Right now (April 2020) we are dealing with a very unusual, disruptive and downright scary issue. Many of us are worrying about how COVID-19 is going to affect our day to day existence, finances, our health and our future.
To feel anxious at this present time is natural. Everyone is processing this event with some level of anxiety, and everyone has different mechanisms for coping with the prospect of the Coronavirus arriving on their doorstep.
Alistair Bond from CBT Clinic London is launching a series of free online “Lunchtime Mindfulness Meditation” Classes starting on 01/04/20 from 12 pm – 1 pm. These classes are open to all and aim to help you to navigate the anxiety caused by the stressful situation we are all facing.
Book A Free Anxiety Therapy Course Online Now – Every Wednesday
Click here to book your FREE online therapy group mindfulness session now on a Wednesday that suits you.
“Everything originates from this moment. It is the only thing we have. Now more than ever, is the time to stay grounded and present”, says Alistair Bond, Mindfulness Meditation Teacher, from The CBT Clinic London.
“We need proven ways to stop our minds from jumping too far ahead into the “scary” future. In these challenging times, we must seek out practices that bring more acceptance to the problematic thoughts and feelings that accompany this new reality, we find ourselves in. I don’t know a better way to do that than engaging in Mindfulness Meditation. This is why I think it is vital for me to provide these FREE classes for anyone who wishes to learn this life-affirming and highly practical skill.”
What is anxiety?
Anxiety is a natural response to high levels of stress which is often brought about by feelings of fear about the future. We all experience anxiety differently and with a varying level of ferociousness. The symptoms can build up over time and the focus of our anxiety can change. You may have a constant “sinking feeling” in the pit of your stomach, restlessness and difficulties in concentrating. Whilst others may experience, muscular tension, a racing heart, feeling hot or sweaty or difficulties with sleep.
Anxiety, if left unchecked, can build up to a point where we may experience a Panic Attack. This is where the mental anguish felt transcends into an extreme physical state and can be experienced as feeling faint, heart palpitations, chest pains, dizziness, shortness of breath or dry mouth. Often we misinterpret these symptoms and believe we are going to have a heart attack, suffer a stroke or lose our minds. Which keeps us stuck in a vicious cycle of panic.
How Does Mindfulness Help Anxiety?
In light of what we are now facing with the COVID-19 pandemic, anxiety within us could be created by so many issues. Money worries, isolation and loneliness, worrying about the wellbeing of relatives, food availability, the fear of getting or spreading illness, redundancy, your career/ business, your health or your future goals to name but a few.
There are many ways in which Mindfulness Meditation can help reduce the stress response created in our bodies and minds at times like these. By learning how to connect more deeply to the present, learning how to respond rather than react and bring a greater acceptance to our current experience, we can activate our “self – soothing” mechanism leading to an increased sense of well being inside of ourselves.
In our article about Mindfulness, we explored in more detail about the benefits of Meditation and how connecting to the present and accepting our feelings can help us gain peace within our bodies and minds.
In this unprecedented time, we are being forced to deal with an influx of new feelings and thoughts which are unfamiliar and unwelcome. The ‘noise’ we now may have to filter out is that of our own internal dialogue brought about by these feelings, as well as the constant news updates you may feel compelled to watch.
Mindfulness can help us filter this noise and forces us to carve out some space in our new and temporary regime in order to help us connect to the present and not get caught up in a future we have little or no control over.
Online Guided Meditation for Anxiety
You can join us online for our free Mindfulness Meditation classes starting on 01/04/20 from 12 pm- 1 pm. The 60-minute meditation class will be presented over Zoom (www.zoom.us) and is open to everyone. Zoom software is free to download and just takes a few minutes. To book yourself a place on our free Mindfulness Meditation classes click here.