Traumatic Experiences Community Check-In Wednesday-Thursday 2-3 September 2020
Good morning everyone! The topic for todays check in is mindfulness.
Mindfulness and trauma appear to be natural sometimes even inevitable allies. Both trauma and mindfulness are concerned with the nature of suffering. They are both grounded in sensory experience. Trauma works diligently to create stress, whereas mindfulness has been shown to reduce it tremendously. There are however risks that exist when practicing mindfulness.
For individuals who have experienced trauma, mindfulness meditation can actually end up making the symptoms of traumatic stress worse. When asked to pay focused, sustained attention to their internal experience, trauma survivors can find themselves overwhelmed by flashbacks. The power of meditation thrusts survivors directly towards the core of wounds which may, in some cases, require more than mindful awareness to heal.
Despite the risks, mindfulness can be a very valuable asset for a survivor of trauma. Mindfulness can enhance present-moment awareness, increase self-compassion, and strengthen a persons ability to self-regulate; which are all important skills that support trauma recovery.
Mindfulness is made up of a number of skills, all of which require practice. These skills are briefly described below:
Awareness
One skill of mindfulness is learning how to focus your attention on one thing at a time. This includes being aware of and able to recognize all the things that are going on around you like sights and sounds, as well as all the things that are going on inside you like thoughts and feelings.
Nonjudgmental Observation
This skill is focused on looking at your experiences in a nonjudgmental way. That is, simply looking at things in an objective way as opposed to labeling them as either "good" or "bad." An important part of this skill is self-compassion.
Being Present
Part of mindfulness is being in touch with the present moment as opposed to being caught up in thoughts about the past or the future. An aspect of this skill is being an active participant in experiences instead of just going through the motions.
Beginner's Mind
This skill of mindfulness focuses on being open to new possibilities. It also refers to observing or looking at things as they truly are, as opposed to what we think they are or evaluate them to be. Going into a situation with a preconceived notion of how things will turn out can color one's experience. This can prevent an individual from getting in touch with the true experience.
I will ask the three following optional questions before ending this check-in.
1. How are you feeling today?
2. In what ways have you practiced mindfulness?
3. What topic would you like me to cover in a future check-in?
As always I wish you all a greater today than yesterday, in hopes of a better and brighter tomorrow!!!
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1. I'm feeling really bad physically today, which is making me feel bad mentally today.
2. I only practice physical presense and awareness mindfulness meditations, because anything that asks me to focus on feelings will inevitably send me on a spiral or a journey I didn't want to be on, that can make the results worse.
3. I'm new, so I don't know what to ask for. :)
@mnemosynedream
Im sorry you were feeling so badly yesterday and I do hope today has been better. It's totally understandable not to want to go down the rabbit hole so to speak. Honestly any areas dealing with trauma that leave you asking questions would be worth doing a checkin about I suppose. Welcome to the forum and thank you so much for participating in the checkin.
@Understandingempath
1. I feel pretty okay today. I took a walk today, tended to my plants. I'm not sure if I'm facing my trauma or just ignoring it. Either way, I'm just glad to be alive and able bodied.
2. Ways that I practice mindfulness are telling myself that I'm not alone, I'm loves and cared for. Things happen for a reason and I'm okay.
3. I think a good topic may be something in regard to flash backs
@CoolBeans29
yes flashbacks. Love your self care and self talk.
@BraveAdventurer
thank you!!
1. today hasnt been my best day overall, but i got all of my work done and i talked to my friends online. im not looking forward to having to leave the house tomorrow.
2. the only way i can think of is that i can offer myself compassion. which i i was able to do for a long time. id like to start meditating in the future.
3. i dont know lol
@crxxtvfl0w
Compassion is such a great word and a great concept. I think maybe I should incorporate that myself.
i have a question, this sentence over here "An aspect of this skill is being an active participant in experiences instead of just going through the motions". what do you mean by participating in the experience instead of just going thru the motions? how do i do that?
How are you feeling today?
i haven't feel good for the past days. also this morning, something just triggered me again, although i can manage myself better than i used to and it actually doesn't last as long as it used to be, i still feel that something was off in my life. i feel suffocated and can't seem to put my mind in the right place. i feel sad and hurt and scared all over again bcs i can't stop thinking about the person who hurted me and all the awful things that she did.
In what ways have you practiced mindfulness?
i try to live in the present, trying to be aware of my surroundings.
What topic would you like me to cover in a future check-in?
anything that can help people understand about what they are facing like this post you posted :)
@Understandingempath
Such an amazing post (as always). I find it ironic that the mindfulness techniques are actually some that I use when I dissociate. I usually focus on something I see/hear/feel so hatred and study it with interest. Soon my conscious is wrapped in that thing to the point that I can't feel the pain happening to my person. And yet this mindful consciousness of my surroundings is also how I help come back to myself. Sorry weird musing.
1. How are you feeling today?
Numb. Anxiety/panicking. Sad. Frustrated. Scared. Hopeful. Happy. All in turns. It's a bit weird really.
2. In what ways have you practiced mindfulness?
Notificing my surroundings. Yoga and being aware of body sensations. Long walks. Focusing on the small things around me.
3. What topic would you like me to cover in a future check-in?
Resources for recovery?