Outside the Basilica in Buffalo.
Listening to: I have an even better recording of this Kirtan, which I find both calming and exhilarating.
Today's Bliss Formula: To start, I am sitting outside in a pink Adirondack as I write this. This cooler summer weather is a beautiful thing. I actually have on a sweatshirt, which makes me happy.
Finding and living your bliss entails a lot of work. Being honest with ourselves, delving deeply into our hearts' desires, perhaps coming to terms with living outside the "norm," giving up old ideas of who we are. All of this can be difficult but well worth the effort.
Yet one thing that can stand in the way of all of this effort is stress. Stress and anxiety can stop you right in your tracks. They can even push you back to the beginning of your hard won progress.
I have learned recently that there is more to stress than the moment or the event that causes it. The moment, of course, can mean anything from a day to many years, depending on the circumstances. But today I'm thinking about after the stress itself is gone.
As you may know from reading here, I've been learning a lot lately about after effects. We work pretty hard on learning positive coping mechanisms to deal with stress as it is happening and then we feel pretty proud of ourselves when they work -- which we should.
But then what?
It may take a while, but soon you realize that you are no longer handling even the little stuff as well as you used to. That it only takes something very small to make you feel completely powerless. That something insignificant can cause stress hormones to shoot through your body. Headaches, body aches, heart aches. All of it coming on more often than "before."
With all this aching, how can we possibly feel or know or live or express our bliss?
With all this aching, it's no wonder that I have slowly been evolving into PissedChick.
What is a PissedChick to do to? How to entice back our BlissChick?
I have some ideas but I would so love to hear from you. What do you do to deal with the lingering effects of stress and anxiety? What are your favorite ways to get rid of all the emotional toxins in your body?
Here are some of my basics:
1. Yoga, of course. And not just asana practice but breathing and chanting and just sitting still.
2. Bird watching. This totally relaxes me and I haven't been doing it. (Which is part of the issue, right? That we can get to the point where we avoid the things we know for sure will help us.)
3. Warm baths with candles and sea salt and lavender oil before bed.
4. Only reading positive, helpful things, like Deepak Chopra, Thich Nhat Hanh, Rumi, Rilke. What are your positive reads?
5. Star gazing. Nothing puts things more in perspective than gazing at the infinite night sky.
6. Visiting the water.
7. Doing prayer beads.
8. Journaling. A lot.
9. Listening to uplifting music.
10. Being patient.
What would you add to this list? Please, share it with the rest of us.
8 comments:
Hugging a dog or a horse. Works every time.
Yoga is definitely first on my list, too. Yoga and then more yoga!
Spending a lot of time outdoors is important in helping me get back in balance, too. And get rid of the clock/watch! Things seem (to me) to go slower outdoors.
Getting back in balance/recovering from stress takes time, so I recommend going easy on yourself. Don't be stressed about being stressed. :)
I just got 900 rudraksha seeds. They're supposed to have powerful calming and healing properties. Have you ever used a rudraksha mala?
I read when overly stressed, a mystery or a sci fi, nothing too serious.
When it comes to recovering from the effects of longterm stress - I'm still working on it.
Hi Christine.
Well, one major element that has been miraculous for me these last few months has been Yoga ~ the only problem is that I need to do it more regularly!
Another thing that has been amazing for me has been aromatherapy: citrus scents are great!
I also feel that how you choose to look at each situation can be a major catalyzer for the direction your mood is going to direct itself in.
One of my blooger friends responded to another of my blogger friends about how she dealt and perceived stress; I was so amazed by this person's insight, I framed into a quote, here it is:
"Sometimes there are cycles where creativity seems to literally be bursting through the seams and activity of all kinds is coming from everywhere. It actually can be confusing for me to organize myself and know where to put my energy.
At times like these I tend to struggle to some degree with things like focus and priorities, or even suffer that while I want to just go with the creative projects I have to also keep appointments, return phone calls, sleep, etc...
Then it hit me -- THIS is ABUNDANCE!"
Spending time with the true beauty and tranquility of nature - in a field or woodland. Far away from the maddening crowd as it were.
getting totally involved in joyful play with a child and being warmed by their innocence and happiness.
walking with a dog or petting a cat or holding a bunny whatever floats your boat. animals have a great way of sharing the human burdens and freeing us of our troubles.
doing the mundane and being in the moment-like washing dishes,ironing clothes, cleaning, sorting, those types of things. but, only ones you like doing not ones that always seem like a chore. the act of doing them, calms my senses and brings me back to the simple process thought and helps me sort things through in my mind and find a useful place for the stress.
well, those are just a few of mine. hope they help keep the bliss foremost in your reality.
be well. peace and blessings.
bojosmom
Thank you, all, for these ideas. Animals -- they are such a key to our well being, aren't they? Which is part of my issue; the cat who hugged me (and I mean HUGGED me) is the one who passed away in January and boy, do I miss those little black and white arms around my neck. I get hugged a lot every single day and yet those cat hugs... Yes, getting outdoors. I realize I've barely been at the lake! Oye! And treehouse, I know the seeds of which you speak -- why 900?!?! and what are they supposed to help with? I can't recall...
Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) is one new discovery that's helping me. You can check it out at www.emofree.com.
The book, Love is Letting Go of Fear, by G. Jampolsky.
Getting outside myself by doing something worthwhile for others (which happens much too infrequently these days).
Pounding my feet in a walk through the woods. Giving my pissed-chick (she appeared in full force for me last week!) woes over to the trees, squirrels, birds, rocks, sky, clouds.
A great concert. (music, music, music)
A funny movie.
Lexapro.
And, unfortunately, after many many years of abstinence - the occasional clove cigarette.
Thanks for sharing your journey with us. It *so* helps to know we are working through these things together with other women at this remarkably important time.
Hey there Blissful folks! This blog is turning into a mecca of wisdoms, great start for a tome!
I just had the best workout with a tai chi massage at my local healing center. It has worked out all the kinks and tightness and pains all over. I feel like a nineteen year old but with an intention of moving rather slowly. As I've not seen nineteen for a while now.
Morning meditation helps me the most to maintain a mellow calm first thing in the day brings on a feeling of habit, like it's a better habit to breathe into each moment of the day. Instead of that feeling of, "which way did they go, which way did they go..." reminding me of a cartoon; spending energy spinning my feet like a wheel!
The study of acupuncture has taught me that our bodies, every body's body all around the world and animals too, are like time clocks. For instance, the lungs clear themselves between the hours of 3 a.m. and 5 a.m. Everyone's.
Our spirit likes the element of music in the morning, hence the delivery of song birds by our creator, in the morning.
I like the natural cd's that bring the birds and sounds of nature into our morning sphere of arising and honoring the day. Ater some tea and toast, it is time for a walk.
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