Therapy on the Go Archives - ...metaphorically speaking

Coping with Uncomfortable Feelings: Embodied Mindfulness Made Simple

September 26, 2019

by metaphor with No Comment Feelings and Emotions Health and wellbeing Mindfulness Self Care Stress Therapy on the Go Wellbeing

I invite you to imagine putting on a pair of sunglasses, metaphorically of course. These glasses have blue lenses that reflect judgement and criticism. While wearing these glasses you only notice how bad you feel, think how hopeless you are, and leave you wanting to push away uncomfortable feelings. It is really hard to notice anything good at all. These are the glasses our human brain wants to reach for first without too much thought about it.

Now I invite you to put on a different pair of sunglasses that help you look through yellow lenses of compassion and kindness. While wearing these glasses you still notice the ‘bad’ feelings, but they help you see its okay and it’s normal, and allow you sit in uncomfortable feelings with acceptance until they pass. You also notice feelings like joy and pleasure, and relish them. These are the glasses we can wire our human brain to reach for first, through the practice of mindfulness.

There are some problems in life that are hard to shift and might be out of our control. Mindfulness won’t make these problems go away, but it will change the way you look at things. From time to time, we are also going to have uncomfortable feelings arise like anger, sadness, jealousy, shame, guilt, pain and hurt. I don’t necessarily consider these negative or bad feelings. They are part of the human condition and serve a purpose. When they arise, we can choose to allow our brains to put on the glasses of judgement and criticism, or the glasses of compassion and kindness.

Mindfulness does not have to become a burdensome new thing you have to schedule into your already busy day. You can still keep doing those things but just wear a different pair of sunglasses doing them! But it does take practice because our human brain wants to default to the negative. You will have to consciously keep swapping glasses until your brain gets the message that you want to wear the yellow glasses right now not the blue ones.

So you notice an uncomfortable feeling arise. You start making judgements or criticise yourself for feeling this way. You realise you have the blue glasses on. Now what? How do we do this mindfulness stuff? Okay, time to put the yellow glasses on.

Tune Out. At the first sign of an uncomfortable feeling or sensation in the body, it helps to become grounded. Notice what is happening externally in the environment around you. Using all your senses, explore what you can see, touch, hear, smell and even taste.
Tune In. Now take your mindful presence inside by noticing your breath. Observe how the breathe moves in and out of your body. Notice what you feel in your body. What feelings or sensations are arising? Where in your body are they sitting?
Stay With. Bring you awareness one at a time to each of these body sensations. How strong and how big is it? Does it have a colour, shape, texture? What temperature is it? Does it move? What else are you noticing? This is all about observation without judgement. Get to know this feeling or sensation as if you are a detective having to write a factual report on what you find.
Breathe. Take a deep breath and send this air into this part of the body you are focusing on. Allow the air to create some space around this sensation. Keep breathing just observing what this does to your body.
Notice. Keep focusing your awareness on this sensation as you mindfully breathe and simply observe what changes. Stay with the experience and see where it takes you. Do you notice a shift of some kind? How does it feel now? How is the whole of your body responding?
Reflect. When you are ready, bring yourself back slowly from your internal focus of attention to the external environment. Use your sense of touch, sight, sound, smell and taste to bring yourself back. What are you noticing about this experience? What is different now or new? What have you learnt?

Warning: Please don’t despair, if you notice unhelpful or uncomfortable thoughts arising during this exercise. The brain will try many times to distract you. That’s perfectly OK. Just don’t get caught up in the thoughts or let judgement or criticism take over. Simply acknowledge the thought, allow it to float away and bring your awareness back to whatever is the current focus of your attention – be it your sensory experience, the breath moving in and out, or the sensation in your body. The more we do this, the more we develop our mind muscle so it eventually learns your preference for wearing yellow sunglasses.

In short…

My favourite place to practice mindfulness is in nature. The sound of birds, the smell of the salty sea or the touch of the grass on your feet can be beautiful focus points to ground us before stepping into the journey inside.

So next time you feel emotion rising inside, step outside.

Mindfulness in Nature: Meditation for those who can’t meditate

May 1, 2019

by metaphor with No Comment Eco-social work Ecotherapy Healing with nature Health and wellbeing Mental health Mindfulness Nature and Forest Therapy Relaxation Self Care Stress Therapy on the Go Wellbeing

I am writing this on the banks of the Macleay River in Kempsey. I feel a few gentle raindrops hitting the back of my neck. I smell the manure of the resident ducks wafting in the air. I hear the sound of the breeze whistling through pine needles. I see ripples of sunlight and reflection dancing over the water. I pick up a lonesome goose feather, run it across my cheek, and wince with the tickle. The cut grass feels prickly on the backs of my legs. This is mindfulness; what it feels like to be in the present moment, just noticing what is around me and the effect it has on my body.

I notice that which brings the most pleasure and choose to linger in those sensations a bit longer. Some would say we have lost the art of how to feel pleasure deeply, that somehow it is indulgent and we should move onto the next thing quickly for instant gratification.

A sensory experience on the banks of the Macleay River, Kempsey

In my mental health counselling practice, I come across a lot of people who struggle with meditation. They have been told to do it by well- meaning health professionals to cope with the stresses of daily life, anxiety or depression. But they often feel they can’t do it or at least sustain it. Some of us are just not born to sit still with our legs crossed on the floor humming a mantra. And the simple fact is, you don’t need to. The same kinds of relaxation and mind stilling effects can be gained by spending time in nature, mindfully and with intention. Nature helps us to turn our brains off and just be.

Often what brings people unstuck is the constant invasion of thoughts or feelings that arise during meditation. The voice of anxiety or depression definitely doesn’t want you to enjoy yourself. I know I struggled with this for many years, wondering if I was somehow doing it wrong or failing. I gave up and came back to it later in life when stress was impacting seriously on my health. Know that it is OK to have invading thoughts and feelings. Rather than push them away, welcome them. Then gently bring yourself back to the focus of your attention.

The focus of our attention does not have to be breathing, counting to ten, or repeating a mantra. It can simply be bringing your awareness to the natural environment using all your senses. Give yourself permission to enjoy that bird song, watch that butterfly, breathe that ocean air.

Let’s try it now. (You may like to record the following script on your phone, with gentle pauses or have someone guide you.)

I invite you to find a spot in nature where you can sit, stand or lie down without being interrupted. Allow yourself to just take in your surroundings and notice what is around you.
If you feel comfortable doing so, close your eyes. If not, you can lower your eyes to the ground and gently soften your gaze.
Take a moment to tune into your body. Notice if there is a part of you that is a bit tight or tense. Without making judgement, just give your body what it needs to feel relaxed. This could be a stretch, a deep breath, a wriggle or shake.
When you’re ready, bring your attention to the part of your body that is connected to the ground. Notice how it feels just to be supported by the earth. Notice the feeling of gravity and what it is like to be pulled gently towards the earth.
You may find that you are distracted by thoughts or feelings. This is okay. When you notice them, acknowledge them and let them float gently away again, like a leaf in the wind.
Now bring your attention to your sense of touch. Hold your hands out in front of you and notice the sensation of the air on your skin. You may like to explore the variety of textures on the ground around you. If there is a particular sensation of touch that feels pleasurable to you, invite it in for a minute.
Turning your attention to your hearing, notice what sounds are around you. Notice the variety of sounds, what is furtherest away, what is closest to you and what is filling the gap in between. You may notice the sounds are interacting with each other, like a chorus or symphony. Exaggerate the sound of your own breathing to see if you can blend it in with this rhythm. Perhaps there is a sound which is giving you the most pleasure. Allow it to penetrate your being.
Breathing in through your mouth, see if there is a taste to air. Notice the texture or quality of the air. If you’re feeling a bit cheeky, poke out your tongue and turn your head in different directions to see what changes. Breathing in through your nose, notice what smells are being offered. Move your head in different directions to notice what changes. Give yourself permission to linger longer in the smell that is giving you pleasure.
Before opening your eyes, imagine your eyes are like the sun popping over the horizon on a brand new day. When you are ready, open your eyes slowly, low at first and gently moving skyward. Notice what comes into your awareness.

