Meditation advice?

[LostinParis]

Many years ago, when I was a Christian, I used a prayer mantra to achieve a deeply relaxing, meditative state. This decreased my anxiety significantly.

 

Now I’m back in the anxiety spiral and finding it difficult to access that same level of relaxation. Even practising mindfulness is torturous at the moment.

 

Has anyone had success with meditation? Which brand of meditation should I try? Transendental? Vipassana? Obviously I don’t want to use Christian prayer. Secular please!

[♦ Fuego ♦]

For me, visualization is my most relaxing method. I see myself in a nature scene, like sitting under a willow tree in a field, a warm morning with the sun just rising, a creek audible from one side, wind lightly blowing through the branches and leaves. Actually being in such a place is also very nice. Occasionally, I will put on a rain coat and lie outside during the rain (hidden from view so neighbors don't freak out), and close my eyes and listen to the rain as it makes different sounds on the grass, rocks, bushes, puddles, etc. Another wonderful experience was floating on my back in warm ocean water, ears under water and looking up into a blue sky. The sounds were all muted and all I really heard was my own breathing.

 

Another visualization is from a time I had at a hot springs, up to my nose in a warm pool of water, snow above me in the branches dripping water down into the pool, the drops making circles in the water, and off in the distance the river is roaring with snow melt mixed with snow so the water is nearly white.

 

If I'm trying to sleep, sometimes I will visualize a flat square of light slightly larger than my body passing slowly down through my skull, throat, shoulders, chest, arms, belly, and so on. Slowly seeing this in my mind and it takes with it any tension and such, leaving relaxation. Sometimes I do this a few times, slowly. There are all kinds of these more abstract ways of giving the mind something else to do. Sometimes I'd take a warm bath with the lights off or low, and use headphones to listen to a CD from Hemi-sync, like tribal sounds of drums and didgeridoos, flutes, and so on, or the musical bowls that emit long tones associated with body "chakras".

 

Guided visualization is when you listen to someone else provide the visuals while you keep your eyes closed and let your imagination be guided by the voice of the person. Or you can listen to nature or rain sounds and see yourself there.

 

I hope you find some peace inside. Many of us have toxic people that put all kinds of negative emotions in our heads, and then we tend to replay them instead of rejecting their assumed authority. Learning that you are the most important and meaningful voice for your own life is important. Inner peace is your right, and choosing to pursue that is a powerful thing.

[LostinParis]

Perfect @Fuego thank-you. I feel relaxed simply reading your descriptions.

[Ellinas]

I tend to go for concentration on the rhythm of breathing.  As thoughts intrude, just acknowledge the, dismiss them and get back to being conscious of the rhythm.

 

If you found a mantra worked in the past, make a new one.  It doesn't have to have an religious connotation - it's only a repetitive sound or phrase upon which to concentrate.  Try and find something short with meaning to your current life - someone's name, or a short description of a favourite pastime.  "Walk in the park" could be a perfectly good mantra.

[Joshpantera]

I like Peter Russell's effortless meditation: