The Science Behind Mindfulness Meditation

How To Deal with Strong Emotions | Thich Nhat Hanh (short teaching video)

Sitting, Resting, and Not Worrying | Thich Nhat Hanh (short teaching video)

I had a black dog, his name was depression

Mindfulness as a Love Affair with Life: An Interview with Jon Kabat-Zinn

How to teach children how to think- Coloroso

White Privilege

“I am white. Most of my immediate ancestors came out of the Ukraine or from England, my skin is pale.  I am Caucasian.  I was born and raised in very white parts of Canada.  I am as white as a Canadian can get and in my neighborhood, if you are not white, you are under suspicion.  My life has been lived in white communities, in almost exclusively white schools and in mostly white churches, Yet, for most of my life I was completely unaware that I was white.  I did not think of or consider color, I did not experience racism first hand and had only a vague understanding of what it was and how it was experienced. “(A Self-Study: Being a White Psychologist in an Indian World, Todd Sojonky, Peter Lang Publishing, 2010, p. 25)

It seems to me that we have made every mistake possible in how we treat each other.   We have enslaved, belittled, beaten, killed, raped, stole, beaten, warred, abused, starved, cheated and neglected.   Perhaps it is because we have lived our lives through the primary emotion of fear.   Fear is the source of all negative emotion.    We live either through Fear or Love.  It seems to me that we have lived through fear.

The Black Lives Matter movement has brought focus to decades of hurt and shame that as oppressors, those with white privilege have an unwillingness to see.   White privilege is like carrying a pocket full of money we are unaware of and grants us access to rights and privileges we ignore.  In my hometown it is usually racism directed at First Nations people. 

The protests of our present times should resonate deeply within our souls and awaken the kindness that we have access to.    Kindness rooted in our soul.   The very essence of who we are.   Kindness is the response to death and violence.   All change comes from the kindness.  Through Love. 

It begins in your home.   In your shoes.   In how you buy groceries and how you do your job.   In how you talk to those you meet and how you look in the mirror.   Kindness brings change.   Peace.  Dr. Todd Sojonky, Ph.D.

Mindfulness Meditation to help Relieve Anxiety and Stress

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) Simply Explained

Making Marriage Work | Dr. John Gottman

Mindfulness: Observing A Train of Thoughts

5-4-3-2-1 COPING TECHNIQUE

By: Jordan Killebrew

---

5...4...3...2...1 I want relief!

There are 5 steps to take to help create progress towards finding symptom reduction and/or relief. Taking these 5 steps might not be overnight magic but can significantly help reduce symptoms of anxiety, trauma triggers, and other unwanted emotions or thoughts. With any type of trigger, emotion, or thought that needs coping skills, it is important to always remember the breath! Like in yoga, slow, deep, long breathing can help maintain a sense of calm or help return to a calmer state. Start with deep breathing as the introduction to any coping skill. Breathe in for 5 seconds, hold the breath for 5 seconds, and breathe out for 5 seconds. Continue this pattern until you find your thoughts slowing down or until necessary. I suggest at least 5 rounds of these sets but more is of course allowed and encouraged. After you are able to find your breath, go through the numbers in order to help ground yourself in present thinking through external factors:

5: Acknowledge FIVE things you see around you. Maybe it is a bird, maybe it is pencil, maybe it is a spot on the ceiling, however big or small, state 5 things you see.

4: Acknowledge FOUR things you can touch around you. Maybe this is your hair, hands, ground, grass, pillow, etc, whatever it may be, list out the 4 things you can feel.

3: Acknowledge THREE things you hear. This needs to be external, do not focus on your thoughts; maybe you can hear a clock, a car, a dog park. or maybe you hear your tummy rumbling, internal noises that make external sounds can count, what is audible in the moment is what you list.

2: Acknowledge TWO things you can smell: This one might be hard if you are not in a stimulating environment, if you cannot automatically sniff something out, walk nearby to find a scent. Maybe you walk to your bathroom to smell soap or outside to smell anything in nature, or even could be as simple as leaning over and smelling a pillow on the couch, or a pencil. Whatever it may be, take in the smells around you.

1. Acknowledge ONE thing you can taste. What does the inside of your mouth taste like, gum, coffee, or the sandwich from lunch? Focus on your mouth as the last step and take in what you can taste.

These five steps are a way to ground yourself in the NOW! Take you out of your head and help stop you flooded thoughts. In Cognitive Behavioral Therapy it is believed that your thoughts are directly linked to how you feel and although we feel like we lose control of our thought processes, we have tools that can help us gain back a sense of control and lead to healthier thought patterns. In moments of anxiety or triggered trauma it is important to stay present focused to help find symptom relief. Hopefully this coping technique can help you or someone you know stay present, stay grounded, and stay healthy.

Train Your Brain: Mindfulness Meditation for Anxiety, Depression, ADD an...

Mindfulness Meditation Class

Mindfulness Meditation Class every Tuesday evening at 730 starting February 5th at Robinson Residential Design 2232 2nd Ave, Regina. Class will include some learning and time in meditation. Bring a mat for the floor and a blanket. You are welcome to join! Classes will be on a donation basis and conducted by Dr. Todd Sojonky, Ph.D. R. D. Psychologist

Nuggets