Journalist and author, Christine Jackman practises mindfulness in nature on the Coffs Coast.

You may like to reflect on what you are noticing about this kind of mindfulness meditation? What are you noticing in your body, in your mind, in your mood? What are you noticing in your surroundings that you have not observed before?

To me, a mindfulness practice in nature feels like ‘coming home’ to my true nature. It’s a way of being that has been practiced by our ancestors since time immemorial.

For more ways of being truly present in nature for good health and wellbeing, check out my Nature Therapy e-book. It’s free when you sign up to my newsletter.

Kids and Nature: Nurturing strong and healthy minds!

January 24, 2019

by metaphor with No Comment Eco-social work Ecotherapy Forest bathing Healing Our Children Healing with nature Health and wellbeing Mental health Nature and Forest Therapy Parenting Relaxation Shinrin Yoku Therapy on the Go Working with Children

Many of you will be familiar with my passion for keeping children safe in their first three years of life through the Healing Our Children project, to improve their chances of growing into strong and healthy adults! It is one thing to protect babies from violence to prevent trauma to the brain, but it is quite another to add in nurturing and nourishing activities to promote brain growth!

Author of ‘Your Brain on Nature”, Dr Alan Logan says “Your connection to nature established early in life to your experiences can actually influence your life course’s wellbeing”. He argues that young children who are disconnected from nature experience a variety of health impacts from poor gut health and low immunity to compromised mental health.

Louv and Charles have been looking at a growing body of evidence across the world that suggests children are now spending much less time in nature-based outdoor activity and this is having a detrimental effect on their development. Louv has gone so far as to use the term ‘nature deficit disorder’ to describe this problem.

While some research findings have limitations, here are some of the trends worth noting.

Between the decades, 1980’s to 2000’s, children’s lives have become increasingly structured and media oriented, leaving less time for independent play of any kind, including unstructured play in nature. Free play is going down, screen time is going up.
Visits to parks, national forests and other public land is in decline and are a possible indicator of the frequency of children’s exposure to the natural world.
There are fewer opportunities for children to engage in the natural world, with parents containing their children to more restrictive spaces, the move towards play indoors with supervision rather than unsupervised in parks, playgrounds or streets, a dramatic decline in children’s independent mobility, parents exerting greater control over children’s play and limitations put on children’s adventurous play.
Nature may encourage and support children’s physical activity and help them maintain a healthy weight. The number of obese children is rising, moving into their teens they are much less physically active. Some studies have linked children’s health to green spaces in the neighbourhood.
Children have less knowledge about plants, animals and their environment today than their parents. One possibility is that biodiversity has decreased where children live; or children have little or no meaningful direct experience with local biodiversity.

Evidence of decreased mobility, reduced availability to natural areas, and restrictions placed by parents on children’s activities in natural areas, suggests fewer opportunities to engage in the natural world.

So what does the research say about the benefits of contact with nature for children and young people?

There are a number of studies that demonstrate children’s play outdoors reduces the impact of stressful life events and has long-term benefits for physical, social, emotional and cognitive development. Children who experienced high levels of contact with nature report higher global self-worth and higher cognitive function increasing their ability to learn and concentrate, decreasing anxiety and increasing self-esteem.

In Australia, adolescents have talked about their desire for safe places to break away from everyday life, to restore energy levels and to make meaning from the ups and downs of life. Between 25 and 31% of young people in Years 9 to 12 said that nature was their favourite place to find peace, quiet and freedom, feel calm, where they can think about things or where they can be themselves. The study found nature plays an important role in maintaining stable mental health for adolescents, who live in a modern world where societal changes and pressures are rising at a rapid rate.

Primary school children’s access to nature in Melbourne primary schools has shown a number of social and mental health benefits including building resilience, improved attitudes towards school and relationships with peers and adults, greater calmness and less disruptive behaviour, growing sense of freedom and creativity, and enhanced self-confidence.

We know how good it is. So how can we get our kids off their devices and plugging into nature? Here are three nature connection invitations, I recently tried with some children aged 10-14 on a Guided Nature and Forest Therapy walk. They absolutely loved them!

