How to Use Meditation to Treat PTSD
Choose the best time of day to meditate., Remove yourself to a calm, quiet space., Make yourself comfortable., Select a mantra.The selection of your mantra can have a large role to play in the effectiveness of the technique., Chant your mantra for...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Choose the best time of day to meditate.
To get the most out of the meditation experience, you should practice transcendental meditation twice a day.The first time should be first thing in the morning.
Meditating in the morning allows you to clear away any negative feelings you may have encountered through the nightmares or restless sleep common to many sufferers of PTSD.
It cleans the slate for the rest of the day, allowing you to begin a new day with reduced stress levels.
The second time should be in the late afternoon.
If you work a normal workday, having a secondary session after you get off work and before dinner is a good idea.
The pressures of your job are likely to build up, weakening your subconscious and allowing unrelated stress to slip through.
Even if you do not have a normal workday, this is the "peak" of the day at which most people have the most tension. -
Step 2: Remove yourself to a calm
In order for meditation to work, you need to create a personal, “sacred” atmosphere.
Find a place where you can be alone, unless you are meditating with the help of a meditation teacher or unless your PTSD causes you to go into increased fits of stress when isolated.
Choose a location that is as quiet and undisturbed as possible, and make sure that the area is relatively free from distraction.
You may wish to build a calming down corner for this and other purposes. , You need to strike a balance between relaxation and focus during meditation.
Set the mood.
Dim the lights or light candles.
Bright lights tend to heighten anxiety, making it hard to meditate.
Burning some soothing incense can also get you into the right frame of mind.
Take a seat.
For transcendental meditation, you do not necessarily need to sit in any specific form.
Simply sitting in a cushioned desk chair should suffice, as long as the chair is comfortable enough to remain in.
Close your eyes.
Rid yourself of visual distractions and send your sense of consciousness inward.
Take deep, soothing breaths.
Inhale deeply, filling your lungs with air, before slowly exhaling. , The word or sound you choose should have a positive meaning.
Many mantras often use something that evokes a sense of bliss, but for sufferers of PTSD, a mantra focused more toward peacefulness or rest might be better.
Consider using a term that means what you are trying to achieve.
For instance, "peace," "rest," "calmness," or "hush" are all terms that you could chant as a mantra.
Try something that has personal meaning to you.
A verse from a holy text, a prayer, or a simple quote that quiets the soul can be chanted if it puts your body in a state of restfulness.
Use a word in another language.
The advantage of using a word from a language other than your mother tongue is that you may be able to fixate more on the sensation of saying the word rather than the word itself.
Even so, consider choosing a term that has a meaning relating to peace.
You could try the Hebrew "shalom," for instance, or the Hindu "om shanti om." "Om" is a traditional part of many mantras and is a term that is thought to express the sound of the divine. , Repeat your mantra slowly and precisely, pronouncing the word or words with clarity.
Do not rush yourself.
Take your time, even if it means stretching out the sound of the words longer than usual. , As you chant, various feelings, including stress, are a likely to come up.
You may even have flashbacks to the event that caused your PTSD.
As these things occur, push them aside but do not ignore them completely.
Acknowledge and accept the negative sensation before redirecting your consciousness back the mantra you are repeating.
Use your mantra as a tool to redirect your energy away from draining thoughts and towards a basic sense of awareness. , After your 20 minutes are up, slowly return yourself back to your normal routine.
Stop chanting and gradually open your eyes.
Sit in the dimly lit room for several minutes as you slowly stand, stretch, and return the state of things back to the way they were before you began your meditation. , As you go throughout your day, you may find yourself struggling with PTSD symptoms.
After you have been practicing your mantra for several days, you will come to subconsciously associate it with a sense of calm and peace.
If you feel stressed during the day, find a quiet corner and quietly chant your mantra to yourself for up to five minutes.
While these “mini” meditations are not enough to substitute a structured meditation, they can help relax you during the day when you feel as though you are otherwise unable to cope. , Unfortunately, meditation is not an instant cure.
Studies indicate that the long-term use of meditation may be helpful for many sufferers of PTSD, but it could take several weeks or months before you see any noticeable sign of improvement.
Give it time and try not to be too discouraged when you first start out. -
Step 3: quiet space.
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Step 4: Make yourself comfortable.
