention to my breathing and think about something else. Then the autonomic process takes over again.
Maybe this is something you have to practice and learn, but I tried that, too, and realized after a minute or two where I thought I was doing it that I was using my voluntary muscles again. It's gonna be a long, painful, and may I say, not relaxing at all process to learn how to allow myself to "be mindful of my breathing." In the mean time, I think these authors are nuts for suggesting it so blithely.
So any suggestions for meditative techniques for anxiety... that don't themselves cause anxiety?
shadowkat67's advice and bought the CD Healthy Sleep by Andrew Weil MD and Rubin Naiman Ph.d. It's got some interesting things to say about insomnia and healthy sleep. But when it gets to the parts on meditation, that's where they're losing me.I am really hoping they have some meditation suggestions on this disc that aren't about "mindful breathing." (Passively observing the natural process of breathing as opposed to doing voluntary breathing exercises). Because *GASP*, I can't turn my attention to my breathing without bringing the autonomic process to a grinding halt. Then I'm not breathing at all, so my voluntary muscles take over and start doing the job instead. That causes discomfort after a few seconds because those muscles are doing work they shouldn't have to do. And the work they do isn't sufficient, so then I find myself yawning to get sufficient breath. This process continues until I stop paying attention to my breathing and think about something else. Then the autonomic process takes over again.
Maybe this is something you have to practice and learn, but I tried that, too, and realized after a minute or two where I thought I was doing it that I was using my voluntary muscles again. It's gonna be a long, painful, and may I say, not relaxing at all process to learn how to allow myself to "be mindful of my breathing." In the mean time, I think these authors are nuts for suggesting it so blithely.
So any suggestions for meditative techniques for anxiety... that don't themselves cause anxiety?