Wish Upon a Rock

Find a rocky creek or waterway. Invite the children to create a cairn. For each rock they are able to stack and balance, they can make a wish, a hope or dream. How many wishes can they balance? Give the child time to reflect on their experience.

Befriend a Tree.

Invite your child to find a tree they connect with. Invite them to get up close and use their sense of touch to explore. “What do you notice when you hold a leaf or two? What do you hear when you move the leaves or run a stick against the bark? What part of the tree has a smell? Do you see different things when you get up close or sit further away?” After a while, invite them to sit by themselves next to the tree and just spend some quiet time there. “Perhaps a name for your tree might come to you. I wonder what stories this tree might tell you while sitting there in quiet still awareness?”

Paint a Rock

Using paint pens and a flat rock, write a message for the forest or for other beings in the forest to discover. Hide your rocks in the forest. Take a photo of them and post its location on the #NSWRocks Facebook or Instagram community page (or search your state for your local rock group). You can join in the hunt for other kids rocks too.

Of course, it is much easier for children to feel comfortable in nature, if they have been exposed at an early age. Taking your baby for a daily walk outside is giving them a great start to life. You will be laying down the foundations of a strong and healthy brain. Oh, and bringing down some of your own stress levels too, no doubt. Here’s to happy child’s play in nature!

References:

ABC News (2016) ‘Gut health, mental wellbeing and immunity linked to outdoor play’

Charles C and Louv, R. (2009) Children’s Nature Deficit: What We Know – and Don’t Know.

Selhub E and Logan A. (2012) Your Brain on Nature

Townsend M and Weerasuriya R. (2010). Beyond Blue to Green: The benefits of contact with nature for mental health and well-being. Beyond Blue Limited: Melbourne, Australia.

3 Reasons Why You Should Go Forest Bathing

September 25, 2018

by metaphor with No Comment Bush therapy Eco-social work Ecotherapy Forest bathing Healing the planet Healing with nature Health and wellbeing Mindfulness Mother Earth Nature and Forest Therapy Self Care Shinrin Yoku Social and emotional wellbeing Spiritual practices Stress Therapy on the Go Wellbeing

First of all, you might be wondering what exactly is forest bathing?

Forest bathing is a nature connection practice inspired by the Japanese where it is called Shinrin Yoku.

It’s not about getting wet.

The idea is to fully immerse yourself in nature and to bathe all your senses (more than 12 of them!).

Put simply, it is about taking a slow mindful walk in nature, breathing in the forest air, sitting and observing, and developing an emotional connection to the forest. It is different from hiking, where the pace is faster and you miss a lot of what is going on around you. It is also different from a naturist walk, where you might be identifying and naming species of fauna or flora.

A Forest Bathing walk covers less than a kilometre usually over two or three hours. Its aim is to help you slow down and take a break from the stresses of daily life, and to appreciate things that can only be noticed when moving slowly. Some people describe it like doing meditation or mindfulness in nature.

So now that we know what it is. Why on earth would we want to do it?

1. Forest Bathing is Part of Our True Nature

Humans evolved out of forests. Our species spent millions years of in development within these ecosystems. Then our world experienced rapid industrialisation and we moved into cities. While genetically our bodies are optimized for the forest, we are now trying to survive in the busy, stressful conditions of modern civilization.

Our separation has caused what Richard Louv terms, ‘nature deficit disorder’. He argues that our children are spending so much less time outdoors than previous generations, it is having a detrimental impact on their development.

Rather than seeing ourselves as separate from nature, we must remember, we are nature.

2. Forest Bathing Promotes our Health and Wellbeing

In the Western world, rates of mental health problems are out of control. Over 50% of people are stressed at work. In Australia, 1 in 5 of us will go on to experience a mental illness. Many physical illnesses and disease can also be linked to stress as an underlying cause.

The Japanese have been studying the effects of forest bathing since the 1980’s. What they discovered was an antimicrobial organic compound called phytonicides that are given off by evergreen trees such as pines and eucalypts. When you breathe in phytonicides, your blood pressure drops, your cortisol level (or stress hormone) reduces and heart rate variablilty improves. Phytoncides are immune boosters which increase the natural killer cells in our body, associated with fighting cancer.

