Meditation for carers in 5 steps
CPSN recently sent 15 members who care for a person with cerebral palsy on a three-day meditation and mindfulness retreat to recharge and develop skills to better cope with the challenges they face in their lives.
Caring for a loved one is a rewarding and worthwhile experience; however, it can also lead to fatigue, stress, anxiety and a lack of time to look after one’s own health.
Nicky, one of the members who attended, found the retreat rejuvenating, and said it helped re-connect her with the importance of meditation.
“What an uplifting and rejuvenating weekend… [the venue] and its staff nourished our bodies…our minds…and souls.
“It was the connection with the other carers that was truly restorative,” Nicky said, “to have time away with others on the same journey, who really get it, was validating in a way I didn’t even know I needed until I was there. It bought up strong emotions, but it was cathartic.”
One of the most important things as a carer or parent of a child with disability is to pause, reflect and breathe.
Often life seems to move so quickly that it seems impossible to take a moment for yourself but as Nicky discovered, connecting to breath and meditation helped her to re-connect with herself.
“When asked how we’re doing, we can say we’re fine and actually mean it,” she said, “but checking in with your breathing, taking a few slow, deep breaths, is a really good way to assess the truth.
“We know we have to care for ourselves if we’re to do our best for our loved ones, though it can seem hard to work out how, or we can resist adding anything extra to the to-do list.”
With the proper meditation and breathing techniques, you might find that approaching daily challenges are easier and less of a burden on your stress levels. Meditation has also been found to have lasting positive effects on your overall mental wellbeing.
Here are some tips to start understanding your mind and thought patterns and tips for anyone, especially parents and carers, trying meditation for the first time.
- Breathing
Because the breath has such an impact on our whole being, focusing on breathing brings about a restful and calm nature. Focus on the simple action of breathing in and out. When you notice that you have a thought, return to thinking about your breath and following it in and out of your body.
- Gazing
When following this method, we are using our sense of sight to silence the mind. Gazing at a still candle flame in the dark, for instance, helps the mind become very focused.
- Visualization
This method involves going within, with our eyes closed, and holding an image as an object of meditation. If you find that your thoughts are drifting from that image, reimagine it and focus on it again.
- Chanting mantra
This is where a mantra or sequence of mantras are repeated (silently) to get the mind to become calm and centred. Find a mantra that you connect with and repeat it over and over in your head.
- Focusing
When we are focusing on something like the third eye in between the eyebrows, we bring awareness to a very powerful centre. This focusing brings stillness to our whole being.
There are also many apps to help guide your meditation. Here are some recommendations:
Source: adapted from https://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-22813/7-simple-meditation-techniques-for-firsttimers.html
Add Comment