A deep breath

Think back to a time you were fearful or terrified. You will remember your irrational behavior and actions. That adrenaline rush will put people in fight or flight mode, and we are on the defensive whether or not we need to be. We don't think things carefully through.  We act out of panic and make decisions we would never make in a relaxed state of mind. Of course if there is an emergency that fight and flight instinct can be helpful. But if that fight and flight instinct continues to control us after the incident, we have a problem. At points it seems the whole US  is a country with PTSD.

Out of this experience we are distrustful, and at each others throats, which is so perfectly portrayed in our two political parties.  We are short tempered in situations we don't understand or are unfamiliar with. We don't have the patience to deal with anything that does not concern us. Such a mind set is difficult between two individuals, but between groups and parties in something as large as a country, it becomes a whole lot worse and more volatile.

Our mind can be used to defuse such situations. I am a Christian minister and will be talking about how to use Christian values to overcome fear. However, I will also give those who are not Christians, ideas on how to use my suggestions.

First of all, we need to relearn how to focus and concentrate.

With hours of media at our finger tips and hundreds of ways to multitask, we have started to loose a precious commodity, namely deep concentration. In my capacity as a substitute teacher and continuing education teacher, I have noticed that students have trouble focusing. Many also have trouble thinking critically and using their imaginations. Why is concentration important? If we have too much stimulation, I have observed that people are “scatter brained.” If we are “scatter brained,” I know from my own experience, we become more easily overwhelmed, stressed and fearful.

That concentration I am talking about has been described in religions as meditation and prayer. Concentration has been used in many various religions, from Buddhism and Confucianism, to Spiritual direction in Christian denominations.

 I will give you exercises in this blog to practice concentration and meditation regardless of your tradition.

If you are religious, use meditation, deep prayer and contemplation.

If you are not religious, you still can use the concentration and focusing exercises.

The first exercise:

Sit, lay down or stand somewhere quiet. Then take deep breaths. Let your mind follow as you inhale and then as you exhale. Notice if your mind wanders. Refocus! Keep on breathing for a couple of minutes. Then add one more thing......imagine that you breathe out fear and breathe in well-being.

For Christians: breathe out fear and darkness and breathe in Christ light and love
                          or imagine you lean back into Christ knowing He is in charge.

© 2012 Angelika Mitchell