How to deal with stress

Stress and anxiety are normal parts of life.  There is the type of stress that we experience on a daily basis and if left unnoticed, it can pile up and up as we develop the habit of getting into negative thought patterns that materialize themselves in generalized anxiety for the world. We identify with our stress and get addicted to the thought cycles.

Through the practice of mindfulness, we don't ever make stress go away, we just change our relationship with it. So, maybe when we start our practice of mindfulness we still fall into the repeating thought patterns that cause stress - or allow moments of stress to linger with us throughout the day. As we continue our practice, we start to see form a third person perspective our relationship with it and we can smile at ourselves. Continued practice allows us to break the cycle that our minds and habits may try to keep us in. 

Breathing in with the stress

Breathing out, releasing the stress

Breathing in, Breathing out. 

Notice and try to follow the breath. Slow down thought, naturally our mind will wander - when it does, notice where the mind has wandered without judgement and bring it back to the soft, slow breaths. 

The breath is so inextricably linked with thought. Thought is the source of stress and thought is dependent on the breath, but the breath is not dependent on thought. Breath is eternal and healing. 

Though, especially as a beginner, it is hard to just turn off the mind or cope with stress through mindfulness, so we can turn to tricks where we use the mind to quiet the mind.

We can say to ourself 

Breathing in I know, I am breathing in.

Breathing out I know that I am breathing out.

Breathing in I smile, 

Breathing out I release.

In just taking a few calming breaths like this, we become more aware of our breath and our thoughts (and therefore our stressors). In daily life, we go through the motions of the waves. To meditate in a monastery or a retreat is helpful in creating a habit of mindfulness. Though, it is much easier to retain a state of mental clarity as everyone is on the spiritual path. When we are a layperson in society, exhibiting mindfulness to deal with stress is more difficult but still possible through consistent practice.

Through meditation, our relationship with stress is like a seafaring bird. It dives for fish and emerges from the water without wet feathers so that it can continue to fly. We must be like the diving bird and emerge from the water without wet feathers.

Breathing in, I feel calm.

Breathing in, I feel at ease.

Breathing in, I dwell in this present moment.

Breathing out, I know that it is a wonderful moment.