523: The perfect self-care blend
This week on the Anxiety Slayer podcast we're talking about two key elements to self-care that can help us when we're struggling with anxiety or with our health.
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Notes from this week’s episode:
Ananga: “Something I learned when living with long-term chronic illness is that we have to take action to keep our spirits up. This goes for anxiety too. When the mind is hijacked by anxious thoughts, it becomes exhausted and it needs support.
When living with chronic pain and fatigue, I learned that the mind can hold us in a state of helplessness or frustration. We may look like we’re resting, but our wheels are spinning.”
The inertia of illness and the exhaustion of anxiety can both hold us in that stuck state we talked about in last week’s podcast.
The mind held in inertia develops a strong negative bias that constantly reminds us of what we don’t have, and what we can’t do.
We need tools and practices to help steady the mind, and we need to fill it with inspiration to replace anxious and negative thoughts with hopeful and uplifting thoughts.
Ayurveda teaches that these are both things we can do for ourself that improve our quality of live and our overall well-being.
Two essentials for good self-care
Inspiration, wherever we find it, nourishes the mind and engages it in more peaceful thoughts.
And practical techniques help us calm anxiety and increased our personal sense of wellbeing.
We need both the tools that can help us feel calm, and the inspiration that nourishes the mind and helps us find meaning in our days.
Practical Techniques for self-care and calm
Guided meditation - why it’s so helpful
Mindful movement - Yoga or Qigong, mindful walking
The key is to make our practices as immersive as possible and get our senses involved.
Inspiration
Make a list of what inspires you. What catches your mind’s attention with curiosity and good thoughts?
The importance of creative expression
According to Ayurveda the body/mind type most likely to suffer with anxiety is the Vata type. Vata types are naturally creative people, so immersion in creative activities comes very naturally to them.
When we can practice those activities mindfully they can become an antidote to anxiety, the mind becomes engaged rather than being left unattended to break through with anxious thoughts.
The Art of Wise Inaction
Since becoming sick, I’ve learned how crucial—yet difficult—it is to practice wise inaction. The challenge is to avoid actions that exacerbate symptoms because worsening symptoms give rise to both physical and mental suffering—sometimes so severe that I break down in sobs of despair... Toni Bernhard, How to be Sick
What wise inaction means
Ayurveda’s perspective on unwise actions and distractions
How can we know when we’ve practiced wise inaction?
New on our Patreon
We’d like to say a big thank you to everyone who’s supported the podcast on Patreon this month, and to our new patrons Michelle, Rene and Steve.
If you found this episode supportive, we hope you’ll consider becoming a patron! We have over 70 Anxiety Slayer downloads available on Patreon including our guided relaxations, Tapping Sessions and extra resources for calming your anxiety. Learn more at patreon.com/anxietyslayer