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Step 5: Select a mantra.The selection of your mantra can have a large role to play in the effectiveness of the technique.
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Step 6: Chant your mantra for 20 minutes.
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Step 7: Focus entirely on your mantra.
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Step 8: Ease your mind back to the present.
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Step 9: Use your mantra when you begin to feel overwhelmed.
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Step 10: Repeat the practice every day for at least six weeks.
Detailed Guide
To get the most out of the meditation experience, you should practice transcendental meditation twice a day.The first time should be first thing in the morning.
Meditating in the morning allows you to clear away any negative feelings you may have encountered through the nightmares or restless sleep common to many sufferers of PTSD.
It cleans the slate for the rest of the day, allowing you to begin a new day with reduced stress levels.
The second time should be in the late afternoon.
If you work a normal workday, having a secondary session after you get off work and before dinner is a good idea.
The pressures of your job are likely to build up, weakening your subconscious and allowing unrelated stress to slip through.
Even if you do not have a normal workday, this is the "peak" of the day at which most people have the most tension.
In order for meditation to work, you need to create a personal, “sacred” atmosphere.
Find a place where you can be alone, unless you are meditating with the help of a meditation teacher or unless your PTSD causes you to go into increased fits of stress when isolated.
Choose a location that is as quiet and undisturbed as possible, and make sure that the area is relatively free from distraction.
You may wish to build a calming down corner for this and other purposes. , You need to strike a balance between relaxation and focus during meditation.
Set the mood.
Dim the lights or light candles.
Bright lights tend to heighten anxiety, making it hard to meditate.
Burning some soothing incense can also get you into the right frame of mind.
Take a seat.
For transcendental meditation, you do not necessarily need to sit in any specific form.
Simply sitting in a cushioned desk chair should suffice, as long as the chair is comfortable enough to remain in.
Close your eyes.
Rid yourself of visual distractions and send your sense of consciousness inward.
Take deep, soothing breaths.
Inhale deeply, filling your lungs with air, before slowly exhaling. , The word or sound you choose should have a positive meaning.
Many mantras often use something that evokes a sense of bliss, but for sufferers of PTSD, a mantra focused more toward peacefulness or rest might be better.
Consider using a term that means what you are trying to achieve.
For instance, "peace," "rest," "calmness," or "hush" are all terms that you could chant as a mantra.
Try something that has personal meaning to you.
A verse from a holy text, a prayer, or a simple quote that quiets the soul can be chanted if it puts your body in a state of restfulness.
Use a word in another language.
The advantage of using a word from a language other than your mother tongue is that you may be able to fixate more on the sensation of saying the word rather than the word itself.
Even so, consider choosing a term that has a meaning relating to peace.
You could try the Hebrew "shalom," for instance, or the Hindu "om shanti om." "Om" is a traditional part of many mantras and is a term that is thought to express the sound of the divine. , Repeat your mantra slowly and precisely, pronouncing the word or words with clarity.
Do not rush yourself.
Take your time, even if it means stretching out the sound of the words longer than usual. , As you chant, various feelings, including stress, are a likely to come up.
You may even have flashbacks to the event that caused your PTSD.
As these things occur, push them aside but do not ignore them completely.
Acknowledge and accept the negative sensation before redirecting your consciousness back the mantra you are repeating.
Use your mantra as a tool to redirect your energy away from draining thoughts and towards a basic sense of awareness. , After your 20 minutes are up, slowly return yourself back to your normal routine.
Stop chanting and gradually open your eyes.
Sit in the dimly lit room for several minutes as you slowly stand, stretch, and return the state of things back to the way they were before you began your meditation. , As you go throughout your day, you may find yourself struggling with PTSD symptoms.
After you have been practicing your mantra for several days, you will come to subconsciously associate it with a sense of calm and peace.
If you feel stressed during the day, find a quiet corner and quietly chant your mantra to yourself for up to five minutes.
While these “mini” meditations are not enough to substitute a structured meditation, they can help relax you during the day when you feel as though you are otherwise unable to cope. , Unfortunately, meditation is not an instant cure.
Studies indicate that the long-term use of meditation may be helpful for many sufferers of PTSD, but it could take several weeks or months before you see any noticeable sign of improvement.
Give it time and try not to be too discouraged when you first start out.
About the Author
Emma Russell
Experienced content creator specializing in crafts guides and tutorials.
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