Meditation isn’t always about clearing
your mind- sometimes it’s about being honest with yourself and your experiences
By Kelsey Dickstein
Introduction
Sometimes it starts when you notice the racing
thoughts have crept back in. Or suddenly you are aware that you feel just above
or outside of your body, like you’re watching yourself instead of being
yourself. Maybe you experience it like a fog of noise: the world keeps moving,
people keep talking, but everything feels…off; too loud, hard to focus.
When you’re on the road to recovery from panic,
anxiety, or trauma-related disorders, moments like these can come out of
nowhere- and it can feel daunting if you can’t figure out how to bring yourself
back.
Living with racing thoughts, or panic or anxiety
disorders is no fun.
Luckily, I have a simple, quick, and easy way to help
get your feet down to the ground and your head back in the game. This practice
helps return you to your body, your breath, and your surroundings, all without
forcing anything or trying to “fix” your feelings.
5-4-3-2-1- Calm!
The method is simple: run through and connect with
each one of your senses in a slow and deliberate way, bringing you back to the
present and grounding you in your body.
Here’s how to do it:
5. Sight
– The first step of this practice is to look around your immediate surroundings
for five different things you can see. Note the color, texture, materials, size,
and other qualities.
4.
Touch – Eyes closed now, try to detect four different sensations on your
skin. Feel the clothing on your body touching your skin, the pressure of the
ground beneath your feet, feel the inside of your pocket, or the smoothness of
your skin
3.
Hearing – quiet now! Close your eyes and tune into the sounds around
you. Try to find three distinct sounds. When you slow down and listen, at first
it might seem like there is nothing playing in the background, but take a
moment and you will be able to detect the sound of your breathing, hum of the
heater, distant cars on the road, or even birds or the rustling of trees
outside. Whatever may be happening around you that you miss when you are in a
heightened state of anxiety.
2.
Smell- Breathe deeply, with eyes closed and focus on your sense of
smell, finding two scents
1.
Taste- what does it taste like to be you? Try to find other taste in
your mouth
Take a minute to run down the list
and come back to the present moment, without judging or trying to change
anything you are experiencing. The goal is presence, not perfection. Being with
the current circumstances and being realistic is just as important as times
when we are more active in our lives.
Why It Works
· This
practice first and foremost interrupts spiraling thoughts or undesirable
thought patterns. Just by purposely directing our thoughts
and being curious about our experience, this practice helps us to free
ourselves instantly from destructive thought spirals
· Calms
the nervous system. By taking stock of our surroundings, our
bodies have a chance to honestly assess threats. Once we acknowledge our
current physical experience, the brain can adjust and ease releasing stress
hormones in response to the narratives and fears bopping around inside our
heads.
· Reorients our awareness to our bodies and
environments centering and grounding us.
· In alignment with Polyvagal Theory, the 5-4-3-2-1 practice
activates the ventral vagal state, a physiological state linked with safety and
social engagement, wherein the vagus
nerve becomes highly active, working to regulate the heart and leading us to
feel calm, cool, and connected.
Tips When Doing the
5-4-3-2-1 Method
·
Remember to breathe slowly and deeply
during the exercise, and to take your time; allow yourself to linger briefly
over each sense
·
It may help to hang up a list of the
instructions or to memorize the order and say it out loud or in your head as
you do the exercise
·
This can be used during an anxiety or
panic attack, during disassociation or depersonalization, or even worked into
your daily mindfulness practice
·
There are no right or wrong answers to
what you are sensing; it is what it is.
The point of the exercise is to be present, not to
reach nirvana (though if that happens for you, good for you!) Until then, good
luck on your recovery journey.
And remember: there’s a reason meditation is called a
“practice”.
;)
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