Calming the Rush of Panic Read Online Free PDF Page A

sustain concentration is to repeatedly bring your mind back to the present after it has wandered off. Just like lifting weights again and again to grow muscle, when you bring your mind back again and again to your breathing or whatever you’re meditating on, you increase your capacity for attention.
    As your practice of mindfulness deepens, you’ll understand that (a) the only changes you can ever make are in the here and now and (b) the moment you realize you’re not present, you are in fact present. This is “where the rubber meets the road,” starting in this moment.
    WANTING OR AVOIDING
    In addition to your mind’s wanderings, you’ll also be swept away at times with wanting things that make you feel good or trying to avoid things that don’t. Wanting and avoiding are opposite sides of the same coin, because both are concerned with a state of feeling good. The antidote is to know when it’s happening—when you’re getting tangled up in a state of wanting or avoiding. This knowing helps you see where you are, and then and only then can you begin to untangle yourself.
    RESTLESSNESS OR SLEEPINESS
    Restlessness and sleepiness are also opposite sides of the same coin, because at the heart of each is a desire to escape the present moment. Restlessness is like a pacing tiger that cannot be in his or her own skin, and sleepiness is filled with sloth and torpor and not being able to stay awake. Both of these challenges can keep you from being present to the workings of your body and mind with the desire to either get away from the discomfort or go to sleep and not be present. Once again, the antidote is your knowing mind. Once you know that you’re restless or sleepy, you can begin to choose how you’re going to respond to it. Restlessness is unharnessed energy that, when accessed, can be of great support to you. With sleepiness, you may want to intensify your practice in order to bring more wakefulness. You may need to open your eyes, change your posture, and splash a few drops of cold water on your face, particularly if you’re often falling asleep or numbing out. If all else fails, sleep and be happy, and when you wake up, begin your practice again.
    DOUBT
    The last challenge is being filled with doubt. You may think, This meditation is not going to help me. What’s the use? I’m never going to diminish my panicky feelings and feel better . The antidote for doubt is awareness , similar to the other hindrances. When you know that you’re experiencing doubt, you can begin to deal with it. Doubt is something to be acknowledged just like any other feeling, and in time you’ll see that it’s just a passing mind state like any other. This understanding will give you more confidence in your practice.
    You will of course encounter other challenges when meditating, and you’ll need to bring your knowing awareness to acknowledge whatever’s there. We want to invite you to expand your perception and be open to something new.
    Establishing an Informal Practice of Mindfulness: Mindfulness in Daily Activities
    As previously mentioned, mindfulness is a way of life that can be practiced both formally and informally. We want to invite you to begin incorporating mindfulness into your daily activities as a way of decreasing panic.
    Bringing mindfulness into your life is very important in dealing with panic. As with formally practicing mindfulness, you can do this every day. Daily mindfulness brings awareness into your body, emotions, and thoughts in the varied experiences of everyday living. You can bring mindfulness to chores, work, walking, driving, brushing your teeth, folding laundry, waiting in line, sitting in the doctor’s office, your interpersonal relationships, and all aspects of life. The only moment you ever really live in and the only place you can ever make any changes is right here and now, so why not be mindful of this moment?
    To begin an informal practice of mindfulness, you can start with any of the