* Dear Asilynn:

You asked: “what other things can help me achieve the mindfulness I seek?”

Patience and gentleness with yourself; treat yourself like you were a little girl afraid. Be gentle with her, don’t give her any negative criticism as telling her: “You shouldn’t be that anxious… what is wrong with you? and “You should be able to better manage your anxiety…” And such self talk. Talk to her (to yourself) gently, encouragingly. Fear is a very powerful force and she (the child in you…you) need all the support.. the gentle guidance along the way. This is of most importance: can’t heal without being gentle and patient… kind… that is being loving toward yourself.

In addition to this: being mindful means, getting outside your thinking, thinking, thinking part of the brain and paying attention to what is around here, the Here and Now, directing your attention to what you see, hear, smell, etc… slow exercise and stretching makes it possible for you to pay attention to how the body feels… and over time you weaken the thinking, thinking brain.

It is like often you are a floating head, swollen with thoughts that are not useful. With mindfulness, you shrink that big floating head and connect it to your body and to your Here and Now environment. You anchor that floating head… this is my experience.

Take it slow, easy and gentle, Aislynn: no rushing this process.

anita