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Author Topic: Looking for spiritual help with anxiety  (Read 5262 times)

Selenography

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Looking for spiritual help with anxiety
« on: June 12, 2014, 08:05:06 pm »
I deal with mild to severe anxiety in my everyday life and have been known to have panic attacks when things get really rough.

Right now, all of those symptoms have spiked because I am thoroughly stressed with moving, legal issues (I didn't do anything criminal), professional issues, family drama, and health issues.  

I have been doing what I can on a mundane front. I am keeping my therapist in the loop, taking my anxiety meds, meditating, walking a lot outside, avoiding caffeine, and trying to do soothing art therapy kinds of things.

But my symptoms are still raging. Still panic attacks. Still tons of stress and worry.

So, I am looking for something I can do on a spiritual front to lessen my anxiety or better cope with it.  I am open to doing a formal ritual, but I also like the idea of having something I can do in the moment when the panic flares up.

I also welcome suggestions of what deities have been useful in soothing you in times of stress.  I've thought of everyone in my pantheon, and no one seems just right. I have never been able to connect with Kwan Yin or Tara, both of whom seem like logical choices.

Thank you for your help. :lub:

mlr52

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Re: Looking for spiritual help with anxiety
« Reply #1 on: June 12, 2014, 08:11:15 pm »
Quote from: Selenography;149924
I deal with mild to severe anxiety in my everyday life and have been known to have panic attacks when things get really rough.

Right now, all of those symptoms have spiked because I am thoroughly stressed with moving, legal issues (I didn't do anything criminal), professional issues, family drama, and health issues.  

I have been doing what I can on a mundane front. I am keeping my therapist in the loop, taking my anxiety meds, meditating, walking a lot outside, avoiding caffeine, and trying to do soothing art therapy kinds of things.

But my symptoms are still raging. Still panic attacks. Still tons of stress and worry.

So, I am looking for something I can do on a spiritual front to lessen my anxiety or better cope with it.  I am open to doing a formal ritual, but I also like the idea of having something I can do in the moment when the panic flares up.

I also welcome suggestions of what deities have been useful in soothing you in times of stress.  I've thought of everyone in my pantheon, and no one seems just right. I have never been able to connect with Kwan Yin or Tara, both of whom seem like logical choices.

Thank you for your help. :lub:

 
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Re: Looking for spiritual help with anxiety
« Reply #2 on: June 12, 2014, 09:02:41 pm »
Quote from: mlr52;149925
Mundane - a slow dance retinue, or stretching.

 
Yep.  Also, daily devotional/ritual practice.  In my experience, a little ritual helps distract an anxious mind.  Ditto for yardwork or exercise.
You mentioned meditation. If you learn to do what Penczak calls an 'instant magic trigger', then with something as simple as a mudra you can sort of put yourself in a quasi-meditative state, helping you catch your breath a bit.
Also, my therapist really stressed the idea of deliberate mindfulness- living "in the moment" as much as possible.
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HeartShadow

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Re: Looking for spiritual help with anxiety
« Reply #3 on: June 12, 2014, 10:00:37 pm »
Quote from: Selenography;149924


 
Maybe some kind of charm you can wear or keep in your pocket, that you can use as a worry/calming item?  give the worry to it?

missgraceless

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Re: Looking for spiritual help with anxiety
« Reply #4 on: June 13, 2014, 08:07:55 am »
Quote from: HeartShadow;149939
Maybe some kind of charm you can wear or keep in your pocket, that you can use as a worry/calming item?  give the worry to it?

That's what I was thinking. If you keep your keys attached to you like I do (I've got a carabiner that I hook on my belt loop), even a keychain of some sort would help.

And call me crazy, but mild pain actually helps me calm down. Think snapping a rubber band on your wrist. But I use my nails. My nails always break so I've constantly got those really sharp corners, and I usually just dig that into the inside of my opposite wrist. It's not enough to leave a mark, but just enough to bring me back to reality.

I don't know what your routine for meditation is, but I like to listen to ambient music or a guided track. I've also got severe depression so silence leads to wallowing. And speaking of music, a good pick-me-up playlist helps a lot as well. Let me know what genre of music you listen to and I'll see if I can't find something to help.

And I actually saw something on Pinterest a while back about certain apps on your phone for managing anxiety. Here's the article for it, but the "mobile therapy" app mentioned apparently isn't available to the public. But do some digging and if you spend a lot of time on your phone like I do, it may just help.
« Last Edit: June 13, 2014, 08:11:46 am by missgraceless »
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Redfaery

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Re: Looking for spiritual help with anxiety
« Reply #5 on: June 13, 2014, 01:05:07 pm »
Quote from: Selenography;149924
I deal with mild to severe anxiety in my everyday life and have been known to have panic attacks when things get really rough.

