Generalized Anxiety Self-Help Resources

Shared by Tat in our discord group: 

Self-help resources for generalized anxiety disorder, written by clinical psychologists at the Centre for Clinical Interventions in Perth, Western Australia.

https://www.cci.health.wa.gov.au/Resources/Looking-After-Yourself/Worry-and-Rumination

Goodbye rumination

Have you ever found yourself unable to sleep or relax because unwanted thoughts and worries fill your mind?

The video 'Micro Lesson' below describes some techniques for displacing unwanted thoughts with different thoughts that are more productive or pleasant.  It requires fine tuning to find what works for you but provides the general framework to get you started.

I used to be good for three hours of rumination before I could fall asleep.  Now, I tell myself that repeated worrying is not productive and to save thinking about problems for a better time.  One of the things I fill my thoughts with is visualizing a favorite route for a bike ride.  It has actually been years since I rode my bike along that route, but as I remember it in great detail the worries fade away, replaced by nice memories.

https://scottadams.locals.com/upost/338260/a-micro-lesson-on-getting-rid-of-unwanted-thoughts

 

New Rewards for your CfM Coins!

 We start the New Year with new rewards for your CfM coins (you get them for joining our meditations and events, yes, that easy!) Remember the Christmas gift from the Center? Now you can earn this wonderful HUD to change the textures of your Meditation Corner

8 beautiful versions and I included matching textures for the rug. Hope you like it!  I also added the Futon bed, the dreaming swan, the wishing tree and...

Tadaaa! Cyrile the Worry Eater, on touch you tell him your worries and he takes care of it! And you can get him for only 1 coin , yes, you read that right, only 1 coin! 

Have no idea what to do? Read here

 

The beginning of life

Yesterday I was looking at a documentary on Apple+, The beginning of life (Netflix link). Breakthrough technology allows neuroscientists to research how environment and caretakers have a huge influence on young children and how that shapes that not only their future but also ours. 

Babies always make me melt so I watched and learned a few wonderful things (if you have a baby, talk to it as much as possible ♥) About 3/4 into the documentary they film this little girl in the slums of India, no parents, perhaps 8y old, taking care of her little brother and sister, as all Westerners I can stomach all of that, I mean we see it so often yet we don't care at all. 

 

But then the interviewer asked her: What is your biggest dream? And with a smile on her face she said: 

I don't have dreams...  and then that smile faded as she possibly became aware of the hard reality of what she just said. I burst out into tears and cried for two hours, the unfairness of this poor girl hit me so hard and I felt like I need to help her. Made a clip of it for you:

 

The documentary was made in 2015 and a quest to find who she is led to nothing but I did find a site to help children in poverty: Sponsor a Child in Need

I found a child and payed the first amount for him, Prince 3y old and awaiting his picture and package to get to know what he needs

 

 

 I will continue to try to find the little girl in the documentary and find a way to help her and her siblings. Please if you can afford, consider helping one of those children too, or find a family near you that needs help. No child deserves to live in poverty.

I usually don't make New Year resolutions, I am fairly good at planning what I want in my life and do what is needed to reach my goal. This year I do to honor this little girl.

 From now on I will be grateful for all I have and not complain. No more whining and moaning about futile things, feeling down for things that don't matter. Enough with the selfishness and the greed. A ray of sunshine, the smell of grass... everything is a reason to be grateful, specially for us Westerners. 

I will keep all my wishes for her, that her life gets better and maybe one day this child has a dream again ♥

 

 

 

Mindful eating

 Shared by ZadigFrost at Cythe's Mindful eating meditation class.

Savor: Mindful Eating, Mindful Life

 

This week at Share & Care

 A quote and wonderful reminder shared by Lancelost:

“If you are depressed you are living in the past.

If you are anxious you are living in the future.

If you are at peace you are living in the present.”

-  Lao Tzu

♥

 Something to read shared by Cyntia Grainer:

The dark nights of the soul by ThomasMoore

 

 ♥

Something to watch shared by Raeven:

 ♥

 

Do you suffer from Anxiety and/or Depression? Share & Care is a weekly, informal gathering held at The Center for Mindfulness in Secondlife at 4pm SLT (PST) where you can share your experience, what helps you cope and what not, find or be a shoulder, make new friends or just sit and listen...

If you have something that you find useful, helpful, or interesting regarding anxiety, depression, or is mindfulness related, please share it in our Discord. You can also pass it directly to me inworld so I may also post it here on the blog.

_人_ Namaste ♥

Weekend Events - Cancelled

Our events for the next few days have been removed from the calendar as the guides are all taking the weekend off. The center remains open 24/7 as your tranquil, safe space in SL. We encourage you to continue your personal practice, both in SL and in RL.

Many helpful resources like meditation videos and advice can be found throughout this blog.

With loving-kindness, we all wish you a healthy and safe New Year and a wonderful weekend!
See you all Monday with a fresh start. ♥

 

Creating a Sacred Space in Your Home

Here's a nice article to inspire you to make a special place for meditation in RL while your avatar joins us for our mindfulness events inworld.

_人_ Namaste ♥

Holiday Party @ the Center ♥

 

Gratitude and Well-being

 Shared by Bronus and grateful he always shares those nice snippets with us in Discord ♥

Happy Holidays from the Center for Mindfulness Team ♥

Happy Holidays from the Center for Mindfulness Team ♥ Find your gifty at the Center (on landing go right and click the happy holiday sign, don't forget to activate your group! )

After the holidays I will make a texture HUD and you will be able to buy it with meditation coins!

Let the magic of this holiday season surround you with unlimited happiness. In this comfiest season of the year, may you find many reasons to smile, have a tremendous and joyful start to this new year and have the wheel of luck running throughout the year.Wishing you all a wonderful holiday season.

Anna, Alexander, Dann, Blitz, Nami, Raeven, Reko, Cythe, Pet, Norton and Ren ♥ 

 

 

 

There are many ways to practice meditation

It's not so much how or where you mediate. It's more about being mindful and taking the time to do it. Yesterday in Share & Care, Lancelost shared that there's a game on steam to help you learn to meditate. If you suffer from anxiety, it could be a useful tool.

 ♥

PLAYNE: A meditation game.

A video game that helps players learn and build a daily habit of meditation. Grow & transform the game world by meditating. Build resilience to stress, experience calm and relaxation. 

Winter Solstace Blessing

As my current focus with leading meditations in SL have been Loving-Kindness, I felt compelled to share this graphic that Bronus posted on our discord channel. In this season of giving, during this crazy year we're all experiencing, let's be mindful to treat ourselves with loving-kindness as well as to everyone else who crosses our path.

Meditation is preparation for death

 Another one Bronus shared with us, this time this little gem coming from The Midnight Gospel on Netflix. This scene is cry under a minute ♥

Isolation Well-Being

 

Bronus shared with us at our Discord this perfect check list to keep us healthy and courageous in another lockdown. I agree with all of them and add ☑ meditation Thank you! ♥