Mindfulness Daily Check-In August 30, 2017
If Mindfulness Makes You Uncomfortable, Its Working.......is this true 
We know that mindfulness is getting very popular now a days. It's been defined in a variety of ways right. Moment-to-moment awareness, being in the here and now, relaxing fully into the present. And somewhere along the way weve come to equate mindfulness with good feeling emotions such as joy, relaxation, and happiness. While mindfulness can lead us to experience the good things in life more fully, this only tells half of the mindfulness story. In fact, becoming truly mindful and aware means that we are also able to see, name, and more fully experience things when we are angry, sad, jealous, anxious, vulnerable, or lonely....this, too, is mindfulness. Are you all with me still?
We have to redefine mindfulness as more than feeling good, and instead see it as having an increased capacity to sit with the full spectrum of being human, experiencing it all the good, the bad, and the ugly. Yes and learning to be less reactive so that we can make better choices each day.
There was a time many "moons" ago, even I had a panic attack or went baaazuuurkkkk when someone came to me and wanted me to do mindfulness with them. I wanted to climb outta my skin-for real. But honestly, as I tried for 3 months at first to just learn "what" mindfulness was.....I then could handle the other skills and be ok when I was looking into myself. So as I am on here teaching, supporting and listening to many on the difficulties on them understanding and doing mindfulness, I TO KNOW HOW IT IS UNCOMFORTABLENESS!!! (ppssst I don't close my eyes still)
I challenge you all to please really look past the normal responses you have on mindfulness. Ask these questions to yourself, or if you feel comfortable you can share them here with us all.
When you try mindfulness ask these things:
1. What was the trigger when you had an I just cant help myself I gotta get outta this discussion/reading.
2. What body sensations did you experience?
3. What was the voice-track in your mind?
4.What was the underlying emotion you experienced?
I would like to hear from you all on this please-as I care. I really do. I do understand my passion for mindfulness may not be others- and that is alright
I'd like to know how can the mindfulness team as well as the members make it a bit easier for you to join in mindfulness discussions or even in the mindfulness forums?
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@RumpleSteeleSkin My old school actually intergrated mindfullness activities in I think just about every way they could, so from the age of 6 I unknowingly experienced a lot of it and never really had any discomfort around it. But once it turned into sessions rather than being woven into all our lessons (for the exam years - from around 15-18) and attention was drawn to what it was, I think there became more judgement and feelings of awkwardness towards it when we were all sitting in a classroom with our eyes closed, stressing over the exam we'd be sitting the next day (etc.) and feeling it was adding to the pressure. Of course after each time there would be an undeniable positive/calm shift 
There's often a lot of judgement towards this particular education system, people often asked if we ever actually did anything or if we all just sat in circles all day watching the world go by... To be fair that was probably what we spent a lot of the earlier years doing 
but having experienced other types of schools as well, seeing how much things differed was really eye opening and even sad in a way.
Not sure I really understood the questions but here we go
1. What was the trigger when you had an I just cant help myself I gotta get outta this discussion/reading.
I think it tends to be times when unpleasent intrusive thoughts pop up, which seem to be much more vivid during those times and more difficult to escape from without interrupting it.
2. What body sensations did you experience?
The sensations when that happen tend to depend on what the image is, but will be coupled with increased pulse and at times I think a sort of falling feeling.
3. What was the voice-track in your mind?
Think at those times it tends to just be a bit of an 'Aaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh' or 'nononononononono' - I guess it should be more like an 'Ok, that's fine, just keep going' though hmm
4.What was the underlying emotion you experienced?
I guess probably panic?
@AMusicalSilence
Hi Musical good you are in check-in todayI do agree with you sharing on those vivid memories and feelings. Sometimes doing mindfulness you are still and into yourself. So that is very understandable. Oh Im sorry that it feels like falling or pulse increasing, how can mindfulness or the team help with this? So I understand the "voice" is a bit rebellious to allowing mindfulness to slip in and try to work. What would you like the voice in your head to be saying that could be more encouraging? Panic....that is a very big one when people are doing mindfulness. Its a legite feeling and can be very intense. How can the mindfulness team help you on this panic feeling? When we post things or even run a discussion? What will help? Thank you for sharing openly and honestly here
@AMusicalSilence
Hi Silence glad you are in check-in todayOh wow that is great the school taught mindfulness as early as 6-wow. Ok I am sorry as you explained it well but Im not understanding on how it is a bit of bother some now...please can you explain that part moreIt is interesting how you shared there was judgement around the feelings you had understanding mindfulness then. Now a days there are so many ways to be mindful closing your eyes and focusing on breathing isnt just it. But even here I like to teach that first as the pillar of mindfulness. I do understand the judgement around mindfulness. I feel everyone who practices or tries mindfulness IS DOING something. You are learning skills to better handle thoughts/emotions and reactions. It is something you learn slowly. The only way you know mindfulness is working isn't just knowing you practice daily. But to know your thoughts and actions changed to something that once used to trigger you. I am really thankful you shared all this honestly-thank you
@RumpleSteeleSkin Ohhhhhh I was thinking specifically about the guided recordings for difficulties now - I think those difficulties aren't so much the mindfullness activities themselves, more a case of I guess in a way opening up the mind and allowing it to be vulnerable to thoughts and memories which are more difficult to ignore or move on from once they're there... If that makes any sense? It is probably just a case of practice and maybe taking some time to actually go over those thoughts which I'd usually try to push away.
