Mindful Love Notes – Reminders for Myself & Others from the Yoga Mat & Meditation Cushion
(Thanks in advance for overlooking my amateur grammar and writing skills)
The Anxiety Gap & FEAR
“The psychological condition of fear is divorced from any concrete and true immediate danger. It comes in many forms: unease, worry, anxiety, nervousness, tension, dread, phobia, and so on. This kind of psychological fear is always of something that might happen, not of something that is happening now.” ~ E Tolle
I often write myself reminders to help my heart release it’s gripping. I share these Mindful Love Notes at Yoga sometimes and as I am now, because often I am a culprit of making my suffering worse by feeding ‘mind made fear’ When it comes to learning how to navigate fear, I need constant reminders People share similar challenges of the heart and mind, as we look into the Yoga’s “Treasure Box” together , as someone described it to me just this morning. To see how we can take the pressure off, both on and off the Yoga Mat or Meditation cushion.
(Ive popped a couple of key practices below and a Mindful Mudra I use and teach, that may help with Anxiety Depression Insomnia to name a few)
I notice thoughts can often cause me to feel a certain way especially if I believe they are true & “concrete”, rather than just mental events that the mind is sprouting off. I need reminders and continually need to practice my Yoga & Meditation in various ways when it comes to facing fear and not becoming a victim to it.
I need that little “Treasure Chest” of Mindful Tools , so my heart can rest and find more ease when I am faced with obstacles in daily life. So I can go about my day being more present and truly be with the people I love, the people who are in front of me. This is (still) hard , when life feels busy. It can feel almost impossible when there are feelings of anxiety due to “Fear” . Fear effects how we respond, behave and it also effects the functioning of the body and all of its systems. It effects our whole life and our ability to enjoy it.
The Yogis talk about the minds traps that take us out of the present moment. One of these “Kleshas” is Fear of Death & Dying. Abhinivesa. It’s our “Will to Live” . In Yoga of the Subtle Body we learn more about certain energy centres within the body, including the ‘Seat of our Will’, our Heart Centre & Intuitive Centres. The goal of Yoga of the Subtle Body is to restore the body, mind and heart to its optimal functioning. This can can help calm our nervous system, and question the mind or our ‘Gut Feelings’ and tune into other sources of information (besides what the mind is telling us with its ‘thinking’ (or judging)
In my Mindful Cancer Care Programs & Mindful Mentor Programs some of the obstacles of mind we practice working with made is FEAR
Fear of running out of time
Fear of not getting everything done, that you want to do (before it’s to late)
Struggling with prioritising what you love doing and the things you have to do but may not enjoy.
Great books & teachers are there to remind us how we can handle Fear – by understanding it’s true nature. I often refer back to the many ear marked pages and highlights , my own Mindful Love Notes jotted within books from E.Tolle, Dan Millman & Poetry books from Michael Leunig , Martha Posslewright to name a few.
When I reflect on some of the key lessons & themes when it comes to living a more Mindful life is remembering “Fear is normal”
However there are ways that we can prevent feelings of fear taking us out of living our life fully.
It’s normal to feel fear.
It’s hard to break the habit of being pulled along by Fear, and it is normal to mistake it for reality – even though there is no immediate danger happening ‘right now’.
Our “Will to Live” is hard wired in us all . It has advantages and disadvantages if not worked with in a skilful way. I personally am a culprit of mistaking “Fear” based thoughts for reality. I have learnt and continue to learn many lessons from it. I want to learn from these experiences so I can have the best shot at having both a Clear Mind-Full Heart.
Why? Because it feels better
Why ? Because it feels closer to the person I want to be
But , I am also scared at times , I don’t want to lose people I love, or people I care about. I don’t want to feel broken hearted when I lose a pet, person or when a relationship or friendships end. But this does and will happen.
The solution (which is sometimes easier said than done) that many of these books and teachers mention is learn to choose
LOVE > FEAR
Choosing ‘Love over Fear’ is an ongoing practice & in my experience so far is a gradual] process. One step forward – two back as they say. But my intention is to try as best as I can ‘today’ to have two feet ‘in’ what I am actually doing moment to moment.
Others may judge us for the moments where we slip up , however only we know how far we have come.
If you have a desire to ease the suffering that is caused from the mind feeding fear. (False Evidence Appearing Real) You may find benefit from Yoga &/or Meditation. In my experience so far it takes ongoing practice. For me the same old “chestnut” of ‘Fear’ comes up. Inside the mind – I often get dragged along by fear based thoughts. It feels like a brumby or bucking bull. Me clinging on for dear life! The mind putting me on ‘edge’ without me realising it. I won’t bore you with the many examples.
I will share one of my favourite poems from Michael Leunig whom I recently spent a day with up at Peregian. One of the stand out moments was him talking about Love & Fear (thanks Michael for permission to share it your poem) What also stood out for me was the answer you gave to one of the questions you were asked :
What helps us keep the faith?
Your reply struck a chord with me.
“Perhaps the question is – what was it that caused you to lose it in the first place”
Finding a way to see things more clearly can take time. One of the post it notes I have is
“Remember to be patient because difficult things take time”
I use Mudras to help strengthen attitudes of Mindfulness – I find they have a huge impact when I integrate them into my Yoga & Meditation Practice. Here is one you can use for cultivating Patience.
If you’d like to learn more about Mudras for Mindfulness or Train for personal practice or Learn to Teach Mindfulness Meditation or Yoga – Learn More here .
I will be sharing a few more over the weeks in Class and at our Yoga of the Subtle Body Teacher Training & Personal Development 1:1 Programs.
Giving yourself “Time & Space” to learn , to grow, to process, to make mistakes is also way of respecting life’s natural process and to have faith in it. Especially if you have been through difficult circumstances in the past . Even though they may not be happening ‘NOW’ the trace they leave can feel like it lasts. Just when you think you’ve done all the “work” a new layer of the same stuff rares its’ head. But it is not a bad thing.
Doing what you can to make “Love” bigger than “Fear”is something worth your time, especially if you feel you have not got enough of it.
It maybe taking time to do the things you enjoyed as a little kid, putting on your favourite soundtracks, dancing or bringing all of that into your “Yoga” in your own unique way.
Not as an escape from reality but a chosen way to cope with the hard knocks and to engage in life fully – as it is. This is something we can all benefit from so we can enjoy our precious moments , right here, right now. Not only a gift for ourself , our Nervous System – but also that person in front of you who will benefit from your full attention – a beautiful way to show love and receive it at the same time.
Namaste
Tammy xox
See you at Yoga NRG
Or if you’d like a 1:1 Session or info about My Mindful Mentoring Programs – visit here