Other research has shown that being in nature:

3. Forest Bathing Addresses Climate Change

I know, it’s a big call. But I firmly believe that if we are more closely connected to Mother Nature, we are more likely to want to care for and protect it. Ours is a reciprocal relationship. When the earth is sick, so are we (see point 2). We need healing and so does our earth.

Humans have become so separate from nature that there has been little regard to how we treat the earth. It has been seen as a collection of resources to be exploited for our benefit. On a guided forest bathing walk, there is particular attention paid to the practice of reciprocity. In supporting the development of human-nature relationships, we foster the role of humans as givers, as well as receivers.

People who engage regularly in forest bathing practices, tend to spontaneously find themselves engaging in place tending on a personal level or want to get involved in environmental activism at a macro level.

So rebuilding our intimate connection to the forest again, will ultimately lead to the healing of the planet and of course, our own health too.

If one or more of these reasons has inspired you to try forest bathing, then feel free to join the Japanese where is it called “Shinrin-yoku” (森林浴), the Germans practising “Waldtherapie”, the Koreans engaging in “Sanlimyok (산림욕)” and of course, the Australians, Americans and Europeans, where we use the terms “nature and forest therapy”.

If you are in the Nambucca Valley or Coffs Coast region, you can join me on your very own private Nature therapy walk. Or you can find other Certified guides in Australia here and elsewhere in the world here.

Happy Forest Bathing!

5 Intentional Ways to Bring Nature Therapy Indoors

September 6, 2018

by metaphor with No Comment Ecotherapy Feelings and Emotions Healing with nature Health and wellbeing Mental health Mindfulness Mother Earth Nature and Forest Therapy Self Care Social and emotional wellbeing Stress Therapy on the Go Wellbeing

After three days of constant rain, I feel myself starting to go a little ‘cray cray’. I miss my daily walk up the country road where I live. Not surprisingly, I come down with a cold and by day three it turns into a headache. Does this happen to you? After days of not venturing outside, your health starts to deteriorate?

It makes a lot of sense, given that being in nature or green spaces is scientifically proven to promote good physical, mental and spiritual wellbeing.

Don’t despair. I have some tips for bringing the benefits of nature indoors, so you can enjoy the sensory experience even when stuck inside.

1. Pot up the pesky weed and bring it inside.

Plants are not only a visually pleasing and calming addition to your home, but can be a great source of air purification. Two of the best plants to remove indoor toxins and chemicals are Mother in Laws tongue (a weed in the garden) and the Peace Lily. With increased oxygen levels in your home, you will also breathe easier.
Houseplants also reduce the incidence of dry skin, colds, sore throats and dry coughs. Put a plant on your desk to give your eyes a rest from your computer screen, boost concentration and be more productive. One study showed that hanging out with indoor plants can increase memory retention up to 20 percent. Weird but true.

2. Knock on Wood.

A lot of research has shown that using wood indoors in the form of furniture, fittings and features helps us to relax. Simply running your fingers across a wooden benchtop can calm your nervous system, lower your heart rate and reduce brain activity, promoting an instant soothing effect. The smell of naturally dried wood has a similar effect and can be replicated by spraying some essential oils such as cedarwood, siberian fir or eucalyptus around your home. Always choose naturally dried wood products, not heat treated wood for your home as the aromas produce very different results. A good excuse to treat yourself to a new chopping board!

3. Create a nature table.

Dig out that shell collection in your bathroom, then go gather some stones, pine cones, feathers, or other forest finds that bring you pleasure. Not just for kids, a nature table or basket is a good ‘go to’ to distract us when feeling stressed, anxious or depressed. In this situation, pick up something that attracts your attention, find a place to sit, and just explore this treasure with your sense of touch, smell, hearing and sight. Notice how this feels in your body. Notice what memories arise for you. Does this natural object have a story to tell? Allow yourself time to be mindful and present. Let feelings arise and fall away. Just notice without judgement.