Welllll now I'm seeing a whole other way of interpreting those questions The thoughts defaulted to the recordings this time so I forgot about all the other things we can do ahah
@AMusicalSilence
Hi Musical I was just thinking on this a bit ago as I did 2 mindfulness discussions and someone couldn't do it. Do you think a forum thread on some ideas on how to get used to the exercises and knowing you are safe? But more so get things from members and have members supporting each other?
@RumpleSteeleSkin that could be handy yes
@AMusicalSilence
Musical I will work on this
@RumpleSteeleSkin
What was the trigger when you had an I just cant help myself I gotta get outta this discussion/reading.
Mine was and is always the trigger when it comes to deep emotions, feeling. That moment when you think of hurtful things you force your mind to think of other things. Mindfulness sometimes brings me to that point where I want to escape the thought but now somehow can deal with it.
What body sensations did you experience?
My heart races like a race horse lol
What was the voice-track in your mind
You can't do this, mindfulness is not something you can do
.What was the underlying emotion you experienced?
That what I am experiencing is good and just keep on trying till it works
@sweetMango91
Hiya there Mango Wonderful to see you in check-In today!! I do understand you on how mindfulness at times can get you to focus on deep memories and feelings. Sometimes or really not alot mindfulness has us do that. Do you think it may be the topic? Are some topics to heavy? Aaaww im so sorry that your heart races and mindfulness doesn't allow you to relax and get things to slow. May I ask what things I and the team can do to make doing mindfulness skills a bit more slower or easier? Yes I to hear that wicked voice- I can't. It is a voice that lies to us. What would you like that voice to tell you? Wow MandoI was told many of years ago you know mindfulness is working when you feel all uncomfie and its weird. You are so right!! For you what you are experiencing is good and it will work as you keep practicing. Thank you very much for sharing openly and honestly
@RumpleSteeleSkin its not always that I feel like this most of the time I can relax and sometimes I fall asleep . But yeah its the topic that can be a bit hard sometimes. To look deep into yourself and to see that you are only human is not always the easiest of things to do. Like the discussion you had about self esteem. Now that was a tough one but I made it through. I just think its mu own things I have to face but doing the exercises help and I learn more about how to approach surtine things in mu own life .
@sweetMango91
Mango thank you for sharing honestly here and I'm thankful you to sit through the uncomfie, and completing the exercise
Awesome!!
@RumpleSteeleSkin I am not sure I know what you mean. There is an discomfort when I am just buzzing away on the thoughts in my head. That is more uncomfortable. When I start to practice being here I am more aware of those thoughts and that is a different kind of discomfort.
Then as I practice more I find a little sense of calm. That is when I really feel comfort.
@soulsings
Hi Soul thank you for coming to check-in today It is good to hear that you have skills or a way to handle certain things if you feel uncomfortable doing a mindfulness exercise or even participating in forum topics. This post was to get to know whay and why the reasons for the uncomfie feelings on dealing with mindfulness. As well as us all coming up with ways (if possible) to help one another with being uncomfortable. As mindfulness really can hit deep for some. Someone came up with the words guilty, condemming, retraumatizing. So we thought we hear from memers on how we can better this if possible.
I woke early this morning to make my meeting, but felt instantly drained so i went back to bed.
While laying there I felt a knock on my door and a presense enter my apartment.
But I was pinned, paralyzed. I couldn't move! -- i just laid there with my eyes open watching these people rummage through my stuff.
When I woke 6 hrs later, I missed my schedule.
I called my contacts and asked if they had stopped by. NOPE.
Was I dreaming?
Was I visited by aliens?
this year my apartment has been broken into 3 times!
Not once has the police responded, no reports filed!
Am i traumatized? Over anxious?
All i know is i keep reaching out and trying to talk with my county Mental Health clinic, but they don't provide any serivce for me because i don't have medical insurance (and the state provided insurance doesn't cover anything)
@RumpleSteeleSkin
It's true, mindfulness helped me spot my own jealousy triggers before became too reactive about them so I could respond in a more positive way like connecting in a more loving way with people instead of pushing them away with impulsive reactions.
@RumpleSteeleSkin
@RumpleSteeleSkin hello :) it's very late check-in but i'd like to answer about this :D
1. What was the trigger when you had an I just cant help myself I gotta get outta this discussion/reading.
2. What body sensations did you experience?
i get it on my first session and sometimes still do. It's hard to breathe and my heart is racing, sometimes nausea also
3. What was the voice-track in your mind?
i'm not good enough, it's not the right way to do it, no one will care. i often think like that
4.What was the underlying emotion you experienced?
i feel anxious mostly but keep trying to do that, like that's normal i will be okay later
