Mindful Mondays

I like this one @tyme, thank you for sharing.

Do we need to notice new sounds each time, or is it okay to simply recount a previous sound if we don't hear any new ones? Sometimes it's pretty quiet around me so I could be at this for quite some time, not that that's a bad thing I guess if it means I'm being mindful 😊

Hi @Former-Member ,

Excellent question! It's definitely a DIFFERENT sound, colour, smell, touch, taste each time. That's the beauty of it.

As you listen, you will hear slight distinctions between sounds 🙂

Looking forward to hear how you go with this activity.

Mindfulness Monday: Noticing your body

When you think about the amazing functions that our bodies do everyday, it's truly extraordinary. Our bodies will naturally and unconsciously, move, breath and support our day to day functioning.

When our days are full, and we are moving from thing to thing on our list, we may not notice the feelings in our body or how our body moves. Taking a moment to notice and bring our attention back to our body can be an important practice of mindfulness.

Some times I do this in my day are when I am transitioning between spaces, or between tasks. For example, going from home to work, switching off from work to home life, or switching between cleaning the house to rest each evening.

Noticing your body

Bringing your focus back to your body, is all about noticing sensation. It might be where your feet meet the floor, where your back meets the chair, or the feel of your feet in your shoes.

Take a moment to notice what you can feel.

If you want to go one step further, you can use this short guided video to help you reconnect and bring your focus back to your body:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QS2yDmWk0vs

How do you feel when you take a moment to bring your attention back to your body?

@Aer2812 @Shaz51 @Former-Member @tyme @NatureLover @StuF @frog @Clawde @cloudcore @Emelia8 @Judi9877 @Appleblossom @Bow @mantaray @Snowie @Gwynn @Anastasia @BlueBay @BPDSurvivor @pinklollipop15 @Ma60 @Spirit_Healer @Fluttershy1 @BlueTrane @Krishna @Jynx @mmarks1 @AussieRecharger @Jorge @Everan @Dimity @Paperdaisy @nony @Former-Member

I feel very mixed. I was physically punished and brought up to think I was evil so needing of even more punishment. So lived through a significant period of extreme pain. Took a while to sort through all those things. Eventually I found the ability to laugh and feel joy, and being in touch with my body was not so bad. I have very thin margins of being without pain. However I do believe body based therapies can be key to get through severe trauma and even psychotic periods.

Hi @Appleblossom, that's understandable to feel mixed and it sounds like you have worked through so much to be in touch with your body again Absolutely, for trauma recovery and many other mental health concerns, body based therapy can be beneficial- it certainly was for me

Experiencing severe pain for such a long time is so tough, and I am really sorry to hear the thin margins between pain for you

Thanks @Daisydreamer

I'll do this practise later.

It would help a great deal to get out of my head and listen to my body for a while, however briefly.

@Daisydreamer I love how time slows down when you practice mindfulness as does ones thoughts. Present moment only moment is one of my favourite mantras to recite throughout my day, one of many. It is very grounding. Being mindful of my body, breath and thoughts brings about a sense of peace and calm which in turn creates clarity and creativity. I try to maintain this sense of calm even amidst the storms that inevitably brew in life and it helps in handling the turbulence in a calmer manner. 🙏

Hi @Daisydreamer

I just did the body scan it felt really good.

Thankyou!

Mindful Mondays

Living with complex mental illness can be challenging, and when life throws a few additional curve balls your way, it can also be incredibly stressful, with the potential to wreak havoc on your emotions and perceptions. So how do we manage our emotions when life gives you lemons? I’m not going to suggest you make lemonade, instead I’m going to ask you to consider adding music to your coping skills toolbox!

I know a lot of us already listen to music – in the car, driving to work, working out, or drowning out – but have you ever REALLY listened to music? Let’s find out…

As we’ve covered in the previous Mindful Monday posts, mindfulness is the practice of being in the present moment. There is no pressure to do or change anything, simply notice the thoughts and feelings as they arise in the present moment. But minds can be pesky at the best of times, let alone when you ask one to practice mindfulness – this is likely to be the moment your mind conveniently kicks into overdrive and remembers the name of your first grade teacher!

If you’ve ever found mindfulness to be challenging, then this exercise might be for you. If you’ve ever struggled to stay the course with breath meditation, adding music to your mindful practice can help you stay focused and in the present moment. So let’s jump in!

Have you ever listened to music whilst attending to another task, found yourself humming along, then realised you don’t actually know the words to the lyrics, despite it being your favourite song? Or have you ever been carried away by a beautifully composed soundtrack and felt fully immersed in the experience? Whether you listen to music from a place of disconnect, or you’re a music lover who notices every note, take a few moments in your day to try the following mindful music exercise:

1. Think about how you’d prefer to listen and where: are you more of a Youtuber or a Spotifier? Do you have a banging set of headphones, or are you more an analogue/record player listener?
   
   
2. Select your track: are you keen to explore the rhythm and tone of lyrics, or is an instrumental track more your speed? This is a track I’ve been using, and it would be great to see what other members choose too, so feel free to share!
   
   
3. Listen: the task is to simply listen. Make sure you’re in a quiet place and won’t be interrupted.
   
   
4. Notice: simply notice what you’re hearing. Is the music slow or fast? Can you notice the pitch or the quality of the vocals? Can you feel the music in your body i.e. does it make your skin tingle or do you feel the beat in your chest? Do you notice any emotion arise as you listen, and if so where do you feel that in your body/how do you notice it? If any additional thoughts enter your mind, simply note them and move your attention back to the music.

And that’s it! There is nothing too fancy or any particular trick to it, it’s simply listening, noticing and if you’re lucky enough, maybe enjoying the practice. If you give mindful music a try this week we’d love to hear how it went, and if you have a track you find particularly calming or you enjoy, please let us know!

🎶Go well this week 🎶

@Aer2812 @Shaz51 @tyme @NatureLover @StuF @frog @Clawde @cloudcore @Emelia8 @Judi9877 @Appleblossom @Bow @mantaray @Snowie @Gwynn @Anastasia @BlueBay @pinklollipop15 @Ma60 @Spirit_Healer @Fluttershy1 @BlueTrane @Krishna @Jynx @mmarks1 @AussieRecharger @Jorge @Everan @Dimity @Paperdaisy @nony @flybluebird @Appleblossom @StuF @Bunniekins @M_7