6 Answers
When one is stressed out, anxious, or depressed, s/he is less likely to practice what they know will help them. It doesn't matter how much they know, they go on a bypass and start justifying to themselves why the can't do that...not enough time, energy, resources, etc. That's why I think having a support system helps one recover from those difficult times.
These experiences often come on from some type of trauma that becomes encoded behind a false belief system. When a situation presents stress which resonates similar to that initial trauma on some level, the defense system kicks in and uses anxiety, depression, etc as a way to mask the original root.
They can all be equally difficult to handle, and I help people get to the root of the problem so they can create healing from the inside out, at the origin.
Susan, awesome question! Whenever I find myself falling back into these lower emotional levels for whatever reason, my Inner Goblin is right there, rubbing it's hands together, and telling me all kinds of lies about my experience. This "Lower Self" is my brain, trying to protect me from perceived threats, and wants me to identify with my emotions as a way to gauge the severity of those threats. But I am not my emotions; they only represent my response mechanism. So I go a step further to examine what is triggering me, why I am being triggered by it, and how I can heal that trigger. When I am experiencing stress, anxiety, depression, etc., I get to a neutral place with visual meditations that help me disassociate from that lower emotion; then I can begin the process of breaking down and healing those triggers. Hope this helps!
The hardest thing to do when you are feeling stressed out and anxious is to think rationally and problem solve. My reaction is often to freeze internally and not know how to react. Later I can feel anger. The HeartMath Institute's research has shown that your brain actually shuts down when in stress. Developing a sense of awareness of when you are stressed can be a key to making a shift. With this awareness you can start to refocus your attention. I teach a type of Heart-Focused Breathing that can help return your system to a neutral state where you can then experience the present moment. Once there you can start to respond rationally.
Hi Susan, When you say "your practice" I'm not sure what you are referring to. Is this your own personal meditation practice? or are you a practicing clinician? Would love to help answer this for you but need a bit more info. I agree with Terry Lynn Talbot's answer, it's often coming back again and again to the experience you are having through your senses that is most helpful. When you are feeling stressed, anxious or depressed it's because of where you are spending time in your thoughts and not in the present moment. I would be happy to chat with you if you like. We can see if I would be a good fit to help you. This is exactly what I help my clients do!! Please let me know.
I feel it is getting out of your own way and getting into the present moment. It is ways one can choose to step into awareness and creating their own answers
