Times are so uncertain at the moment with the quadruple whammy of Covid 19, Brexit, climate crisis and ecological collapse. On top of that, a lot of us have massive personal challenges such as loss of loved ones, jobs and a way of life. The Focussed Mindfulness method may not be able to change the world directly, but it can steady us, help us deal with our emotions and support us to live with resilience, clarity and purpose.
It is natural to ignore our fears
There is no getting away from the fact that we are living through extremely troubling times. We have very little certainty in our lives; all we do know is that we are unlikely to get back to what we used to consider normal. Our natural tendency is to ignore this reality as it seems too unbearable to face but this not really healthy or sustainable in the longer term.
I have found in the Focussed Mindfulness Method™ (FMM) a way to remain engaged, centred and fluid in the midst of the changes that are unfolding right now. I am not saying it is easy or that I manage it all the time, but it allows me to remain present and grounded and able to support others when needed. I share the Method with my clients and my team of practitioners so they can, in turn, be there to support their own clients, family and friends.
We respond differently to fear
We respond to uncertain and scary times in different ways. Some of us have thinking minds that tend to scrabble for certainty and order, our thoughts get busier and busier in a fruitless search for security. This distracts us and causes anxiety, restlessness and sleeplessness. We cannot force our thinking minds to stop, but what we can do is turn our attention away and simply stop engaging with it. This we can do through an absorbing activity or by deliberately turning our attention to something else such as music or a guided meditation. This get easier with regular practice.
You can find a style of mediation that works for you by exploring the many apps and websites such as Headspace or Insight Timer. As we train ourselves to turn our focus away from the ever-busier thinking mind our thoughts and bodies begin to relax and we find some peace. In this state we are able to hear the inner wisdom that we all possess, it supports us to trust that we can cope with anything if we take life each present moment at a time.
We may feel emotional overwhelm
Rather than over-thinking, some of us get overwhelmingly emotional when we face uncertainty, feeling fear, grief or even panic. It feels unbearable and we may distract ourselves with, for instance, alcohol, food, extreme exercise or risky behaviour. The Focussed Mindfulness Method (FMM) teaches us that emotions are merely harmless waves of energy and if we sit still and allow them to flow through us we can find peace and a new found confidence in life.
Some of us who are holding trauma in our bodies may need initially need some professional support to achieve this.
Find an exercise that helps you and use it regularly
Because we respond in different ways, it is worth spending time to find what works for you. Your practice will evolve so be open to moving on to different approaches after a few weeks or months. FMM uses a number of different tools and you can pick the one that is most supportive for you at the time. A practitioner can teach you these tools in a few sessions so you acquire an emotional resilience toolkit that you can call on whenever you need it.
Contact us now to arrange a chat with a Focussed Mindfulness Method practitioner and see how it can transform your life.