Right now, all of those symptoms have spiked because I am thoroughly stressed with moving, legal issues (I didn't do anything criminal), professional issues, family drama, and health issues.  

I have been doing what I can on a mundane front. I am keeping my therapist in the loop, taking my anxiety meds, meditating, walking a lot outside, avoiding caffeine, and trying to do soothing art therapy kinds of things.

But my symptoms are still raging. Still panic attacks. Still tons of stress and worry.

So, I am looking for something I can do on a spiritual front to lessen my anxiety or better cope with it.  I am open to doing a formal ritual, but I also like the idea of having something I can do in the moment when the panic flares up.

I also welcome suggestions of what deities have been useful in soothing you in times of stress.  I've thought of everyone in my pantheon, and no one seems just right. I have never been able to connect with Kwan Yin or Tara, both of whom seem like logical choices.

Thank you for your help. :lub:


I too struggle with mild to severe anxiety. If you are Buddhistically inclined, I'd suggest looking up other figures in the Mahayana pantheon. There are actually quite a few of them. Guanyin and Tara are certainly the most famous, though. I would be remiss if I didn't mention my own guardian deity here, though. Have you tried Sarasvati? She's usually thought of as Hindu, but she has a Buddhist side. I deal with the Buddhist Sarasvati. She's seen as a protective deity, and one of wisdom and clarity as well. I speak from experience that her energy is incredibly calming.

You might also look up different versions of Guanyin; she is merely the Chinese facet of the Indian Avalokitesvara, and FYI, she is unique in being female. In Tibet, sie is called Chenrezig, and in Japan, Kannon. Hir portrayals in Japan are very, very androgynous, which has led some to label hir as explicitly female, due to the connections with Guanyin in China. However, sie was historically thought of as a male.

Meditation is also good. One simple trick I learned from a book on Tibetan meditation was to concentrate on your breath. Just thinking "breathe in - breathe out" while doing so is actually incredibly calming.
KARMA: You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.

EclecticWheel

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Re: Looking for spiritual help with anxiety
« Reply #6 on: June 13, 2014, 10:27:41 pm »
Quote from: Selenography;149924
I deal with mild to severe anxiety in my everyday life and have been known to have panic attacks when things get really rough.

Right now, all of those symptoms have spiked because I am thoroughly stressed with moving, legal issues (I didn't do anything criminal), professional issues, family drama, and health issues.  

I have been doing what I can on a mundane front. I am keeping my therapist in the loop, taking my anxiety meds, meditating, walking a lot outside, avoiding caffeine, and trying to do soothing art therapy kinds of things.

But my symptoms are still raging. Still panic attacks. Still tons of stress and worry.

So, I am looking for something I can do on a spiritual front to lessen my anxiety or better cope with it.  I am open to doing a formal ritual, but I also like the idea of having something I can do in the moment when the panic flares up.

I also welcome suggestions of what deities have been useful in soothing you in times of stress.  I've thought of everyone in my pantheon, and no one seems just right. I have never been able to connect with Kwan Yin or Tara, both of whom seem like logical choices.

Thank you for your help. :lub:

 
Saying 100 or more mantras with beads helps me, especially if I go slowly or at a moderate pace.  Saying them too fast makes me anxious, though.  I also have anxiety issues.  Something about the beads in my hand and the repetition helps me, though.  Doing this daily at set times when I am able to and disciplined, however I am feeling, keeps me calm overall.
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Love wisely, and do what thou wilt.

DashesAgainst

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Re: Looking for spiritual help with anxiety
« Reply #7 on: June 16, 2014, 03:46:06 am »
Quote from: Selenography;149924
I deal with mild to severe anxiety in my everyday life and have been known to have panic attacks when things get really rough.

Right now, all of those symptoms have spiked because I am thoroughly stressed with moving, legal issues (I didn't do anything criminal), professional issues, family drama, and health issues.  

I have been doing what I can on a mundane front. I am keeping my therapist in the loop, taking my anxiety meds, meditating, walking a lot outside, avoiding caffeine, and trying to do soothing art therapy kinds of things.

But my symptoms are still raging. Still panic attacks. Still tons of stress and worry.

So, I am looking for something I can do on a spiritual front to lessen my anxiety or better cope with it.  I am open to doing a formal ritual, but I also like the idea of having something I can do in the moment when the panic flares up.

I also welcome suggestions of what deities have been useful in soothing you in times of stress.  I've thought of everyone in my pantheon, and no one seems just right. I have never been able to connect with Kwan Yin or Tara, both of whom seem like logical choices.