4. Uber some fresh cut flowers.

There isn’t a human being around that doesn’t get pleasure from admiring and smelling cut flowers. But did you know that flower arrangements also offer physical benefits too? Simply looking at fresh flowers in a vase has been shown to decrease the sympathetic nervous system response to stress and increase physiological relaxation responses. A similar result is experienced when smelling floral essential oils, inducing relaxation and comfort. So go pick a wild bunch and knock yourself out.

5. Bring nature imagery inside.

This is a great one, particularly if you live in an apartment in the city, or have very little green space around where you live. Science has shown that showing prisoners photos and videos of forests, glaciers and waterfalls reduces tension, improves sleep and results in less violent angry outbursts.
Install some nature artwork, change your screensaver to a majestic landscape or watch a nature documentary. Or simply close your mind and put yourself in your favourite natural landscape. The brain doesn’t know the difference between real life and mindful imagery. You get similar mental health benefits either way!

So if you’re stuck indoors, know that nature with all its healing properties is there for you. Go out there and invite it in. Do it mindfully with intention and purpose.

You might like to also read: 5 Nature Therapy Habits You Can Start Today

For more quick and easy Nature Therapy practices you can incorporate into your day, sign up to my Newsletter and I will send you my free e-book featuring the 21 Day Nature Therapy Challenge. That’s 21 days of Nature Therapy ideas to help you develop a healthy new habit.

References:

Miyazaki, Y. (2018). Shinrin-yoku: the Japanese way of forest bating for health and relaxation. Octopus Publishing Group, London.

Rokas, L. (2017). ‘NASA Reveals A List Of The Best Air-Cleaning Plants For Your Home’ at https://www.boredpanda.com/best-air-filtering-houseplants-nasa/

University of Utah, ‘Nature Imagery Calms Prisoners’, https://phys.org/news/2017-08-nature-imagery-calms-prisoners.html

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5 Nature Therapy Habits You Can Start Today

August 23, 2018

by metaphor with No Comment Ecotherapy Healing with nature Health and wellbeing Mindfulness Nature and Forest Therapy Nature Connection Challenge Self Care Therapy on the Go Wellbeing

Want to spend more time in nature? Well if you need an excuse, here’s one. Spending more time mindfully in the outdoors will boost your immune system, take away your stress, help you sleep better and boost your creativity.

With the explosion of scientific research on the benefits of being in nature for mental health and wellbeing, you really can’t afford to not go outdoors. Here are five quick and easy ways to include more nature in your day.

1. Take your lunch break. Outside.

Too many of us work through our lunch break at work, either because that’s what everyone else does and we want to fit in, or we just don’t have time. Well, the truth is you will have a more productive afternoon if you give your brain a break. So turn off the computer, leave your devices behind and take your lunch to the park. Leave work problems at work; they will still be there when you get back. Sit and observe what is going on around you, breath the fresh air, listen to the birds. Return to your desk feeling refreshed and ready to tackle that To Do List.

2. Start a Sit Spot practice. Outside.

A Sit Spot is a spot in nature to simply connect, relax and observe. The ideal sit spot is in a natural area where two ecosystems meet, such as the edge where a meadow meets a forest. Choose a place you can visit frequently without too much effort, even if it is less than ideal. Your backyard can make a great sit spot.

Sit still and quietly, so that birds and animals nearby get past the initial alarm they feel when a human shows up. The longer and more often you visit, the more you’ll experience. The local animals will get to know you and become more accepting of your presence.

Clear your mind. Do nothing. Just notice.

3. Make a natural brew. And drink it outside.

Growing your own food is a great way to develop your connection with nature. Start by growing a few herbs in pots to make refreshing teas.

Treat yourself to a natural herbal brew once a day. Enjoy the pleasure of interacting with the plant using all your senses – sight, smell, taste, touch, hearing and bodily awareness, then go ahead and harvest a few leaves.

Find a place in your backyard to sit and enjoy your tea. At first, explore the tea without tasting by using your other senses. Then take a sip of the tea and explore its flavour and texture. Drink a full cup and notice its effect on you over the remainder of the day.

4. Do your exercise. Outside.

Apart from saving a lot of money on gym fees, exercising outside exposes you to the sounds of the leaves rustling in the trees, the feeling of fresh crisp air on your skin and the sense of spaciousness.

