Riding Out Mental Storms

Read More

Share this Post:

I always find comfort in the fact that there’s usually a meditation teaching on something I’m going through….and this one is particularly helpful.

Mental storms happen to us when something grabs hold of our mind and wreaks havoc in there.  It disrupts our sleep, grips our mind at odd moments in the day, and creates an underlying level of tension to everything we do.

Have you had any mental storms lately?

I have….and when I remembered what happened to me and my group of meditation students in Belize last year, I got this video out to share with you.

We got wet (understatement), we watched the sea get angry…..and then guess what happened?

Watch the video below to find out…it will help you understand what you’re going through when you get hit with a mental storm of your own.

Steps for Riding Out a Mental Storm

1. Give it a name

The act of realizing you’re having a mental storm is one of the most efficient ways to begin the process of clearing the skies.  See, when we give it a name – when we note to ourselves that we’re having a “mental storm” – it helps take us out of its content.

When we don’t even realize it’s happening, we get caught up in believing whatever the storm is telling us – that life is awful, things are so screwed up right now, my business isn’t going to survive this, nothing feels good anymore, everything is going to hell in a hand basket.

We get lost in the storm.

The simple act of recognizing that it’s happening WHILE it’s happening helps take us out of its content and into awareness.

Being lost in the storm means we’ve lost our awareness.

Noting the fact that a storm is happening connects us back to our awareness.  Awareness is always the first piece of the puzzle, because if you can’t recognize that it’s happening while it’s happening, you can’t do anything about it.

2. Remember what happens to all storms

Storms come…and then go.  They always do and they always will, because the true nature of reality is impermanence.  And because we are a part of nature, everything that comes up in our mind – even terrifyingly brutal storms – will come, last for a certain amount of time, and then they will pass.  In the storm’s coming is its going.  You know the phrase “This too shall pass?”  Well, I like to take that one step further…This too is passing.  In the storm’s coming is also its going.  It’s woven into its very existence.  Remember that.

3.  Hunker down and ride it out

When I’m having a big storm surface in my mind, I like to do really slow and grounding activities.  Like meditation, or folding laundry, clearing the dishwasher or stepping outside into fresh air.  What I don’t recommend is watching television as a way to ride out a storm.  TV has a tendency to add to the storm, and we’re mostly unconscious as to how and when it’s doing this.  TV tends to put us into a stupor, and though this can feel like a kind of relief from your own mind, what most people discover is that the storm didn’t actually pass while you were watching TV…it was waiting for you.  And now it’s 3 o’clock in the morning and it’s ready to roar.

I’ll be sharing more tips and powerful meditation practices on Riding Out the Storm in my next webinar on Saturday May 2, 10am MST.
Find out how to join us here.

With all my love,

Michelle

More Videos In Most Current

STRESS
REDUCTION
Settling the Mind on the Breath Meditation

Breathing can be an immediate tool for calming the central nervous system. This short meditation can be done anytime, anywhere you want to take things down a notch and ease your stress.

I hope so much it helps,

Michelle
BEGIN NOW
close-link
SLEEP ISSUES
Middle of the Night Meditation

The next best thing to sleep is rest. If you can use this meditation to help you move into a state of rest, you are at least now moving in a good direction. So don't be discouraged if it doesn't put you right to sleep. Use it to put you to rest, and then see what happens.

I hope so much this helps,

Michelle
BEGIN NOW
close-link
WORKPLACE
STRESS
Focusing the Mind Meditation

If you Google what the top ten most successful people do on a daily basis, more than half say they meditate.

When our mind gets scattered, it's hard to be efficient and effective. Try this short practice to interrupt any overwhelm and refocus the mind.

Hope it helps!

Michelle
BEGIN NOW
close-link
LEARN HOW
TO MEDITATE
BODY SCAN

One of the most important practices
toward developing mindfulness, this
meditation increases our ability to
use the mind to relax the body.
START NOW
close-link
Let's Connect
Stay tuned with our latest meditations
JOIN TODAY
close-link
Free
Guided
Meditation
Join Today
And Check Your Email
JOIN TODAY
close-link