Thank you for your help. :lub:

I suffer from anxiety as well - mostly social anxiety.   Aside from meds, philosophy has helped me the most, in particular Stoicism.  

http://www.forbes.com/sites/carriesheffield/2013/12/01/want-an-unconquerable-mind-try-stoic-philosophy/

An excellent introductory book is William Irvine's A Guide to the Good Life.  If you're new to philosophy, then I recommend reading this first followed by the primary sources.  He does a great job of breaking down the basic concepts.
« Last Edit: June 16, 2014, 03:48:18 am by DashesAgainst »
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Ameiya

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Re: Looking for spiritual help with anxiety
« Reply #8 on: July 29, 2014, 11:15:44 pm »
Quote from: Selenography;149924
I deal with mild to severe anxiety in my everyday life and have been known to have panic attacks when things get really rough.

Right now, all of those symptoms have spiked because I am thoroughly stressed with moving, legal issues (I didn't do anything criminal), professional issues, family drama, and health issues.  

I have been doing what I can on a mundane front. I am keeping my therapist in the loop, taking my anxiety meds, meditating, walking a lot outside, avoiding caffeine, and trying to do soothing art therapy kinds of things.

But my symptoms are still raging. Still panic attacks. Still tons of stress and worry.

So, I am looking for something I can do on a spiritual front to lessen my anxiety or better cope with it.  I am open to doing a formal ritual, but I also like the idea of having something I can do in the moment when the panic flares up.

I also welcome suggestions of what deities have been useful in soothing you in times of stress.  I've thought of everyone in my pantheon, and no one seems just right. I have never been able to connect with Kwan Yin or Tara, both of whom seem like logical choices.

Thank you for your help. :lub:

 
I have Generalized Anxiety Disorder and I use crystals to help with panic attacks or general anxiety. I carry an amethyst crystal with me and take it out when I feel anxious to play with and meditate with.

Not sure if that's what you're looking for but I've found it to be really helpful.

Redfaery

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Re: Looking for spiritual help with anxiety
« Reply #9 on: August 03, 2014, 04:03:53 am »
Quote from: Ameiya;154326
I have Generalized Anxiety Disorder and I use crystals to help with panic attacks or general anxiety. I carry an amethyst crystal with me and take it out when I feel anxious to play with and meditate with.

Not sure if that's what you're looking for but I've found it to be really helpful.

 
The OP hasn't been on in about a month, I think, so I doubt she'll see this. Still, it's a useful topic! And yeah, crystals and stones are really calming for me too. The type often doesn't even matter so much. The feel of it in my hand, as well as its size and shape, are usually more important. I have to be able to stroke my fingers over a stone and roll it around in my palm. A slick, cold texture works really well for me when I'm over-wrought and anxious, but when I'm sad and low, I prefer stones that are softer, and that warm up from my skin.
KARMA: You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.

Kahina

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Re: Looking for spiritual help with anxiety
« Reply #10 on: August 07, 2014, 03:44:34 am »
Quote from: Selenography;149924
I deal with mild to severe anxiety in my everyday life and have been known to have panic attacks when things get really rough.

Right now, all of those symptoms have spiked because I am thoroughly stressed with moving, legal issues (I didn't do anything criminal), professional issues, family drama, and health issues.  

I have been doing what I can on a mundane front. I am keeping my therapist in the loop, taking my anxiety meds, meditating, walking a lot outside, avoiding caffeine, and trying to do soothing art therapy kinds of things.

But my symptoms are still raging. Still panic attacks. Still tons of stress and worry.

So, I am looking for something I can do on a spiritual front to lessen my anxiety or better cope with it.  I am open to doing a formal ritual, but I also like the idea of having something I can do in the moment when the panic flares up.

I also welcome suggestions of what deities have been useful in soothing you in times of stress.  I've thought of everyone in my pantheon, and no one seems just right. I have never been able to connect with Kwan Yin or Tara, both of whom seem like logical choices.

Thank you for your help. :lub:

 
I deal with a lot of anxiety myself, so I can relate to what you're feeling. It's definitely hard, and I'm glad you're taking steps in seeing a therapist and taking medication.

I believe crystals would benefit you quite a bit! I carry around a small pouch - all the crystals in there are primarily devoted to reducing stress/anxiety and keeping clarity. Amethyst and Tiger's Eye are both very good for just that, and a bit of Clear Quarts helps enhance their power. Carry it around when you go out and keep it at your side when you sleep - it'll help clear your head.

Another thing would be as other people have been suggesting - ritual. Performing spells or grounding myself really takes my mind off of things. Even reading books on spiritual topics, doing some card readings, or (for me) taking a bath all helps remind me there are forces that I can reach out to and find strength in.
"be careful, you are not in Wonderland. i\'ve heard the strange madness long growing in your soul, in your isolation."

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