Rewild your body through real and practical natural movements like running, walking, leaping, dancing, throwing, balancing, crawling, climbing and hunting. Moving the way our ancestors did promotes strong bone growth, natural conditioning and mental fitness.
Incorporate a way to get to work without using the car.

5. Walk with your shoes off. Outside.

Once a day, take off your shoes and observe what it feels like to be connected to the earth. Bring the focus of your attention to the souls of your feet. Step slowly and intentionally noticing the effect of contact on your body.

The earth is endowed with electrons which are absorbed through your feet. There is evidence showing this grounding practice is good for your physical health like improving your sleep and reducing pain and inflammation. Our great ancestors never wore shoes and they were a pretty healthy mob.

You might also like to read: 5 Intentional Ways to Bring Nature Therapy Indoors.

Riding out the Waves of Emotion with and in Nature

July 25, 2018

by metaphor with No Comment Ecotherapy Feelings and Emotions Healing with nature Health and wellbeing Mindfulness Nature and Forest Therapy Self Care Shame Social and emotional wellbeing Spiritual practices Stress Therapy on the Go Wellbeing

What would it be like if we responded to perceived ‘negative’ feelings in the same way we responded to ‘perceived’ positive feelings? You know the feelings I’m talking about; the ones that make our body feel uncomfortable. Anger, sadness, grief, guilt, pain, hurt, shame, jealousy and the like. Growing up we learn to push these feelings away, ignore them, get over them, put a lid on them or deny them. In fact, society expects us to. And if we can’t, then we are told to go to a counsellor to learn how to, because there must be something wrong with us.

What if instead we were to normalise these feelings, rather than to see them as abnormal or bad? After all, it’s only the behaviour that accompanies these feelings that may cause a problem, not the feeling itself. Somewhere along the line society has labelled emotions ‘negative’ and ‘positive’. The so named ‘negative’ ones we want to avoid. The ‘positive’ ones we crave more of. We should to be happy all the time, right?

What if we were instead to ride through the wave of perceived ‘negative’ emotion, like a piece of driftwood that rides the ocean currents, knowing eventually the rough and tumble will be over and it will wash up on the shore, ready to dry out and fulfil its potential in the sun?

Nature has much to teach us about living with our emotions, just as nature is a stimulus for experiencing emotion. Nature shares with us her awesome presence and we experience feelings of awe and wonder staring at a sky filled with millions of stars. We dwell in delight and joy at the sound of birdsong or a fleeting visit from a timid animal in the forest. We are wrapped up in happiness and excitement as we discover unexplored, beautiful places that take our breath away. Our bodies respond to these sensory experiences in pleasurable ways. We are totally present in the here and now, relishing in the feeling of the moment.

The skill of being mindful in nature can be applied to all our emotions, not just the ones that give us sensations of comfort. Nature provides some clues about this. A fire sweeping through the bush is horrifying and scary. Trees do not enjoy having their leaves stripped bare or bark scarred. But they stand there, remaining steadfast. They ride it out. They slow down their breathing and conserve their energy. Trees have learnt how to protect themselves from past experience by growing thick bark. Eventually, the smoke clears, the rains come, and seeds burst forth in regrowth.

What if we were to sit with our emotion in the moment and bring the same kind of awareness to our experience, as we do with ‘positive’ emotions? To sit and dwell in the pit of crappiness, to bring awareness to the tightness in our stomach, to be accepting of our vulnerability, to notice the change in sensations as the feeling eventually passes.

What if we were to treat our emotions like a friend to get to know rather than an enemy to run away from. With curiosity, get to know its habits, its likes, its dislikes. If you can recognise the signs of its arrival, you can be prepared, and find a place to sit and ride it out (preferably in nature which has immediate calming and relaxation effects).

Indigenous peoples do not push their grief away or hide it or try to move through it quickly. They spend many days or weeks, sometimes months expressing their sorrow after the passing of loved ones. They feel it shifting through their bodies as they dance and sing to the natural rhythms of the earth.

Experiencing and sitting with the full gamut of emotions is what it means to be human.

For those that have experienced trauma, the experience of sitting with emotions can be much more difficult. Our response, driven by the brain’s need to protect us, might shut our body down completely so we don’t have to feel at all, or help us get ready to fight or run away from a perceived threat. This is where nature’s healing powers can really do its work. When uncomfortable or painful feelings come to the fore, nature provides the distraction needed to calm our over-reactive limbic system. Taking some time to sit in green space with the sun on your face, the breeze drifting over your skin or the grass beneath your feet, is the first step to retraining your brain through a mindfulness practice. Building up the muscles in your brain to bring awareness to your felt sense, slowly makes space for the more uncomfortable feelings to be explored in small steps over time. Sometimes a support person or counsellor is needed to guide this process.

Every feeling we have is normal. They are part of this journey called life. They come and go. Even those that are a result of traumatic experience can be healed, through a practice of mindfulness in nature.

Be gentle on yourself. Sit with your emotions. All of them. Breathe through them. Notice their passing.

Nature is brave enough to do it. Humans are nature, so we can too.

‘Therapy on the Go’ – Mandalas

March 26, 2015

by metaphor with No Comment Art therapy Expressive therapies Practice tools Self Care Therapy on the Go

‘Therapy on the go’ is about sharing quick insights into healing practices that anyone, any age, any gender, can do anywhere, even if you are time poor. Whether you are wanting to reclaim a sense of groundedness in your life, achieve some insight into your self or simply relax through meditation, creating a mandala can do all this and more. You could doodle one in your coffee break or create some space on a weekend to really go for it!

A quick history. The Sanskrit word for mandala is ‘circle’ or ‘completion’. Eastern cultures have honoured the circle over thousands of years for its inherent beauty, wholeness and sacredness, with different interpretations put on its meaning for spiritual life. Carl Jung introduced mandalas to the Western World after noticing his patients spontaneously made circle drawings in therapy. He believed that if you drew mandalas or dreamed about them, it signalled a movement toward new self knowledge. Art therapist Cathy Malchiodi says mandalas “give us an experience of wholeness amid the chaos of every day life, making the “sacred circle” one of the very coolest art therapy interventions for both soothing the soul and meeting oneself.”

Mandalas are everywhere. They literally exist in the cells of my body, around my garden, even the universe. Take a look around your environment; notice the patterns and be inspired.

Quick reflection. Creating a mandala is a personal journey, it’s not about the final artwork. So take your time, enjoy it. Your mandala represents your inner emotions and thoughts at a particular point in time, through the shapes, colours and materials you use. Don’t think about it too much. Go with your gut instincts and see where your body takes you.

Quick instructions. Gather your choice of materials. If drawing is your preferred medium, try pencils or pastels on large paper. If you like collage, almost any crafty materials or articles from nature work. Things like coloured or patterned paper, buttons, pipecleaners, feathers, fabric, ribbons, lace, wool, match and popsicle sticks, crushed eggs shells, , jigsaw pieces, bottle caps, leaves, dry grasses, small shells – the possibilities are endless. It could be as simple as a black pen and white paper or a stick and sand.

Start by drawing a large circle. If you like use a compass or trace around a plate. Then in the centre of the large circle, draw a very small circle or glue a centre piece. Work outwards from there, using the ‘mandala dance method’. What’s that? You’ll have to watch the video. Basically, you draw a line (or glue items) radiating out from your centre at 12 o’clock, 6 oclock, 3 and 9 o’clock. Then you can divide each of these sections in half again, so you have eight lines. Keep adding lines, patterns or craft bits to your mandala until you fill the whole circle. Try experimenting next time with black paper or a canvas board.

Quick inspiration. An artist friend of mine, Alison Dowell recently ran a mandala making workshop for International Womens Day. Watch her quick instructions including her very cool ‘mandala dance’ here.

Here is a great picture summary, courtesy of one of my favourite websites where there is lots of inspiration.

Use your mandala as a centrepoint for meditation, to decorate a wall or turn it into a coaster. Above all, enjoy the experience! You’ll never know what you learn about yourself, if you don’t try therapy on the go.

…metaphorically speaking

Posts in category: Therapy on the Go